Masters in the art of connection, Lindsay Martin (AU) and Victoria Vigenser (NZ) interweave effortless strings, soulful vocals and driving rhythms to form a singular, intense musical voice.

The couple have been called contemporary folk, alt-country and acoustic pop, but words don’t capture their unbelievable musical kinship, or the deeply heartfelt way they relate to their audiences.

Hepburn area locals, however, are about to get the chance to find out as We Mavericks are down to play the Palais on Friday evening , February 9.

Nominated Best Folk Artist in both AU and NZ, this troubadour duo have an inexplicable appeal that has seen them on a steep and fast rise to countless festival billings throughout 2022/23, with their sophomore release due in 2024.

13th Floor, NZ 2022: “He has a familiar soft folk tenor. She has a strong ringing tone with muscle behind a clear crystalline voice… The violin cries for her and the harmony vocals are divine… We Mavericks are a serendipitous pairing…”

Ambient Light, NZ 2022: “… the glorious harmonies and touching melodies of We Mavericks…Together they craft exquisite folk music, evoking spirits originating from Appalachia to Alba”

Shooting to fame at the age of 19 with a viral audition video that now has over 50 million views on YouTube, Karise Eden has arguably one of Australia’s most distinctive voices, with two ARIA Awards, gold and platinum records and multiple Top 5 positions in the ARIA and AIR charts.

The Voice Australia 2012 winner is headed to Hepburn to play the Palais on Saturday Feburary 3, ably supported by young Gippsland muso Olivia Lay.

A formidable vocalist who’s often compared with the likes of Adele and Amy Winehouse, Karise Eden can blow your mind one minute with her powerhouse pipes,yet can break your heart the next with her emotive, soulful ballads delivered with an authentic softness and vulnerability that has had audiences captivated for the past decade.

In Karise’s solo shows, she is armed with just her guitar and a songbook full of her own originals, old and new, plus her own twist on some classics that have influenced her musical journey throughout her career. From blues to soul, rock to power pop, country to Americana, this girl can tackle any genre with authenticity, because to put it simply, she’s got the music in her!

The singer-songwriter started playing guitar at thirteen years of age,and picked up the double bass at the same time. Her debut album My Journey shot straight to #1 on the national ARIA Chart, was certified double platinum and went on to become the biggest selling album by an Australian artist in 2012. In New Zealand the album debuted at #3 and was certified gold.

Karise made ARIA Chart history in the same year when she took out the top three spots on the singles chart with #1 ‘Stay With Me Baby’, #2 ‘Hallelujah’ and #3 ‘I Was Your Girl’, with single ‘You Won’t Let Me’ at #5. Karise was the first artist to achieve this in Australia since The Beatles held the entire Top 6 to themselves back in 1964.

In 2014 Karise’s second album Things I’ve Done was released and featured lead singles ‘Dynamite’ and ‘Loneliness’. The album debuted at #5 on the ARIA Chart, achieved gold sales status and was followed up by sold out shows around the country.

In 2018 Eden’s third studio album, Born To Fight was released to critical acclaim and entered the ARIA Top #40 charts, with Stack reviewer Jeff Jenkins saying, “With her sassy attitude and potent vocal, Eden comes across as a thrilling mix of Janis Joplin and Renée Geyer.”

Karise’s first indie release in 2022, “Into The Black” also featured an AIR No. 1 single and was in the AIR charts’ Top 5.

Fast forward to 2023 and Karise Eden is a mum of two beautiful kids and has found peace nurturing her young family, while still finding time to record in her home studio and take her guitar on the road as an in-demand live performer.

A compelling storyteller with a great sense of humour and a healthy dose of self-deprecation, Karise’s voice has never been so powerful, and she has never been in a better position to share her journey with her audiences.

Australia’s longest running Amy Winehouse Show, Back to Black, returns to the Palais-Hepburn this Saturday January 27th.

Singing sensation Atlanta May Coogan (The Black Sorrows, Bjorn Again, Merril Bainbridge) will be performing Amy’s hits such as Rehab, Valerie and Carole King covers as iconic as ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’.

With a rejigged show and showcasing Amy Winehouse’s iconic look Atlanta will be starring after a long run of sold out performances including Adelaide Fringe and Memo St Kilda.

Winehouse, known for her deep contralto vocals and mixing of genres – including R&B, soul and jazz – died in 2011.

Coogan’s homage to the singer with her Amy Winehouse Show is notching up its 13th year of success recalling the British songstress’ life and talents.

The Age newspaper once described David Cosma as having the “full-bodied croon pairing the silken wryness of Elvis Costello and the gravel of Bob Dylan” while Street Press wrote “a thinking person’s songwriter that speaks volumes to what a terrific talent we have in our midst”.

