australian punk tours

Punk concerts in Sydney, Australia

Find tickets to concerts, tour dates and live music near sydney, australia.

THU 7 DECEMBER - GOLD COAST

Mo's desert club house, fri 8 dec - brisbane, mansfield tavern, sat 9 dec - sydney, factory theatre, sun 10 dec - melbourne, corner hotel.

BLACK FLAG (USA)

Legendary Punk Band Black Flag Announces First Australian Tour in 10 years.

Get ready to unleash the fury as the iconic punk rock pioneers, Black Flag , are set to storm Australia for their first tour since 2013 presented by Silverback Touring.  

With a blistering lineup and an unparalleled live performance, Black Flag promises an unforgettable experience for punk rock enthusiasts and music lovers alike.

Known for their uncompromising intensity and influential sound, the punk legends will be hitting Australian shores this December to deliver not one, but two sets that will leave fans in awe. They will perform their critically acclaimed album "My War" in its entirety, as well as a second set of fan favourites, showcasing the raw power and innovation that cemented their place in punk rock history.

Black Flag's sound was integral to the pioneering of the hardcore punk genre and their influence on punk rock and its subculture is unquestionable. They have inspired and  

continue to inspire generations of music fans. This tour will be a rare opportunity for fans in Australia to witness the band's legendary energy and passion live on stage.

Black Flag has consistently pushed boundaries since their formation in the late 1970s, and their impact on the punk rock scene is immeasurable. With an evolving lineup, centred around founder, primary songwriter and guitarist, Greg Ginn , and vocalist/pro skateboarder, Mike Vallely , the band's commitment to their music and ethos remains unwavering with relentless touring the world over.  

Don't miss your chance to witness Black Flag's explosive live performance this December.   Get ready for a night of pure punk rock energy and rebellion.

Tickets are expected to sell out fast, so secure yours early to avoid disappointment.  

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Cosmic Psychos on 40 years of ‘stupid, clever’ punk: ‘I can’t see why I’d not want to get free beer’

Their bludgeoning music has influenced L7, the Chats and Amyl and the Sniffers. But their story is full of humanity – and they care more than they let on

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Ross Knight – bass player, singer and mainstay of Australian punk heroes the Cosmic Psychos – tells a good yarn that deftly illustrates his group’s public image.

The Psychos – who are celebrating 40 years since their humble beginnings in central Victoria, as a school band originally named Rancid Spam – were unlikely guests of honour at the Australian embassy in Berlin in 2013, commemorating 60 years of friendship between Australia and Germany. The band had driven all night from Utrecht in the Netherlands, arriving in Berlin about 3am. Of course they found a bar before rolling up to the embassy a few hours later, very much the worse for wear.

As they slid open their van’s side door, beer cans spilled out, rolling towards the assembled dignitaries like unexploded mortar shells. The band followed the cans into the light, blinking, Knight dressed in Blundstones, jeans and a Yakka shirt and their guitarist, John “Mad Macka” McKeering, in a tracksuit.

“We were standing next to generals and majors and ambassadors and goodness knows who else, going, ‘Bloody hell, how did this happen?’” Knight says, chuckling.

The Cosmic Psychos are an Australian institution. Sounding like the Ramones fronted by the Crocodile Hunter, they write songs in a distinctly Australian vernacular about drinking, fighting, roadkill and punching above your weight .

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They’re the self-described Blokes You Can Trust – title of their third album and the band-sanctioned, fan-funded documentary from 2013.

Treading Spinal Tap’s famous fine line between stupid and clever better than anyone, the Psychos’ bludgeoning take on punk has proven durable, influencing everyone from L7 (who covered the band’s Lost Cause, rewritten as Fuel My Fire, later recorded by the Prodigy) to Amyl and the Sniffers .

Telling the cartoon version of their story is easy. The band’s humanity is deeper, more complicated and more intelligent.

Knight, now 62, is the constant. Dean Muller replaced the original drummer, Bill Walsh, in 2005 after a bitter falling-out with Knight. McKeering, who had cut his teeth in a like-minded Brisbane trio called the Onyas , came onboard a year later after the death of Robbie “Rocket” Watts. (Watts replaced the original guitarist, Peter “Dirty” Jones, in 1990.)

