The Drunken Poet

Candice Alisha
2023-04-19 21:00 - 23:30 (Australia/Melbourne)
8PM
Candice is a Poet favorite, she sings brilliant folk/blues tunes that will help drown your sorrows and bring on brighter days!

Roo Davies & Cal Walker play the songs of John Prine
2023-04-18 20:00 - 23:30
Roo Davies is a singer/songwriter from lutruwita (Tasmania) living in naarm (Melbourne). Having played various instruments in numerous groups and styles, Roo truly delights in the penmanship of Americana folkies like Blaze Foley, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt and, not least of all, John Prine.

This month marks three years since Prine’s passing and Roo is bringing his tribute show to the Poet providing an in-depth perspective of a career spanning five decades.

Do not miss this unique opportunity to revisit the fabulous hits and deep cuts alike of the late great John Prine.

Kelly Auty & Boris Conley
2023-04-16 16:00 - 23:30
Multi Award winner, Kelly Auty is renowned for powerhouse performances and her show-girl versatility. She is a favourite artist on the Australian music scene.
A favourite of audiences is Kelly’s ‘Wild Women’ shows, with pianist, Boris Conley.
Kelly’s impressive biography includes appearances at many Australian Festivals, and she has supported Janis Ian, Jose Feliciano, Manhattan Transfer, The Drifters, The Platters, Eric Burdon, Mary Coughlan, John Hammond and the Divinyls to name a few.
Kelly has a sparkling, infectious enjoyment of the music. She has produced ten independent albums of originals and covers. When Kelly sings the blues, it has been said,” makes a heartache seem worthwhile.” Something old, something new, something borrowed, something Blue….and something just for you.
“Kelly sings from the heart.” Jose Feliciano

Sunset Stranger plays the songs of Richard Thompson
2023-04-11 20:00 - 23:30

CLOSED FOR GOOD FRIDAY
2023-04-07 12:00 - 23:30

Alison Ferrier Trio
2023-04-02 16:00 - 23:30
Alison Ferrier delivers an evocative, emotive, crafted collection of atmospheric folk, laid-back country and hypnotic blues. Her lyrically rich, slow-build numbers showcase her talent for melody, and her vocals are effortlessly refined with conviction and vulnerability in equal measure. Joining her at the Drunken Poet is the supremely talented Jeff Lang on guitar, and on swamp-soaked drums and percussion, the mighty Anthony ‘Shorty’ Shortte.

Rhia Joy
2023-03-25 21:00 - 23:30
Rhia Joy plays a funky fusion of RnB, soul and jazz rock with a mix of originals and recreated covers and are absolutely thrilled to bring their grooves to The Poet for a Saturday night!

Joe Jacobson
2023-03-24 20:30 - 23:30
“Rock and Roller Joe Jacobson goes acoustic at The Drunken Poet on March 24th.

From Gutsy Guitar leads to Soulful Ballads, Loose Boozy Blues and Hard Rock – Jacobson’s hearty style is sure to get the blood pumping.
With Influences like The Beasts of Bourbon, The Rolling Stones, Cold Chisel & more….

Leo Nazz
2023-03-23 20:00 - 23:30
Melbourne-based country/folk rock singer-songwriter Leo Nazz continues to share compelling personal stories as he reveals his eponymous debut EP which is a collection of semi-autobiographical stories bridging the gap between imagery and lyricism. Exploring themes such as relationships, single parenting, and living with somebody who suffers from a mental health illness in his debut EP, Leo aims to bring to light issues that many of us have to deal with in life.
“I’m one of you, we are all in this life together, we shall not lose heart & we shall be alright,” – Leo Nazz.
Leo’s ability to write relatable songs through emotive lyric writing and fabulous use of imagery is a true standout. This year saw the artist feature at the 2022 Aireys Inlet Festival, release two new singles, perform a number of local shows, and will see him performing more around Melbourne for the rest of the year.