If you haven’t already heard him sing live, then those accolades give plenty of reason to go check out the talent of Cosma when he plays at The Palias, Hepburn on Friday February 2.

Inspiring lyrics accompanied by sumptuous melodies and harmonies, together with his unique method of playing the guitar (upside down) pretty much guarantees an impassioned live performance.

Sonically, his music is rich and luminous and boasts a world class production quality that is often overlooked in the world of independent artists, but it is lyrically where Cosma stands apart, with a knack for examining commonplace and even trite circumstance and then magnifies their significance with a wry and at times ironic tone.

Religion, pop culture and nostalgic nuances, punctuate and ultimately, accentuate his writing, triggering instant attention from audience and listeners.

You can catch him with his long time band mate Nick Carrafa on percussion at the Palais on Friday February 2nd.

For 29 years, BABBA have been thrilling audiences with their superb re-creation of 70’s super group ABBA and the legacy of hits they gave us. Now they’re headed to Hepburn to play The Palais this Saturday, October 14.

With glitz and glamour served up with Swedish accents and enough musical memories to fill you to overflowing, BABBA will take you on a journey through time to when satin was King and Dancing Queens ruled. Benny, Bjorn, Agnetha and Frida can be yours once again and all you have to do is believe.

BABBA is the ultimate fun time; no matter how old or how young you may be, the show, just like the music, is timeless. Audiences know when they have seen the best and been a part of something very special and they just want more; that is why BABBA audiences keep coming back, time after time after time.

Much-loved Melbourne singer-songwriter Liz Stringer caps off a busy year with her First Time…For The Last Time solo tour – and it’s headed to The Palais, Hepburn.

The acclaimed blues-roots artist plays the Palais, Friday evening, October 6.

Having achieved her first entry into the ARIA Top 20 and an AIR Award for Best Blues & Roots album in 2021, Liz spent most of 2022 with Midnight Oil, working as their backing vocalist and support act in Australia and around the world on their Resist tour.

Then, in February 2023, she and fellow Oils guest William Crighton released a cover of the Oils’ “Golden Age”, featuring Jim Moginie on bass and Rob Hirst on drums, following which they toured as a duo. In March, Liz was Port Fairy Folk Festival’s 2023 Artist of the Year and she performed two triumphant sets at the iconic festival with her band.

In May, after four From Brunswick to Brixton solo shows in Melbourne, she headed to London to record her new album and play a handful of shows.

Liz’s First Time…For The Last Time tour will see the artist bring an end to the long cycle of work that began in with the release of the album in the midst of COVID lockdowns. It’s a case of unfinished business, as the tour will finally reach the places that she couldn’t get to in 2021, thanks to state border closures and the like.

All the shows will follow the intimate format of her From Brunswick to Brixton shows; Liz will perform her songs completely solo, giving audiences a real insight into how they were written and how they sounded before she presented them to her band.

This is a rare chance to see one of Australia’s greatest contemporary singer-songwriters in an intimate solo setting and the last chance to revisit her most successful and acclaimed album to date before she introduces her new material.

Wa Wa Nee was one of the biggest acts to emerge from Australia in the 80s.

Steve Williams and Paul Gray formed the band in 1985. After signing to CBS records in 1985, the band quickly rose to fame. Hits ‘Stimulation’ & ‘I Could Make You Love Me’ ensured the band smashed records, becoming the first band in Australia to have two top 10 singles in the national charts simultaneously.

In 1986 the band released their highly anticipated self titled debut album achieving platinum status. Sugar Free became their third consecutive top 10 hit ‘Sugar Free’ and a top 20 hit ‘One and One (Ain’t I Good Enough) followed.

With the immense success the band was having in Australia, they soon set their sites on the illusive United States market. In 1987 ‘Sugar Free’ hit the Top 40 charts in America with the band appearing on beloved US TV shows; American Bandstand with Dick Clark, Top of The Pops, The Late Show with Arsenio Hall and many others.

‘Can’t Control Myself’ and ‘So Good’ peaked in early 1989 reaching Top 30 in Australia and the band’s album ‘Blush’ peaked at #27. After the release of ‘I Want You’ in 1989, the band decided to disband.

After Wa Wa Nee, Steve Williams was asked by Paul Christie to join The Party Boys performing on the single ‘Do Wah Diddy’. Williams continued to tour in James Freud’s band and Richard Clapton. Steve moved to Europe and soon found a new passion, teaching music.

After returning to Australia, Steve was sought after performing with the likes of Swanee, Ray Parker Jr, Real Life, Lee Kernaghan, and Brian Cadd. Steve soon became a long time member of Australian Led Zeppelin band Zep Boys and became a mainstay in Choirboys with Mark Gable.