Eamon Sandwith, the singer and bass player of the Chats , is a fan. Having supported the Psychos in their early days, the Chats have just finished a tour headlining over their heroes in the US. “They’ve taught me a lot about not caring what people say about you, how to conduct myself in a somewhat professional setting, and plenty about dealing with hangovers,” Sandwith says.

One on one, though, the Cosmic Psychos give more fucks than they might let on. “Anyone who knows the Psychos personally will tell you that they are some of the funniest, kindest, most generous people in this industry,” Sandwith says. “No egos whatsoever. I feel honoured to call them my friends.”

The documentary about the band provided a glimpse into Knight’s life outside his hobby band. For our interview, he’s calling from the top of a hill on Spring Plains, the farm on which he grew up and still lives. “I can’t imagine being anywhere else,” he says. “I owe more money than the American government but I don’t really care.”

Knight is no ordinary rock star. He has weightlifting world championship belts in his age and weight division, and the body to show for it: “I’ve got two new hips – I’ve got to get another hip done again, it didn’t work too good,” he says. “And me back’s fucked. But apart from that I’m in reasonable nick.”

It hasn’t stopped him lifting. “I do it for the black dog, actually. If I don’t lift weights, I can just feel the world close in a bit.”

The documentary also touched on Knight’s relationship with his profoundly disabled son Jika, who died this year aged 26. As his carer, Knight spent a lot of time lifting Jika. His loss represents a different kind of weight. “Grief, you just carry it on your chest, and then you put it on your back, that’s what I’ve been told,” he says. “It’ll never leave.”

McKeering, who is based in Brisbane, says the band was united behind their singer. “We were all just fucken smashed when it happened, because we thought he was going to go on forever,” he says. “We knew about a week before it happened that it was a chance, and we thought, ‘Oh no, he’ll get over it, it’ll work out,’ and it didn’t.”

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Like Knight, there is more to “Macka” than meets the eye. With the hangdog features of an oversized bloodhound and a mouth like your old uncle at a wedding, the author of the anthemic Fuckwit City usually takes the stage barefoot, in shorts and singlet. Later he’ll strip to his waist, rolling his substantial beer gut for the crowd.

McKeering is also a polymath: a lawyer with a degree in political science and a master of arts in musicology; and a former competitive swimming coach who, as a junior, raced (and beat) Kieren Perkins. “It was boring,” he says, grinning, when asked why he gave up swimming. “Playing guitar was more fun.”

In 1999 he was diagnosed with schizophrenia, a condition about which he is open. “I had it, but I beat it,” he says. How did he beat it? “Taking pills and getting my life organised.” What happens if he doesn’t take the medication? “I go into a mess again.”

The Psychos aren’t stopping anytime soon, though Knight says he’s just about done with overseas touring. “I’m quite happy just dagging about Australia and doing, I dunno, half-a-dozen to a dozen shows a year, if we feel like it,” he says.

“I still enjoy getting in me shed, having a few beers with the dog and playing bass. I can’t imagine ever not doing that. As long as I’m up there writing” – he corrects himself – “ re -writing the same song for 40 years, with the same three chords, we might as well get out there and have free beer every now and again, and I can’t see why I’d not want to get free beer.”

I ask Knight his favourite drinking song by another artist. “Oh, I suppose Somebody Put Something in My Drink by the Ramones,” he says. “Hank Williams wrote some terribly sad drinking songs. I don’t want to glorify myself being a functioning alcoholic, but … ”

“Oh, come on Ross,” I interject. “Your last album was called Mountain of Piss !”

“Yes, I know, and that is a sad tale of people trying to climb that mountain of piss. It always gobbles them up in the end. But yes, put it this way: I think any drinking song is a good song.”

We’re back in cartoon territory. But real life is never far away. Knight is glad the Cosmic Psychos are not a full-time concern. “The band is a hobby band because I could not be inspired or think about writing about anything if I was a full-time muso, because that would be as boring as shit,” he says.