Tessa Devine
2023-03-22 20:00 - 23:30
Tessa Devine is a singer songwriter that sings from her soul, weaving stories of heartbreak and hope.
Tessa uses intimate, engaging lyrics and finely crafted musical skills to draw in her audience, utilising guitar, keys, harmonica, electronic drum kit, percussion, loop station and effects with powerful vocals and an incredible range.
After years of incessant touring, living from her van in Australia and abroad, Tessa is touring around Aus and is both headlining her own shows and supporting many amazing artists such as
Tones and I (AUS), John Butler (AUS), Smash Mouth (USA), Viki and Linda (AUS), Diesel (AUS), Wallis Bird (IRE), Daniel Champagne (AUS), Ash Grunwald (AUS) .

Troy Wilson & Matthew White pay tribute to“ Eric Noden & Joe Filisko” two acoustic Chicago roots and blues musicians
2023-03-21 20:00 - 23:30
Troy Wilson & Matthew White will take you right back to the source to drink in the original sounds with resonator guitars and harmonica. From fingerpicking to train impersonations. Wilson & White bring their twist on the Juke Joint tradition.
Troy Wilson & Matthew White pay tribute to“ Eric Noden & Joe Filisko” two acoustic Chicago roots and blues musicians at The Poet!

Recovery Session! The Simpson Three play Irish tunes 🎶
2023-03-19 18:30 - 23:30
The Simpson Three are a high energy Celtic trio from Melbourne. They are award-winning musicians who play predominantly Irish music, with a few interesting flavours! These cheeky siblings sure know how to have fun whilst entertaining audiences with tight arrangements of crankin’ tunes and songs.

Paddys Day
2023-03-17 15:00 - 23:30
Paddy’s Day at The Poet!
Live Music:
3-6pm:
Rossa McCann

6.30-9.30pm:
Dan Bourke & Cyril Moran

10pm: Marty Kelly

Oceanique
2023-03-15 21:00 - 23:30
Winners of the 2022 Folk Alliance Australia ‘Youth Artist of the Year’, Oceanique are a twin sister duo from Western Australia.
Recently making the move over to Melbourne, they’ll be playing at the Drunken Poet on March 15!
Their songs will wash over you with ethereal harmonies and peaceful folk energies, with stories of love, loss and the wonder of time. Come down and hear these WA sisters!

Brittle Sun plays the songs of Nirvana
2023-03-14 20:00 - 23:30
Viki Mealings is a poet, musician, songwriter, artist and lead singer of Melbourne soulful folk trio Brittle Sun.
She is excited and deeply humbled to be returning to The Drunken Poet to pay homage to 90’s grunge band Nirvana and the incredible songs of Kurt Cobain, singer, guitarist, songwriter, artist and poet. Joining her will be Peter O’Shea on strings and Brendan Henriques on bass guitar.

Charlie + Jake (UK)
2023-03-12 16:00 - 23:30
With their brief Australian visit coming to a close, Charlie + Jake will farewell our shores with one final performance within the hallowed walls of The Drunken Poet.
Charlie + Jake are an Indie Electronica // Alt Pop duo from Bristol, UK creating soulful alt-pop tracks with an innovative and groove-laden live-looping setup.
Weaving heartfelt lyricism and soulful vocals with uplifting pop hooks, lush piano arrangement and soundscapes of found sounds, their songs tell a personal story of working towards a blossoming self-acceptance, celebrating all that you can achieve, even during the most intense stormy weather felt in the mind and body.

Ben Smith & Meagan Thomson
2023-03-10 20:30 - 23:30
Ben & Megs are a versatile duo hailing from the snow peaked mountains of Victoria and the cobbled streets of old Melbourne town Australia..
Ben’s smooth guitar licks over a driving groove rhythm, team with Megs’ classical inspired violin.
Harmonising honey vocals sing of love, love lost, love found, and more love (with an edge).
The heart wrenching ballads will bring a tear to your eye, And the up tempo, beat droppin’ tracks will get you jumping out of your corduroy!

Chris Beltrame
2023-03-09 21:00 - 23:30
Chris Beltrame hails from Melbournes north. His distinctive voice tells tales of love and destruction. He is a Melbourne music scene veteran and has made waves with alt/blues band Zen Monkee since 2019. He is taking the night off to perform all unreleased content you’ve yet to lay your ears on.

