Jem Cassar-Daley
Northcote Social Club
19 September 2026
Across her biggest headline tour yet, singer-songwriter Jem Cassar-Daley brings a collection of her deeply personal songs to the stage, exploring growth, memory, heartbreak and the complicated process of finding her own way. With her debut album ‘tattoos used to come off in the pool’ arriving just three weeks ago, tonight’s show is an exciting celebration of a new chapter.
Opening the night, Kaitlyn Keegan sets the tone with a performance that moves between playful storytelling, vulnerable confession and plenty of personality. Dressed in a red top, she decides to wrap a matching red scarf around her microphone, a small but characteristically spontaneous detail that captures her approach to performance.
‘Ghost You’ explores the anxious impulse to escape a party, while ‘Go Easy on Yourself Kid’, written with Jem Cassar-Daley some time ago, offers a reminder of the compassion we often struggle to give ourselves. Keegan also introduces ‘Twenty Something’, the title track of her forthcoming debut album, due out in November. Reflecting on her move to Melbourne in her twenties, the song carries a sense of uncertainty and self-discovery, with a nod to the enduring influence of Dolly Parton.
Her set continues to shift between light and shade. A song inspired by ‘The Daily Stoic’ gives way to ‘Who Does That’, a candid reflection on being a bad friend, before the mood turns considerably more intimate with ‘Bassendean Station’. Drawing from a turbulent and rocky childhood, Keegan channels difficult memories into art.
A reworked cover of Johnny Cash’s ‘Ring of Fire’ brings a fresh melodic approach, with Keegan’s best friend joining her on stage for a verse. ‘Rare Occasion’ offers a more affectionate moment, albeit with a few digs at Perth. Coming from the city herself, she’s more than entitled to the jokes. By the time she reaches her final song, an upcoming release due next Friday, Keegan leaves the audience in anticipation.
When Jem Cassar-Daley steps onto the stage, dressed in a dazzling silver dress with sparkling roses decorating the bottom of the trim, the atmosphere shifts into something both celebratory and intimate.
Opening with ‘Speak Now’ and ‘Front Left Pocket’, she quickly establishes the emotional breadth of her live show. Her songs often begin in familiar territory, but Cassar-Daley has a knack for finding the small details that make a story feel personal.
‘Cliches’ shoves every breakup cliché into one song, turning familiar heartbreak language into something knowingly entertaining. ‘Growing’ captures the uncertainty of moving forward without necessarily knowing where you are headed. As Cassar-Daley explains, sometimes you have no clue where you’re going, but at least you know you’re going. It’s a sentiment that resonates throughout the evening.
With her debut album now out in the world, there’s an obvious excitement in hearing these songs performed live. She shares that ‘Forget I Ever Said It’ is her favourite song to play, and the connection between artist and material is evident as the set moves through ‘Into Sunsets’ and ‘Souvenir’.
The latter offers one of the evening’s most thoughtful reflections. Cassar-Daley describes the song as being about healing from something and eventually looking back on an experience fondly, like a little souvenir sitting on a shelf. You can pick it up, appreciate the memory and put it down again, continuing with your day. It’s a quietly powerful image of learning to move forward without dismissing what came before.
‘Cool Girl’, inspired by a ‘Gone Girl’ monologue, introduces another perspective on identity and expectation, while ‘King of Disappointment’ brings humour to the frustration of being stood up on a date. Together, the songs demonstrate Cassar-Daley’s ability to balance emotional honesty with a sense of playfulness.
The encore begins with the old hymn ‘Water in Wide’, before the audience joins in for a surprise birthday celebration for bass guitarist Mark.
Despite coming from the Gold Coast, Cassar-Daley speaks about her connection to Melbourne and reflects on friends she has known since primary school and the support they have shown her throughout the past few years as she’s travelled and pursued her singing career. She describes it as “girlhood all wrapped up into one little bow”, and that feeling carries into the final song, ‘Kiss Me Like You’re Leaving’.
Words by Michael Prebeg
