SLO brewery to celebrate grand opening a year after move — with 2 bands, DJ dance party
Nearly a year after relocating to a bigger San Luis Obispo space, Bang the Drum Brewery is offering live music again — and hosting its biggest event yet.
On Saturday, Bang the Drum Brewery will hold its long-awaited grand opening at 1150 Laurel Lane, Suite 130.
The event, whichs run from 5 p.m. to midnight, will feature two bands and a DJ dance party.
The Hot 45’s will open the show, followed by headliner Moonshiner Collective and DJ collective Soul Dust Productions .
“What’s really special for us specifically is that these are talented musicians who are also our friends,” Bang the Drum owner Noelle DuBois said. “It’s going to be special because we’re going to feel really connected and everyone’s going to be together.”
Tickets for the grand opening event cost $20 online and $25 at the door.
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SLO brewery reopens after move to larger space
Bang the Drum Brewery moved from its former Orcutt Road spot in July 2019 after losing its lease in advance of a mixed-use development plan with 78 homes, commercial and office space that’s currently under construction.
The brewery took on an extensive tenant remodeling project at its new Laurel Lane space, located in the back of the same 17-acre complex that was formerly home to Crux Climbing Center, before official reopening in August 2020 with limited hours.
Dubois’ boyfriend, former cabinet maker Michael McCormick, helped build out the bar, constructing a winding service counter that’s a unique feature of the building, DuBois said.
“The contractors said it was going to be a lot of money (to design a curvy bar), and Michael goes, ‘I can do it,’ ” DuBois recalled. “And that’s the only way that we would have been able to afford it, because it’s so complicated. There’s a reason why most bars have straight counters.”
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The larger space allows for a kitchen and expanded events.
Bang the Drum offers its own craft beer, as well as wine, cider, kombucha, coffee and sweet and savory pies similar to pot pies.
McCormick, a native of Scotland, introduced the idea of serving meat pies, which are common in Europe but not in American breweries and pubs, DuBois said.
“We have a small menu, but it’s designed to offer really good food to pair with our beers,” DuBois said.
The new venue can host up to 270 people indoors and outdoors, and accommodate mid-sized concerts, Dubois said.
“We made sure that we did everything slowly and with good quality, and really listened to the musicians and what they wanted, so everyone feels happy,” DuBois said. “We didn’t really do any big announcements about our new space until now, to really just prepare to handle things as well as we could.”
After running lean with staffing for months, the business now has a work crew of seven, including DuBois and McCormick, who helps her manage the business.
Bang the Drum hosted its first live music event on July 17 — a show by The Sam Chase & The Untraditional with special guest Wryn.
The brewery also has hosted well-attended trivia nights in recent weeks.
“We will continue to host events and maybe relaxed, smaller acts on Friday nights and then touring or local bands on Saturdays, though maybe not every Saturday,” DuBois said. “We have a roll-up door and access to the outside, so that has been nice.”
This story was originally published July 29, 2021 at 11:43 AM with the headline "SLO brewery to celebrate grand opening a year after move — with 2 bands, DJ dance party."
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