Tom Waits once said his songs were “stories that never happened to people who never lived in a place that does not exist”. That smoky back-alley world will step into St Kilda when Melbourne musician and producer Victor Stranges debuts Blue Valentines, The Tom Waits Songbook.
The live production, presented by Pop Preservation Society, will honour the words, moods and distinct sound of one of modern songwriting’s most elusive voices. The show will debut at George Lane, St Kilda on Sunday 16 November 2025 with a special two-set matinee performance.
Stranges, known for his meticulous attention to detail across previous Pop Preservation Society events, has already reimagined the works of Elvis Costello, The Clash and Blondie. With Blue Valentines, he turns his focus to Waits, a figure whose artistic evolution has seen him rise from California bar-room poet to experimental global icon.
“Waits has such a specific universe, and it is a pleasure to walk through it,” Stranges says. “We try to play these songs as they were recorded, but we are not afraid to let them live. Some moments call for precision, others for instinct. Fans of the albums will recognise the textures and moods, we just bring them into the room.”
The show promises to touch on the hushed late-night ache of Closing Time, the bar-fly storytelling of Small Change, and the raw clatter and carnival soul of Mule Variations. Across two sets, Stranges and his band will lean into the intimacy, grit, humour and heartbreak that define Waits’ catalogue.
“Waits taught us that beauty often arrives wearing broken clothes,” Stranges says. “His music breathes. We are just helping it take a deep one live.”
The ensemble features Stranges on vocals and guitar, Mike Dupp on keyboards, Garry Allen on guitar, Annette Yates on double bass and Frank Scalzo on drums and percussion. Dupp even embraces the occasional imperfect piano accent, mirroring the ghostly character of Waits’ early sessions.
Tom Waits – A Brief History
Born in California in 1949, Tom Waits began his career in the folk clubs of San Diego before signing with Asylum Records in Los Angeles. His debut album Closing Time arrived in 1973, followed quickly by The Heart Of Saturday Night and Nighthawks At The Diner. By the late 70s, albums like Small Change and Blue Valentine cemented his reputation as a late-night chronicler of America’s fringe.
After meeting collaborator and future wife Kathleen Brennan, Waits shifted toward a more experimental sound throughout the 80s, releasing Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs and Franks Wild Years, blending junkyard percussion, theatrical flair and street-wise poetry. His later years produced Grammy-winning work including Bone Machine and Mule Variations, as well as theatrical collaborations and film roles. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011, he remains a singular voice and a north star for outsiders and innovators worldwide.
Blue Valentines Event Details
George Lane, 1 George Lane, St Kilda
Sunday 16 November 2025, 2:00pm Matinee
$30 + booking fee
Premium seating sold out, limited general admission available.
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