Wine Bar Spotlights Young Female Musicians

A local wine bar in Victoria’s Murrumbeena is looking to pave the way for young female musicians.

The bar has recruited a permanent line-up of Melbourne-based female artists to offer performance practice and exposure, which it says could help kickstart their careers.

Owner Ericka Argiris said music was something she’d always wanted to incorporate into her venue, and the pandemic highlighted the importance of providing local artists with a judgement-free space to share their talent and connect with audiences who may have previously been unreachable.

Argiris often scouts talent from the Melbourne Musicians Facebook page, but some budding talent contacts the venue directly.

The aim, she said, is for the venue to become a local music hotspot which fosters up-and-coming talent.

The current line-up includes Abbey Williams, who performs smooth jazz every Sunday afternoon, and Mia Pisano, a local acoustic folk singer who performs a mixture of her own songs and popular covers.

One of the bar’s first performers, Ruby Mae, sometimes reappears with her rock, folk and punk fusion.

Publicity for the initiative said all the participating artists emulate the bar’s moody atmosphere.

Arigis said those supporting Murrumbeena Wine Bar are not only supporting a female-owned venue, but also an emerging line-up of female music talent.

Read more: Women in jazz still face many barriers to success