Just a month ago, The Brisbane Hotel was struck by a notice from the local council, demanding that expensive upgrades must be completed for the venue to stay running. Since then, Hobart’s music community has swiftly banded together, with a series of fundraisers and a swelling GoFundMe page, to help a venue they view as a huge asset to emerging bands and the local community.

Similarly, Julian Teakle of Rough Skies Records quickly got to work curating his next compilation, calling on acts from around Australia who had spent time at the pub over the last 13 years, asking them to return the favour to a place that had shown them so much support. The result has become Not Just A Pub, and all income generated from the compilation is to be donated to the hotel.

Just as the Bris itself has offered bands a space to grow and develop their craft without fear of exclusion for being too weird, Not Just A Pub celebrates of the diversity of the Brisbane Hotel’s community, and the eccentricity that it unashamedly embraces. Across the 16 tracks, the comp bounces between moods and styles unpredictably, yet still feels fluid thanks to its undeniable spirit and overarching DIY aesthetic.

There’s almost too many highlights to list - kicking off with homely country-tinged folk from Lucinda Shannon (who you may recognise from Slag Queens), the compilation zigzags away, into sprawling garage-pop (‘Bed of Nails’ - Filthy Little Star), weirdo electronica (‘Cosmic’ - Scraps), immersive psych-pop (‘Journey Into Mystery’ - Violet Swells) and even hilariously convincing hardcore punk (‘Theme’ - Bu$ Money).

What makes the compilation all the more compelling is the obvious loyalty and commitment the artists have for the pub, with each act willingly putting their best foot forward. Whether that’s the aforementioned Lucinda Shannon sharing her first solo release for the comp, noteworthy acts like Ausmuteants and School Damage offering unreleased treats, or Native Cats’ giving up a track that could just as likely been a key moment on their next release, it’s clear that the importance of the Brisbane Hotel is not lost on any of the compilation’s participants.

That said, we shouldn’t really be all that surprised, given the pub’s significance and impact on the local music scene. Reflecting on the venue, Julian shares “there's a lot of talk in our community of well-loved but gone venues - too many to mention here. These are the spaces that can define a period, a culture and life experiences, they are part of us. How many of us have met a significant other at a gig, found new friends, danced like crazy and heard music that has changed our lives? These places galvanise local identity and culture. The Brisbane Hotel is another one of these spaces, and has been a positive force in local music over many years.”