In 2006, Steve worked with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and in 2008 accompanied the ASO and Deep Purple’s Jon Lord for an Australian tour. Steve has also been invited to perform for Australian touring musical productions of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Man from Snowy River, Singin In The Rain and Elvis The Musical.

Steve (pictured above) currently tours with Matt Finish and is a member of Absolutely 80s featuring Brian Mannix (Uncanny Xmen), Ally Fowler (Chantoozies) and many others. In 2022, Steve was inducted into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame.

Steve has assembled an ace band to celebrate Wa Wa Nee’s music live, the way it should be heard. If you are a Wa Wa Nee fan you’ll not want to miss the opportunity to be transported back to the late 80s with this special show. It’s happening at The Palais, Hepburn, on Saturday September 30.

Long-time Love Police pals Ben Ottewell and Ian Ball Gomez are returning to Australia…and they’re playing The Palais, Hepburn.

Following a successful run of the country as a duo in 2022, the boys just wanted more. Featuring intimate live performances filled with an array of work spanning the 20+ year career of both their band Gomez and solo work and the odd cover throw in.

As a band, Gomez have toured countless times and have amassed a huge loyal fanbase and the acclaim of critics worldwide including a Mercury Music Prize for their debut album in their home country some 25 years ago.

As a duo, Ben and Ian’s joyful and harmonious performance brings together a bit of blues, indie-pop and folk-rock into a music-lovers feast fit for all ears.

They are bringing their pal BUDDY, along for the ride too. Musical majesty and shenanigans are pretty much guaranteed with their Palais, Hepburn gig happening Saturday, September 23.

Bluehouse has earned a reputation for folk pop with grunt.

With nearly a 30 year international touring career behind them, these girls are also noted for their ‘harmonies from heaven’.

On Friday, September 15 they are returning to Palais-Hepburn with their original songs of love and loss ranging from tear jerking ballads to absolute foot stompers.

Their stories of life and becoming aging musicians are reputed to leave audiences in stitches.

Bluehouse is an Australian independent band with self-described folk-flavored pop melodies and intricate harmonies. Active since 1995, originally as a trio, then, from 2006 on, as a duo comprised of Bernadette Carroll (2) and Jacqui Walter, Bluehouse have shared the stage with Neil Young, Cowboy Junkies, UB40, Elvis Costello, and Neil Finn (of Crowded House).

Iconic Australian country rock band Stars will play the Palais Hepburn on Saturday September 9.

This special night will feature the debut album Paradise in its entirety.

The band formed in Adelaide in the mid seventies and since parting ways in 1980 has reformed with two new albums under their collective belts.

Stars featuring Mick Pealing on vocals /guitar, Roger McLachlan on bass /vocals, Nick Charles on guitar/vocals, Geoff Achison on guitar, Ed Bates on pedal steel and Erik Chess on drums play a full- blooded version of the classic albums Paradise, Land of Fortune, The Andrew Durant Memorial Concert, Boundary Rider, One More Circle Round The Sun and the hits…Look After Yourself, Mighty Rock, Last Of The River Boats.

Stars got together in Adelaide around ’74 ’75 , all coming from around the same neighbourhood and basically falling together through a love of similar music taste- Free, Deep Purple etc. After a short while supporting bands from interstate, Dingoes, LRB and starting to write their own songs, Beeb Birtles of LRB recommended Stars to Michael Gudinski of Mushroom Records who promptly signed them instigating a move to Melbourne.

Stars friend Andy Durant joined the band with a collection of his own songs which formulated their sound from Rock Boogie to more Country Rock and the first album was released going gold.

After the release of Stars second album “Land Of Fortune” a live album “1157” and 3 years of constant touring a decision was made to end Stars and sadly shortly after Andy died from a melanoma .

In 1980 the star studded “Andrew Durant Memorial Concert” was staged at the Palais Theatre in St Kilda, featuring the members of Stars, Renee Geyer, Jimmy Barnes, Ian Moss, Don Walker, Richard Clapton and many more of the cream of Australian artists who are still recording and playing to this day, a live recording of the show was released to much acclaim and promptly went gold.

After over 35 years Stars returned with the original line up featuring Mick Pealing on vocals and guitar, Mal Eastick on guitar, Roger McLachlan on bass and Glyn Dowding who was replaced by Erik Chess early 2019 on drums and featuring Nick Charles on guitar.

A new Album “Boundary Rider” was released in 2018 mainly written by Mick & Nick with 3 early Stars songs recorded in the studio for the first time.

2020 brought a brand new album “One More Circle Round The Sun” featuring new songs written by Mick Pealing and Nick Charles.

Early 2023 brought about the retirement from Stars, founder of the band Mal Eastick who was replaced by Australian blues guitarist Geoff Achison along with legendary pedal steel player Ed Bates. A new single ( One More Try) was released around this time.

