The Drunken Poet

Girl Friday & The Sepia Tones
2026-03-11 20:00 - 23:30 (Australia/Melbourne)
Girl Friday & The Sepia Tones return to The Poet!

Emmy Ryan
2026-03-18 20:00 - 23:30
Emmy Ryan wants to tell you a story. Her songs carry truth like a heartbeat — stories of love, loss, belonging, and the land that holds us. Following in the footsteps of troubadours like Joan Baez and Paul Kelly, Emmy sings with fierce tenderness about what it means to find home, to face history, and to stay open-hearted in a complicated world. With songs that have earnt recognition in the International Songwriting Competition, the Listen Up Music Songwriting Prize, the NT Music Awards, and the Australian Bluegrass and Old Time Music Songwriting Competition, Emmy invites you in — not just to listen, but to feel.

Rubita
2026-04-01 21:00 - 23:30
As the first female electric guitar graduate from the University of Otago (NZ), Rubita crafts intricate, heartfelt songs shaped by her love of bossa nova, pop, and jazz, delivered through her velvety smooth vocals.
Come and join her at The Drunken Poet on April 1 to hear her latest tunes, along with an array of fresh guitar solos delivered using her loop pedal.

Safari Motel
2026-04-08 20:00 - 23:30
Safari Motel is back with fresh energy and new grooves! Join Nicole, Jason, Simon, and Damo at The Drunken Poet in West Melbourne for a night of electric tunes and infectious rhythms. With fresh faces on guitar and drums, we’re bringing a whole new level of passion to the stage—ready to do what we were born to do. Don’t miss the revival of the Safari Motel experience!

Peny Bohan
2026-04-15 20:00 - 23:30
Peny Bohan is an award winning local Melbourne singer songwriter whose sweet croonings will make you want to stay, buy a drink and let yourself be wrapped up in her melodies.
Honest, gritty and a wee bit seductive, Peny spins tales of her every day life, love, anxiety and her sometimes desire for hirsute men.

Suzette Herft
2026-04-22 20:00 - 23:30
Soulful, sublime and shining! Three words sum up this Melbourne based, exotic singer-songwriter from Sri Lanka.
Soulful songstress, contemporary troubadour, and weaver of magic with her heart moving original songs of resilience and triumph mixed with some joyful classics. Described as the ‘Australian Joan Baez’, Suzette is known for her beautiful voice and graceful stage presence.
Suzette has won wide acclaim for her brilliant tribute show to her hero – Joan Baez for being the ‘voice for the voiceless’ at numerous festivals around Australia, including standing ovations at recent Port Fairy Folk Festivals. With her band, she has recently breathed life into the songs and the story of Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, singers she admires.
Suzette is also masterful facilitator of singing sessions and a ‘song catcher’ with her wide-ranging repertoire and her passion for inclusivity, ‘giving everyone a voice’. Suzette is passionate about songwriting and inspired by a visit to Nashville, she founded the Melbourne Songwriters Guild. She has been a regular songwriting tutor at The Lake School for Celtic Music and other community groups.
Her songs have been finalists in the Australian Independent Music Awards over the years.

Yolanda Ingley II Trio
2026-05-06 20:00 - 23:30
There’s a defining old world charm to Melbourne songstress Yolanda Ingley II – equally wielding smoky vocals and impassioned heart, Yolanda’s songs dip into soul, blues and jazz with inherent sophistication that draw to mind the greats of eras passed.
Yolanda is playing two sets at The Poet from 8-10pm.

Cate Taylor
2026-05-06 20:00 - 23:30
Cate Taylor is an award winning, indie-folk/alt-country singer songwriter from Melbourne who has worked with a swathe of talented musicians including Justin Brady, Matthew Arnold, Nina Rose, Greg Hamilton and Ben Franz.
Cate’s music is rich, natural and grounded in resonant, spacious lyrics with a performance style that is authentic and engaging. Her songs reflect social, personal and environmental themes moving between raw, sparce arrangements to fuller compositions.

Rachel Clark
2026-05-06 21:00 - 23:30
Rachel Clark returns to The Poet for Wine, Whiskey, Women!
Self-taught Singer-Songwriter, Rachel Clark, has crafted a musical journey that blends heartfelt storytelling with a sultry and soulful acoustic folk vibe. With raw honesty, she delves into the depths of the human experience, heartache to humour, offering introspective narratives on loss, love, and the battles we all face.

Grace King
2026-05-13 20:00 - 23:30
Grace King has an eclectic love of music, homemade and raw songwriting.

