Love hurts, community heals in Brunswick.
In a world of endless scrolling, AI fillers and curated perfection, Brunswick’s Moth StorySLAM proves that nothing beats the power of a human voice and a true story. The monthly event is intimate, unpredictable, and beautifully imperfect.
Each month at Howler in Brunswick, ten storytellers are drawn from a hat to share five-minute stories from their lives. They speak live, without notes, guided by a single theme. The result is a night that mixes laughter, heartbreak, and the kind of honesty you rarely find online.
“Human connection is timeless,” says Melbourne regional producer Selena Brennan. “I don’t think there is anything quite like the live experience of watching someone be vulnerable on stage.”
The Moth began in 1997, when novelist George Dawes Green created the event to pay homage to the nights of his youth spent on porches in Georgia, telling stories with friends as moths circled the light. Nearly thirty years later, that same glow now fills venues around the world.
For Melbourne, a city built on creativity and live performance, The Moth feels right at home.
The Moth – Brunswick
- Next show: Wednesday, March 11
- Where: Howler, 7-11 Dawson Street, Brunswick
- Tickets: here
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Brennan first took the stage a decade ago at Melbourne’s inaugural Love Hurts storytelling night, which marked its tenth anniversary this year.
“Everyone’s had a heartbreak, and they’re not always romantic stories,” she says. Her first story was about her eventual estrangement from her father. Another year, she told one about breaking her toddler nephew’s heart.
She loves that The Moth invites everyday people to open up.
“It’s just your typical people and I think that’s its power. You don’t have to be an entertainer. It’s such a range, but they’re just everyday people.”
For Brennan, the appetite for something genuine is stronger than ever.
“People are hungry for live experiences in the era of AI,” she says. “There’s such a strong zeitgeist for what’s wholesome and old-fashioned: sharing in person.
“I don’t ever worry that AI’s gonna take over everything because we’ll never lose that desire to immerse ourselves in others’ humanity.”
Helping hold that space of humanity is host and MC Janine Hilling, who first told a story at The Moth in 2016 before becoming the night’s trusted voice.
“The audience is so magnificent,” she says. “They make so much noise. They are always so welcoming to the storytellers. It’s the nicest crowd you could ever want to do a show for. Even the people who have no idea why they are there come in with such generosity.”
After returning to Melbourne from a decade in Perth, Hilling went to The Moth alone and left with new friends.
“That first night, I just started chatting to people in the line for tickets. Some of those people are still my friends now. Everyone is there for a reason. They all love stories,” she says.
Since then, she has watched the crowds evolve. “We have a lot of younger people coming now and a lot of them say they’re missing this kind of connection face to face,” Hilling says. “Because everyone there is into the stories, it’s easy to meet people. You’ve got people who are Boomers and people who are Gen Z in the break just having the most beautiful chitty chats.”
For Hilling, storytelling is as much about listening as speaking. “No matter what someone’s story is about, there’s always something in there you can relate to. Even if it’s not your experience, you can understand how they feel.”
That emotional openness is what drew first‑time storyteller Ellie Dunn to this year’s Love Hurts event around Valentine’s Day. “I saw the event coming up, but I was strangely going through the worst breakup of my life and thought, ‘I’d love to do it, but I don’t think I’m emotionally stable enough this year, maybe next year,'” she says.
She decided to try anyway.
“I’m in my ‘yes’ era, where I do things that scare me,” she laughs. “I like the challenge. It’s good to be really uncomfortable.”
Her story, filled with humour and heart, won the night. Dunn’s advice to new storytellers captures the heart of The Moth. “Give it a go. People are so interested, and everyone has a story. You might not think you have something interesting to say, but it’s probably quirkier than you think.”
Brennan believes the human connection is what keeps people coming back.
“If you only looked online, you’d think what a terrible state humanity is in,” she says. “But when you’re in a room with living, breathing people being open and generous, you walk out smiling and wanting to connect.”
The Moth’s magic is simple yet profound. It is not just about stories, but about being seen, hearing others, and realising we are not as different as we think.
In a city that thrives on live art and shared emotion, The Moth reminds us that no matter how fast the world spins, there will always be power in one person, one microphone, and one honest story.
Head down to Brunswick every month and give it a go.
For more information, head here.
