Hidden in a quaint laneway, sandwiched between the bustle and beauty of Kiama on NSW’s South Coast is Fillmore’s - a community-loved cafe and performance space.
Fillmore’s began when owner Morgan Lewis’ bought a ‘60s mobile cafe while on the hunt for spare parts for his Kombi. He was back in Kiama, after having left the coastal town for 20-odd years, and he saw a need for somewhere for people to get together to celebrate music and culture. From its early days as a pop up cafe in a bakery carpark during COVID lockdowns, Fillmore’s has grown to win hearts and change the landscape of Kiama’s live music and entertainment landscape.
“I came back [to Kiama] and sort of realised it was lacking in culture, even though it is, and professes to be, a culturally-rich area. There wasn't a lot going on for a broad demographic. And that was niggling away at me,” he said.
“Hearing from traveling musicians that the South Coast/Kiama is a bit of a black hole when they're on tour…and then being here and being hungry for culture, and having to travel away to see it,
“All of this was through COVID times. So, it became more and more pressing that we needed this space to meet and bring people together and enjoy. We had music taken away from us at the time, and so everyone was even more hungry for it. So that was kind of the perfect storm that started it. And when I bought the van, the van was called 'Fillmore', so this was Fillmore's space.”
Like everywhere, the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on the Kiama locals, leaving in its wake a deep thirst for human connection in every and any form. Since, Morgan has dedicated his waking moments to filling that gap. When people began coming to Fillmore’s, they found what they needed, often saying “We've met our people. We've found our home”, Morgan said.
“...The most common expression is that this is exactly what Kiama needs,
“Everything we do is with thought and care. And I think that sort of ripples through the space itself. And so when the punters and musicians come here, they feel really embraced by the space, and when there's a live performance on, you feel really connected with the person on stage, and the person on stage feels connected with the audience, which, again, is something that's missing a lot [in other live spaces].”
Over the years, Fillmore’s has become a community hub where newcomers and regulars alike can soak up both the diverse sounds of Kiama’s music community, and relish in the music of artists from all ends of Australia. Morgan has always maintained a high standard for his music programming at Fillmore’s, having spent years working for Kiama Jazz And Blues Festival. As such, his eye and ear for rising stars has made him a trusted figure; if there’s one thing that you’re guaranteed to take home with you after a night out at Fillmore’s, it’s a new artist to have on repeat.
“I love personally introducing new music to people. That's something I wanted to do with Fillmore's. I wanted people to find a new artist to follow, and, therefore, an artist gets a new audience. So I consciously made a decision to have a sort of quality control so people can go, "I've never heard of this band before, but it's at Fillmore's, it's going to be good". I know if I put on a gig, people are going to turn up regardless.”
When asked to pick one show from Fillmore’s performance history to spotlight, Morgan’s instinctive look of wonder speaks louder than words can express. The live music programming at Fillmore’s traverses everything from local jazz outfits and punk bands to intimate acoustic sets. The manifold of sounds speaks to the cafe’s dedication to uplifting music from all ends of the spectrum.
“Recently, I've gotten a lot of feedback about [our gig with] Adam Newling. That was really special because when he was playing here, he really stripped the set down. I had a couple recently say that was one of the most memorable gigs they've ever been to. It's pretty good when something like that happens.”
Morgan also lit up when speaking about the role of Fillmore’s in inspiring local young artists and giving them early opportunities to perform original music.
“There was actually a moment where a young guy came in here and I was making coffee, and he just went over to the bar and said he's formed a band and when he's got a set together, he'd like to ask me for a gig...That was a highlight and hopefully a taste for the [future] generations to know there's a cultural space in town. Perhaps they don't fit in at the footy field, but they know there's a space that they do fit in. And we're all ages here. We're dog friendly, we're kid friendly, we're friendly. Some gigs, there's a bunch of five year olds sitting on the carpet in the front row. I know Fillmore's is inspiring the next few generations, and that's pretty important.
Fillmore’s has come a long way since its humble beginnings, and the future is destined to be bright. With plans to grow and invite a broader spectrum of creatives to take to the stage and present their art completely unfiltered, Morgan hopes to see Kiama’s culture, music and entertainment sector grow with it. However, that growth and shift doesn’t start without folks showing up and investing in the live music venues in their area.
“I think it's the creative in me that just wants to keep growing this space. I have so many dreams to keep heading in the direction we are, and keep making the space better, more functional, and to ripple into the community evermore. We've really made our position in the music industry clear. I want that to carry across to broader parts of the culture sector. We want movie nights, spoken word, open mic nights. I want a space for every sort of performance,” he said.
“My nights off, I like to sit on the sofa with my girlfriend; who doesn't love that? But you need to give yourself a little kick up the bum and go out as much as you can, and when you can afford to. It means spaces like Fillmore's can stay open. Don't underestimate how important the drink you buy is and the meal you may share. Just turn up.”
Finding Fillmore’s is located at Unit 2/38-40 Manning St, Kiama NSW 2533, on Dharawal country, home to the land of the Wodi Wodi people. You can read more about Fillmore’s here.
Written by MusicNSW Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Adele Luamanuvae.
Image credit: Chris Frape and Jon Harris Photography