Connor Moore (NZ)
2026-05-13 21:00 - 23:30
Connor Moore is a prolific singer-songwriter with a voice like honey and lime. She’s a songwriter based in Melbourne who loves people watching and writing music. Connor is intrigued by the way we operate as humans and hope that you can relate or reminisce with her music in a timeless space.

Georgia Rodgers
2026-05-20 20:00 - 23:30
Bringing to the stage a combination of Blues and Jazz marrying an array of ambient guitar riffs and skilful use of a loop pedal; Georgia Rodgers is an artist you won’t want to miss.

Georgia is not only well known for her incredible guitar skills but also her voice and the journey she takes listeners on within her own compositions. This young musician takes the spotlight and captivates audiences through her ability to sing with raw emotion, joined with her iconic Telecaster Georgia’s voice and her musicality act as partners in crime, inviting all listeners to be a part of the beautiful love affair.

As a whole, Georgia creates an experience to share, not just an outstanding performance.

Candice Alisha
2026-05-20 21:00 - 23:30
Candice Alisha is a blues and folk singer songwriter originally hailing from Wodonga, Victoria but now local to Melbourne after making the move to the big city to pursue her career at the beginning of 2019. After working as a full-time musician in various bands for the better part of a decade, Candice has struck out on her own with her strong, deep and powerful vocals and magnetic stage presence.

Jessey Jackson
2026-05-27 21:00 - 23:30
A rare gem indeed; Jessey Jackson is quite simply a force to be reckoned with! Far from your average ‘run of the mill’ female performer; this self taught singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist is often likened to celebrated artists such as the immortal Janis Joplin, Melissa Etheridge, Tracy Chapman and Stevie Nicks.
Now having completed her recent Ireland and Northern Territory Tours Jessey has returned to Victoria and is bringing the very best of her raw, emotive, and highly relatable original tunes to the Drunken Poet on Wednesday Oct 11th. If you long for the return to a time of truly unique and soulful original music… this is a show not to be missed!

Miss Lou's Blues!
2026-06-10 20:00 - 23:30
Charismatic and unmistakably talented, Miss Lou is a force to be reckoned with in the world of blues music.
As a solo blues singer, she has captivated audiences with her rich, soulful voice and dynamic stage presence.
Miss Lou is far from a one-note performer—her musical repertoire gracefully spans the realms of jazz, country, folk and gospel, creating a sound that is as diverse as it is powerful.
With her captivating presence, timeless style and some well-loved musicians by her side, Miss Lou leaves an unforgettable mark wherever she performs.

Rubita
2026-06-17 20:00 - 23:30
Rubita is the project of Aotearoa songstress and guitarist Rachel Kibblewhite. Rubita‘s indie-pop-latino tunes have received support from local radio station PBS FM, along with the Student Radio Network in New Zealand, with their track ‘Geraldine’ labeled as a favourite single from Flying Nun records in 2022. Joining Rubita in the current line up is Latino percussionist Christian Silva aka ‘la tortuga’, and funky bass player Flynn Osborne-McNeilly aka ‘la vallena blanca’.

Cécile Gardens (and band)
2026-06-24 20:00 - 23:30
Cécile Gardens is a 24-year-old country singer-songwriter originally from The Netherlands, now making her mark on Melbourne’s music scene. Her unique blend of traditional country sounds and contemporary themes creates an experience reminiscent of Nashville’s finest yet entirely her own. Drawing from her journey across continents, Cécile’s songwriting offers an intimate and honest window into her world. Backed by her tight-knit Melbourne band, she brings her stories to life on stage with energy that is both authentic and captivating. Don’t miss your chance to witness a rising star in the making.

Savanah Solomon
2026-06-25 20:00 - 23:30
Crowned 2024 Emerging Artist of the Year at the Western Australian Country Music Awards, Savanah Solomon is cementing her status as one of Australia’s most compelling voices in the country and folk music. Born in Derby and raised among the wide red plains and abundant oceans of Western Australia’s Kimberley region, Savanah’s songwriting is deeply shaped by place — evocative, grounded, and rich with emotional honesty.

Elke Louie
2026-07-01 20:00 - 23:30
Young Gympie indie folk singer-songwriter Elke Louie is set to release her debut EP ‘Lavender’ on 24 April 2026,
marking the occasion with tour dates across South East Queensland and her first performances in Victoria.
This engaging 5-track EP includes the dreamy new single and title track ‘Lavender,’ as well as earlier releases
‘Sandman’ and ‘Killing Time,’ both of which have garnered international acclaim. The tracks have been receiving
airplay on radio stations around Australia and overseas, with new single “Lavender” having it’s ‘First Play’ on
national youth radio Triple J.
