OnAir, a newly opened daytime coffee-shop and music brand, has launched on Stephenson St, in Melbourne’s creative heart, Cremorne. Celebrating the vibrant intersection of music, creativity and Melbourne’s café culture, Co-founders, Francesca Poci and Deyon Murphy (Selfless Events), have built a space with community and collaboration at its core.
Open from 7am – 3pm, Monday through Friday, and 8am – 2pm on Saturday, the music-led venue serves as a space where artists, coffee lovers and locals alike can foster genuine connections. More than a coffee-shop, OnAir is a multifaceted venue, acting as an interactive café experience for residents, professionals and creatives, as well as a platform for artists to cultivate their passion for music freely. The dynamic venue invites guests to sit-in and sip on its specialty coffee from Victorian roaster, Inglewood, soundtracked by OnAir’s rotating line-up of DJs and in-house radio.
In June 2024, Poci and Murphy noticed a cultural shift within the music industry; and a decline in ‘club-culture’ coinciding with a lack of spaces to experience house and electronic music. With an eight year career in music and event production, Murphy, the founder of the Melbourne based company, Selfless Events, shares:
OnAir has been our passion project for the past nine months, bought with the purpose of creating a unique coffee and music experience, and to bridge the gap between traditional music venues and everyday spaces. Music is the driving force of OnAir, from the bespoke Pitt & Giblin sound system to our curated in-house radio channels; we’re providing a platform for artists to reach new audiences, whilst championing diverse voices and artistic expression. With the rising global trend of coffee-shop-DJ-sets, the appetite for alternative environments to consume music in is burgeoning, and we’re so excited to bring this to Australia.
Unlike the viral pop-ups – which do an amazing job at creating a moment of excitement around one shared experience – we wanted to create a more sustainable space for artists, encouraging discovery and growth. OnAir’s permanency allows us to consistently bring musicians, creatives and customers together, without distraction.
In partnership with Selfless Events, the venue hosts regular ‘Espresso Sessions’ every Saturday from 10AM — 2PM, showcasing top talent from across Australia and overseas. From emerging and underground artists to respected industry heavyweights, sessions have previously hosted established DJs, both in Melbourne and on an international stage, including: Aldonna, Joey Coco, Sundance and Sammy Dale. Each set is recorded for OnAir’s YouTube channel, allowing the rest of the world – not just Melburnians – to access and experience each talent. Co-founder, Poci adds:
Over the past 18 months, we’ve noticed a lack of spaces in Melbourne that encourage creativity and connection and there is a need for different spaces to consume music. Australia is considered to stream the most amount of house music globally, and the growing number of DJs and producers in this country is exponential. However club-culture is dying and festivals are being cancelled, yet people are craving authentic and safe spaces to experience music.
We saw the transition in this industry and wanted to cultivate a community in Cremorne. I’ve previously worked in both recruitment and marketing – I’m a massive people person – and people and culture is where I thrive. For me, OnAir is a space where the two can come together, re-defining traditional café culture by blending exceptional coffee, music, and networking opportunities in an accessible and everyday environment.”
From the beat of OnAir’s musical pulse, to the materials used for the fit-out, sustainability lays the foundation of the brand. The venue was constructed entirely from up-cycled and recycled materials, showcasing what can be made with what others are throwing away.
Melbourne-based company, 0.18 Design and Construction, thoughtfully designed the inviting loft-style space to be acoustically sound and provide an unparalleled listening experience.
High ceilings create a bright and airy atmosphere, complemented by warm hues from recycled Tasmanian oak flooring, up-cycled Australian hardwood seating, Douglas Fir timber beams, and the building’s original exposed brick walls. Lighting from underground Melbourne based designer, InspireNLiR33, matches OnAir’s retro theme, with accents of bottle green running throughout; whilst recycled glass blocks—deconstructed from a local Beaumaris house set for demolition—have been salvaged, restored, and backlit with warm light, to create a beautiful front counter.
OnAir’s menu can be enjoyed in or to takeaway. The menu includes: smoothies made fresh to order; freshly-baked pastries; seasonal salads, and paninis made using bread from Abbotsford bakery, Dench, including:
Freddie’s – chicken schnitzel with rocket, dressed with lemon juice, Mexican lime salt, and mayonnaise
Spicy Tuna – a fiery mix of tuna, jalapeños and dill, served with fresh basil pesto
Burger Life – succulent chicken with American-style cheese, sliced avocado and jalapeño aioli
From 8am – 11am, any coffee and pastry combo is available for just $8, the perfect morning pick-me-up for those on their way to work.
Sets for each session are announced on socials seven days prior; to guarantee entry guests can sign up here.
