Preston’s beloved bar is bustling with local talent this month. No wonder it’s a hotspot for impressive musicianship.
This cherished watering hole neatly tucked away in Melbourne’s northern suburbs continues to cement itself as the perfect gathering place for punters who adore live music. In December, there’s plenty of that to go around.
A sprawling lineup is prepared for December, welcoming any concertgoer to the lively summer season with open arms. From delicate acoustic fingerpicking to the groovy hip hop dominating the band’s annual Merri Fest, the bar is farewelling the year with a burst of emerging talent.
On top of that, accompany those musical nights out with mouthwatering drink deals: $12 spritzes on Saturdays and $12 Bloody Merri’s on Sunday. Also, during the week, the bar runs Trivia Tuesdays, Whiskey Wednesdays and unmatched happy hours from 3-6pm.
A surefire highlight for musos and foodies alike, Preston’s Merri Bar is the one-stop spot to go out and enjoy the liveliness of summer.
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Ebi Nori
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- Saturday, December 7th at 7pm
At the helm of the five-piece The Phantom Fingers, Ebi Nori will bring the band’s sax-laden punk, grunge, blues and metal to the Merri Bar. Mesmerising alternative genre-bending is guaranteed on December 7.
Sonse
- Sunday, December 8th at 4pm
Sonse is a singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist bestowing her emotive strumming across Australia’s pubs. As well as playing her own delicate tunes, she’s covered pop hits from the likes of Kate Bush, Missy Higgins and Vance Joy, reimagining them with a folky poignancy.
Kier Stevens
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- Saturday, December 14th at 7pm
Kier Stevens is a bona fide guitar virtuoso, both a one-man blues band and pedal steel soloist for local acoustic singer-songwriters like James Mcq, Suzie So Blue, and J.C.Lee and The Frontier. He’s also a sensational pianist equally comfortable performing ballads and roots rock.
The Dusty Dimes
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- Sunday, December 15th at 4pm
Fiending for an arvo of upbeat blues rock? The swampy sound from The Dusty Dimes duo has you covered. You’d be hard-pressed to not stomp your feet to their harmonica-driven electric guitar tunes.
Dan Dinnen
- Saturday, December 21st at 7pm
Dan Dinnen is a jack of all trades when it comes to blues, specialising at fingerpicking, harmonica and shimmering guitar tones. His howling, soaring voice adds more to his multitalented musicianship.
Merri Fest ’24
- Sunday, December 22
- Open from 12pm, with music from 3pm till close
- Free
Lineup
- N’fa Jones
- DJ Chipz
- Alford
- Tracey Mat
- Ingrid Saker
- Antixx101
Merri Bar closes its doors for the year with one last hoorah. Merri Fest ’24 celebrates plenty of local talent, bolstering a diverse lineup. From the entrancing hip hop of N’fa Jones, the boom bap rap of Antixx101 and the sincere folk country from Mr. Alford, there’s something for everyone.
Not only are there great tunes, but Merri Fest ’24 offers food and drink specials to keep you entertained. There’s no better way to kick off an unforgettable summer’s outing with this all-day marathon of live music.
Keep up to date with Merri Bar by following their Instagram here.