Poetica: An Evening at the Chelsea Hotel

A night of poetry, songs and stories from New York’s legendary Chelsea Hotel.

What do Bob Dylan, Chet Baker, Arthur Miller, Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, Jack Kerouac, Leonard Cohen, Janis Joplin and Bob Marley all have in common?

… They all lived at New York’s legendary Chelsea Hotel.

Attracting the luminaires of the arts scene in its heyday, this hub for the avant-garde played host to some of the most culture-defining moments of the 20th century. From Dylan Thomas penning Under Milk Wood and Robert Mapplethorpe taking his first photographs, to Edie Sedgwick setting fire to her room and Sid and Nancy’s tragic end in room 100, the Chelsea Hotel “was like a doll's house in the Twilight Zone, with a hundred rooms, each a small universe” – Patti Smith. Decades later, Taylor Swift was inspired by the Chelsea Hotel for her album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.

What if the walls of the Chelsea Hotel could talk, could sing?

Now poets, wordsmiths, singer-songwriters and artists come together at Bondi Pavilion to share performances inspired by the storied history of this famous hotel.

After Poetica’s sell-out performance last year with Blackbird, this very special night is not to be missed.

Featuring performances by Jessica Chapnik Kahn, Nadav Kahn, Graeme Pillemer, Olatundji Akpo-Sani, Lorenzo Geuvarra and Miriam Hechtman.

Written and produced by Miriam Hechtman and Jessica Chapnik Kahn.

Presented by Poetica and Waverley Council.

Suitable for 15+ Adult themes and coarse language.