Katankin
2023-03-09 20:00 - 23:30
Katankin is the solo moniker of Melbourne indie-folk singer-songwriter Helen Catanchin. Formally trained as a jazz singer, Katankin was born from Helen’s desire to return to her singer-songwriter roots. A phonetic spelling of her Russian surname (allowing its correct pronunciation for the first time in the singer’s life), Katankin further symbolises this return to one’s roots, and to one’s true self.

A uniquely compelling and haunting voice, along with poetic and painfully poignant, cuts-to-the-bone writing, all put their unmistakable stamp on Katankin’s songs. She writes and sings unabashedly and with great vulnerability, from the darkest recesses, wading through love, despair, loathing, fear, rage, lust, and then up, up, up into the light.

Katankin released her debut EP, “The quiet shimmer of the world” in December 2022, which has already attracted extensive radio airplay, and is now available on vinyl, CD and all digital platforms.

IWD Special Event / Niamh Regan (IRELAND) 10PM
2023-03-08 22:00 - 23:30
28-year-old Niamh Regan is a critically acclaimed songwriter from county Galway, Ireland. Her debut album Hemet (2020, Black Gate Records) announced her arrival as one of the most distinctive songwriters in Ireland today. Earning nominations for both the RTE Folk Awards’ and the Choice Awards’ Album of the Year, the album received soaring praise, and
led to performances on The Late Late Show, Other Voices, and La Blogothèque.
“A game-changing record” – The Journal of Music
“A quietly stunning debut” – The Sunday Times
“A quiet and determined triumph” – The Irish Times
“One of the best albums released this year… sublime” – Nialler9
“Stunning” – Hot Press
“A bewitching album” – Irish Independent
“A heartfelt, timeless, and captivating release” – Folk Radio UK
RTÉ Radio 1 – Album of the Week
Following her studies in flute and guitar in the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, UL, Regan honed her craft as a songwriter by travelling between Ireland and California, writing about her experiences along the way. As a result, her songs seamlessly weave the intimacy of the Irish lyrical tradition with the expansive breadth of American songwriters such as Karen Dalton, Stevie Nicks, and Joni Mitchell, but the resulting sound is entirely her own.

International Womens Day with Georgia Rodgers
2023-03-08 21:00 - 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 a new and upcoming 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.

Through years of mastering a set of originals and covers, she is able to cater for a diverse range of audiences and venues.

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

Craig Atkins plays the songs of Paul Kelly
2023-03-07 20:00 - 23:30
Award Winning Roots. Blues & Folk Multi-Instrumentalist Craig Atkins is a ‘one-man band’ songwriter and performer based in Adelaide SA (Kuarna Country), that regularly tours the country with his set up consisting of various Acoustic Guitars, Lap Slide, Cigar Box Guitars, Didgeridoos, Harmonica, Foot Percussion and Loop & Effect pedals.

With influences such as Paul Kelly, Joe Purdy, Harry Manx, Xavier Rudd and numerous Blues Masters to name but a few, Craig‘s live performances weave through various styles from chilled finger-picking folk & Alt country stories, to delta slide blues, through to rollicking folk foot tappers and stomping jumping roots and “Didgeriblues”, with lyrical content covering his aspects of life, love and loss and observations of the world we all live in.

Peter Baylor plays the songs of Hank Williams
2023-02-28 20:00 - 23:30
Peter Baylor plays the songs of Hank Williams
“When Hank Williams left the world in the backseat of his Cadillac out on the Lost Highway in 1953, he bequeathed to us a body of work that has been an inspiration to us all ever since .Songs of desperate times, broken romance, the joy of life and the hope for better times served up with a big slice of country humour and wry observation.
Hank Williams was a lyric genius – a troubled poet and a hard travelling modern-day minstrel whose music was soaked in blues, Southern gospel and traditional country.”

