After a sold out run through capital cities, Paul Dempsey is taking Shotgun Karaoke Vol. II back on the road, this time heading into regional Australia for an extended national tour kicking off in May.
In Victoria, he’ll be playing at Frankston, Castlemaine, Warrnambool, Barwon Heads and Meeniyan.
Best known as the frontman of Something For Kate, Dempsey will launch the tour in Frankston on May 1 before moving through Victoria and beyond, wrapping up in August. The format stays intentionally loose, built around spontaneity and a setlist that shifts depending on the room.
Dempsey said the first run helped shape what the project has become. “I had a blast on the Shotgun Karaoke tour last year, but it wasn’t long enough. I can’t wait to get out for the extended version and play all over the country. The atmosphere at these shows has been ridiculously fun,” he said.
The shows sit alongside the 2025 release of the Shotgun Karaoke Vol. II album via EMI, part of a busy period that followed the Fanning Dempsey National Park collaboration and comes ahead of new Something For Kate material.
At its core, the concept is about reinterpretation. Dempsey reworks well known songs, leaning into stripped back arrangements and a delivery that shifts their tone. Past performances have included tracks like If I Could Turn Back Time, Twist In My Sobriety, Boys Of Summer and Because The Night, alongside deeper cuts and unexpected selections.
The approach reflects a long-standing thread in Dempsey’s work, where familiar songs are reshaped to highlight something different. Live, that instinct becomes more fluid, with each show evolving in real time and often pulling the audience into the process.
Joining the tour is Naarm-based singer-songwriter Kaitlin Keegan, whose indie-folk style centres on detailed storytelling and understated arrangements.
Paul Dempsey Shotgun Karaoke Volume II Regional Tour Dates
- Friday 1 May, Frankston, Pier Bandroom
- Friday 8 May, Castlemaine, Theatre Royal
- Friday 15 May, Forth, Forth Pub
- Saturday 16 May, Hobart, Altar Bar
- Friday 12 June, Barwon Heads, Barwon Heads Hotel
- Saturday 13 June, Warrnambool, Whalers Hotel
- Friday 19 June, Sunshine Coast, Kings Beach Tavern
- Saturday 20 June, Gold Coast, HOTA Home Of The Arts, All Ages
- Friday 26 June, Fremantle, Freo Social
- Saturday 27 June, Margaret River, The River
- Friday 3 July, Meeniyan, Meeniyan Town Hall, All Ages
- Saturday 11 July, Newcastle, Bar On The Hill
- Sunday 12 July, Port Macquarie, Finnian’s Tavern
- Friday 17 July, Canberra, The Playhouse, All Ages
- Saturday 18 July, Thirroul, Anita’s Theatre, All Ages
- Thursday 23 July, Cairns, Tanks Arts Centre, M15+
- Friday 24 July, Townsville, The Warehouse
- Friday 31 July, Gosford, Drifters Wharf
- Saturday 1 August, Coffs Harbour, Hoey Moey
