Black Dime Cabaret was formed by Brandon Young in 2019, alongside drummer Joel Holdsworth and former keyboard player Max Budich, following their departure from the alternative rock band On Planet. They soon enlisted vocalist/guitarist Dayle Barnett, bassist Cole Catania, and violinist Yzzy Peterson. Originally influenced by dark cabaret acts like Birdeatsbaby and The Dresden Dolls, along with art rock act Bent Knee, the band started with a softer, keyboard-heavy sound. However, they would quickly pivot. In September 2019, they released “The Black Dime Demos,” a collection of songs from Act I that introduced early listeners to the Black Dime Cabaret story. This was eventually followed by an Indiegogo campaign to fund the production of their debut album, Act I: Nefarious Schemes to Murder Lady Midnight.
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At around this time, tensions within the band ran hot and a number of plans were put on hold. Despite this, they continued to play small shows around Melbourne, Australia and prepared to record their debut album. Act I: Nefarious Schemes to Murder Lady Midnight was released on June 26, 2020. However, the band had mysteriously broken up by this time, on March 20. The album remained available for several months, before being taken down altogether. Black Dime Cabaret returned on April 6, 2022. They played their first gig at Red Betty on April 13, and celebrated their return at The Workers Club on June 1. Following these appearances, the band got to work on their first single, The Man Without Morality, which was released on July 22; and began recording demos for the reboot of Act I: Nefarious Schemes to Murder Lady Midnight. On December 2023, Black Dime Cabaret released their first new song in almost four years, Knock Knock. This also marked their first release outside of Act I and II. Self-produced and recorded at Electric Recording Lab, Knock Knock was met with extreme acclaim and immediately became their most successful song yet. The band grew significantly throughout the first half of 2024 as a direct result. They followed this with Knock Knock, Part II. They recruited Shea Webb in June 2024 to complete the current lineup of the band. She took on the role of their keyboardist, allowing Caitlyn (who had previously held the role) to focus on being the band's lead vocalist and frontwoman. Shortly after Shea’s arrival in Black Dime Cabaret, they released the third instalment of their Knock Knock saga, entitled Knock Knock 3D, on December 24, 2024. In August 2024, Black Dime Cabaret ran an exhaustive crowdfunding campaign to fund the creation of their second album, Act II: The Phantom Ballet. They raised just over $10,000 through the help of their dedicated and loving fanbase. Their anticipated second album was released in June 2025, and was their most ambitious project yet. Current Members: Brandon Young Caitlyn Adshead Patrick Ng Luke Bosnich Joel Holdsworth