ISHAN
2023-02-23 20:00 - 23:30
Ishan has that magic combination of incredible talent supported by a grit and work ethic to match. His music is honest, unique and full of emotional punch that hits in the chest. He can hold a room, but even more, he opens hearts and speaks directly to them. At a recent performance, there was a palpable silence during his set, he held the audience and took them on a journey.
“Yearning lyrics and sweet melodies” make ISHAN one to watch on the Australian pop circuit – Tone Deaf Magazine
At the core of ISHAN’s music is a curiosity about the world and a search for inspiration in everyday life that is all at once affecting and inspiring.”Alchemical RecordsISHAN is a 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Melbourne.
Of Indian, Swiss and Catalan heritage, he was born in France and moved to Australia when still very young.
ISHAN credits a part of his musicality and storytelling to having grown up surrounded by many different cultures and languages. His acoustic pop-folk style is characterised by a combination of intricate narratives and rhythmic melodies.

Zak Shepherd plays the songs of BB King
2023-02-21 20:00 - 23:30
Poet Favourite Zak Shepherd is back to bring us the music of B.B King

Misty Harlowe Trio
2023-02-17 20:30 - 23:30
Misty Harlowe, is an Americana country blues singer songwriter. This year she formed ‘The Misty Harlowe Band’ which is a 6 piece collective. Her music is inspired by her roots in Gippsland’s Snowy River region. As the front woman she charms the audience with her angelic voice, intricate guitar playing, and delicate country melodies.
Telling intimate stories of the Australian landscape, she’s dubbed as a dark country artist for her haunting historic lyrics engraved in mystery with a hint of adventure. If Marty Robbins the western balladeer and Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac wrote a song together round a campfire it would emulate Misty’s sound.
Core members feature Danny Finkelstein on drums, bassist Aidan Efron, Liv Tomada on Keys/Synth & BVs and Josh Boult on guitar & BVs. Misty and the band have just hit the recording studio and are planning to release so keep a watchful eye on this up and coming country artist!

CAMILLA ROSE (8PM)
2023-02-15 20:00 - 23:30
Camilla Rose Sullivan is a songwriter from the Dandenong Ranges who combines alt-country and folk stylings with a dark 90’s edge. Inspired by songwriters such as Liz Stringer, Tori Amos and Courtney Mary Andrews her music weaves together interpersonal and reflective storytelling with her love of evocative regional landscapes. Her songs often feature a quiet yet confident build in intensity that acts as a point of catharsis for moments of intimacy, loneliness and hope.

Lord Stafford plays the songs of the Go-Betweens
2023-02-14 20:00 - 23:30
Lord Stafford plays the songs of the Go-Betweens!
Quite plain Brisbane native Lord Stafford is honoured to bring you the very beautiful songs of his hometown heroes The Go-Betweens. Purveyors of the striped sunlight sound, The Go-Betweens spoke the heart’s truth wrapped in blissful melodies of heavenly pain. A special Valentine’s night for those who found it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

The Mud Flowers
2023-02-12 16:00 - 23:30
The Mud Flowers are a collective of like-minded oldtimey inspired and bluegrass, traditional and jazz influenced musicians brought together by mandolinist and fiddler Pepita Emmerichs after many years of jams and friendship.
They make music that is good for the soul and hope that it’s good for yours too!

Michael Ward
2023-02-10 20:30 - 23:30
Michael has spent decades in the live music scene in Western Australia, touring around and playing truck loads of live shows in various groups and projects since the age of 13. His current project sees him taking centre stage as lead vocalist and guitarist to drive his passion for his songwriting and showmanship.
Highlights of his musical career have been the support act touring with Karnivool, opening for the Whitlams and headlining the Busselton Beach Festival. He has released many studio albums and recordings and this experience is evident in his confidents and charisma when presenting as a soloist or duo in his current coastal roots project.
Michael’s music is filled with fast flurries of guitar hammering and pulls, deep percussive grooves with texture and tone in abundance. Vocally Michael ranges from deep Nick Cave story-telling to soaring Xavier Rudd melodies. Lyrically Michael writes songs born from his love for the ocean and surfing, to love and respect for his partner and the comedic heartbreak from his past. His engaging way of drawing people into the history of his songs and their origins adds to the showman he loves to be.