With this six piece lineup audiences can expect the music from Stars’ 3 studio albums “Paradise”, “Land Of Fortune” 2018’s “Boundary Rider”, “The Andrew Durant Memorial Concert” and “One More Circle Round The Sun”

Combining virtuosic piano playing with a whiskey-smooth voice, Damon Smith and his trio are headed to The Palais, Hepburn.

The Trio has built a reputation for dynamic sets featuring foot-stomping boogie woogie, New Orleans-flavoured blues, rock ‘n’ roll, heartfelt ballads, and crowd-pleasing covers that meet with rave reviews and standing ovations at theatres, pubs, clubs, and festivals across Australia.

In 2022, Smith’s album Skeletons Skeletons Skeletons debuted at #2 on the Australian Blues and Roots charts, earning a Music Victoria award nomination, and winning the MBAS Chris Wilson award.

The Trio features: Damon Smith – Piano, vocals; Adam Coad – Drums; Trent McKenzie – Upright bass and they play The Palais, Hepburn on Saturday, September 2.

It may be brrrisk out but in The Palais, Hepburn things will likely be pretty cosy as the venue hosts this month’s Words in Winter Gala with special guest Jon Faine.

Organisers say it’s a top opportunity to sit back, be entertained and support the community event that gets started from 6pm on Saturday, August 26.

The warming winter special event will feature Marieke Hardy in conversation with Jon Faine, and music by Jarrah Olive, The Bedridden – David M Lewis, Alex Miller & Emma Rassmusen: the world’s only muppet punk trio, plus Poet Sean M Whelan.

Doors: 6pm

7pm – 7.20pm: Jarrah Olive (solo acoustic)

7.30pm – 8.20pm: In Conversation with Jon Faine hosted by Marieke Hardy

8.30pm – 8.40pm: Performance Poet – Sean M Whelan

8.40pm – 9.30pm: The Bedridden (three piece) feat. Dave M Lewis, Emma Razz & Alex Miller

Coming up Friday September 1 at The Palais, Hepburn, the music students of Daylesford College will be showcasing their musical skills and talents to friends, family and the local community.

A wide range of musical acts will be performed including Year 7 students to VCE/VET Music students.

Students will be performing a whole gamut of material including original tunes, Heavy Metal, Solo Piano, Latin Jazz, Rock and Blues. Playing at the Hepburn Palais is a real highlight for the Daylesford Music Program and gives students a real opportunity and insight into working in the Music Industry.

The showcase gets going from 5.30pm.

From Motown to “The Blues Brothers” and everything in between – MOTOR CITY SOUNDS pays tribute to the classic era of Soul music.

Packing dance floors wherever they play, MCS bring an energy that can only be created by a live 10-piece band and they’re headed to The Palais, Hepburn to do their funky thing next month.

Performing songs from artists such as Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, The Supremes, The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding, MOTOR CITY SOUNDS recreate the essence and atmosphere of Motown and Soul from the 60s and 70s, with authentic arrangements and instrumentation.

Performance credits include: Melbourne’s “Soul a Go-Go”, White Night (Melbourne & Ballarat), Memo Music Hall in St.Kilda, Backing “The Merindas” at Crown Casino, CluBarham, Ballarat’s Begonia Festival and warm-up band for ABC TV’s “Q & A”.

The line-up features top-class musicians from across Victoria, including an X-factor finalist, a former member of the John Butler Trio.

MOTOR CITY SOUNDS will be bringing their tribute to the greats of Soul music to The Palais-Hepburn on Saturday, August 19th.

After two years of award winning comedy dealing with the personal and global effects of COVID 19, Paul McDermott + 1 return with their new show Blood Orange.

Described as “a dynamic and awe-inspiring collection of verbal and musical absurdity” it’s headed to The Palais, Hepburn on Friday August 18.

A conceptual odyssey chronicling, (through comedy, song, and liturgical dance) the bizarre world we find ourselves in. No stone is left unturned as Paul, and his unnamed collaborator, walk through the fires of a contemporary hell-scape to bring joy to others, and a smile to face of the living. Controversial, bleak, and hilarious – Join Paul + 1 for a delightfully dark journey towards the light.

Australian comedy legend Paul McDermott has been fighting tyranny, injustice, and ennui for over 40 years, armed only with comedy and a pretty voice. Paul McDermott Plus One is the brainchild of Australian comedy legend Paul McDermott (Doug Anthony All Stars/Good News Week/THE SIDESHOW/JJJ).

Onstage, the maestro” is joined by Glenn Moorhouse, the “plus one”, Tasmanian born musical director, guitarist, and comrade. The mix of Paul’s angelic choir boy vocals with Glenn’s signature vitriolic incision they create an unmissable evening of fervour and delight.