As soon as the weather warms, you’d better be getting yourself down to The Espy.
While we love the St Kilda institution any time of the year, it shines its brightest in the summer, when the front patio is bumping, live music echoes out from the various stages and sea spray tickles your nose.
This January, the team has pulled no punches, delivering an unbeatable lineup of rock, pop, blues, electronic, country, punk and even stand-up comedy. So come on down, grab a drink, and have a boogie. Would be rude not to.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
SUMMER OF UGLY: Disco Dom
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- 1 January
- Tickets here
Start 2026 the St Kilda way at The Espy’s New Year’s Day party, where seaside views, icy drinks, DJs, and good vibes collide. Part of the Summer of Ugly series, Disco Dom will be spinning feel-good party energy all afternoon.
Julia Wolf
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- 2 January
- Tickets here (sold out)
Melbourne’s Espy Gershwin room welcomes popstar Julia Wolf for a night of live tunes right at the start of the year. Expect a buzzy set that blurs pop, shoegaze, electronic and emo stylings, the perfect gig to shake off post-holiday cobwebs.
Charlotte Plank
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- 3 January
- Free entry
Charlotte Plank takes over The Espy’s Gershwin Room for a free-entry show that’s all about rave energy and emotional pop-dance vibes. Born in Australia and raised in the UK, she’s been tearing it up with dance collaborations and indie-leaning hooks, so prepare for a live set that feels both intimate and euphoric.
Comedy at The Espy
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- 7 January
- Free entry
Get your laughs on at this free comedy night in the Basement! This gig brings together Melbourne’s brightest rising stand-ups and seasoned jokesters for a rip-roaring Wednesday night of live comedy.
Punk Doom Stoner Psychedelic Glamfest
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- 8 January
- Free entry
If heavy riffs, fuzzed-out grooves and grimy glam rock riffs are your vibe, this Basement show is built for you. With triple-threat local acts Gen2, Lonely Empire and Hail Freya on the bill, expect an electrifying night where punk, doom and psychedelic sounds collide.
Nashville Fridays
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- 9 January
- Tickets here
Kickin’ up some country fever at The Espy’s Gershwin with Nashville Fridays, a wild ride of hits from both sides of the pond. The Great Big Beer Band bring high-energy singalongs and boots-on-the-floor fun, with line-dancing vibes strongly encouraged. Round up your mates and let that two-step loose.
Rock Academy 42 (Week One)
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- 10 January
- Tickets here
The Gershwin Room plays host to Rock Academy 42 (Week One), a celebration of young musical talent from across Victoria. These teenage rockers have been coached by some of the scene’s legends and will be unleashing originals and killer covers in the first of The Espy’s summer school-holiday shows.
Project Mayhem
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- 16 January
- Tickets here
Project Mayhem hit The Espy Basement with a high-octane dose of 90s–2000s rock nostalgia. Think all the big anthems from Blink-182, Green Day, Foo Fighters, Linkin Park and more, played loud and proud, perfectly engineered for a sweaty sing-along crowd.
Wallen N’ Combs Appreciation Night
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- 16 January
- Tickets here
Country lovers will feel right at home at this homage to two modern greats of the genre in the Gershwin Room. It’ll be a night drenched in twangy hooks and long-lived anthems delivered with a smile and sing-along energy.
Justice For The Damned
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- 17 January
- Tickets here
Hard-charging and roaring, Justice For The Damned bring their rock fury to The Espy’s Gershwin Room in January, with heavy riffs and full-throttle energy from start to finish. This is one for the headbanging faithful and those just keen for a sweaty, chaotic rock show.
RAW Comedy 2026
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- 18 January
- Tickets here
Laughs land in St Kilda when RAW Comedy 2026 hits The Espy. It’s the perfect midweek pick-me-up with a lineup of fresh up-and-comers and seasoned joke-slingers all vying to bring down the house.
Lloyd & The Leftovers
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- 23 January
- Tickets here
After a long haul across the Nullarbor, Walyalup (Fremantle) folk-rock outfit Lloyd & The Leftovers finally bring their warm, DIY spirit to the East Coast. Touring their debut album Spin The Wheel, the band delivers jangly guitars, rowdy harmonies and introspective lyricism that feels both lived-in and instantly welcoming.
Dragon
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- 23 January
- Tickets here
Aussie rock royalty Dragon storm The Espy’s Gershwin Room for a set that’ll take you through decades of classic anthems. Think sing-alongs, nostalgic riffs, and pure front-bar good times. If you grew up on pub rock, this is your jam.
Willie J’s 6v6s
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- 25 January
- Tickets here
Willie J’s 6v6s bring their thunderous Aussie rock-and-roll to the Gershwin Room with free entry and full-on energy. Known for ripping through shows with raw power and big riffs, these guys know how to get a crowd moving, so bring your mates, raise your hands, and let loose for an electrifying Sunday night.
Best Party Ever: One Direction Party
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- 30 January
- Tickets here
Brace yourself for the ultimate pop-anthem night at Best Party Ever. One Direction’s biggest bangers (and maybe some cheeky pop-culture curveballs) will fill the Gershwin Room to the brim. It’s silly, it’s joyful, and it’s exactly what a party should be: loud, proud, and totally infectious.
Keep up with everything The Espy’s got going on here.
This article was made in partnership with The Espy.