“You’ve got to stub your toe. You’ve got to worry about being broke. You’ve got to get hangovers. You’ve got to get separated from your partner. You’ve got to have kids to worry about and all that kind of stuff. If you’re just travelling around in a fancy bus and flying around the world, what the hell are you supposed to write about?”

Cosmic Psychos’ 40th anniversary tour kicks off in Castlemaine in December

In Australia, support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and at MensLine on 1300 789 978. In the UK, the charity Mind is available on 0300 123 3393 and Childline on 0800 1111. In the US, call or text Mental Health America at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

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"Sounding gnarly as ever, the reunited band famous for its feuds will surely give die-hard punk fans the time of their lives…"

UK Punk Icons, The Damned Australian & New Zealand Tour 2023

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Notoriously referred to by Motörhead’s Lemmy (RIP) as “the only real punk band”, the legendary British punk pioneers, The Damned , return to Australia and New Zealand for a series of highly anticipated shows in June.

Forged in the hot fire of first wave punk and highly regarded for their riotous live shows and formidable stage presence, The Damned are the greatest surviving British punk band, still firing on all cylinders, breaking all the rules for their brash fusion of frenetic punk rock and gothic influences, and are often regarded alongside The Clash and Sex Pistols as a seminal force in driving the genre’s popularity.

Formed in 1976, The Damned’s career spans over four decades, releasing numerous acclaimed albums, including “ Damned Damned Damned ,” “ Machine Gun Etiquette ,” and “ Phantasmagoria. ”

The Damned’s upcoming tour will see the band perform classic hits as well as tracks from their upcoming album, “ DARKADELIC ,” set for release on April 28th. The album catches the band once again evolving and expanding upon their unique universe and features some of The Damned’s sharpest song writing and genre-bending performances.

Don’t miss out on the chance to see one of the most acclaimed and revered punk acts live. Fans are urged to secure their tickets early, as shows are expected to sell out quickly. 

Australia & New Zealand Tour Dates :

Fri June 2 – Auckland, Powerstation w/ Ringlets Sat June 3 – Wellington, San Fran [SOLD OUT] w/ Ringlets Mon June 5 – Adelaide, The Gov [SOLD OUT] w/ PELVIS Wed June 7 – Brisbane, Princess Theatre [SOLD OUT] w/ Sacred Hearts Thu June 8 – Sydney, Metro Theatre [SOLD OUT] w/ The Neptune Power Federation Fri June 9 – Rising: Melbourne, The Forum w/ Witch & Vacuum

Also Touring

The dandy warhols, shannon noll, the menzingers.

• Looking Back
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BOB MOULD Solo Electric Tour For November / December

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HARDCORE VICTIM 2024 WEEKENDER Lineup For May

Municipal waste back for july australian tour, cancer bats june australian tour announced, the menzingers return for dates in august, full of hell / thou august tour announced, militarie gun australian tour for june / july, turnstile return to australia in july is now cancelled, eyehategod / goatwhore july australian tour, restraining order / downside april australian tour.

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• UPCOMING TOURS

Australian Tour January 2024

Handsome Tours is thrilled to announce that punk legends  mclusky  will be returning to Australia in January 2024 in celebration of the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough sophomore record,  mclusky do dallas .

“Bad luck and self-sabotage stopped these cult rockers from finding success first time round. But 20 years on, their fire still burns brightly”

– The Guardian

Featuring  Future of the Left  members Andrew “Falco” Falkous and Jack Egglestone, with the addition of Damien Sayell from the  St Pierre Snake Invasion , the Cardiff outfit will be playing venues in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

Don’t miss out as mclusky embarks on a victory lap to celebrate the m clusky do dallas anniversary.

Filed under: Mclusky

Alternative News

Tours: NOFX announce final Australian shows

NOFX have announced the Australian leg of their farewell tour. The band will play two shows in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The band will be playing three albums in full at each show. Frenzal Rhomb, The Bennies, Voiid, Flangipanis, Bodyjar, Clowns, Fever Shack, Something Something Explosion, and Charlotte and The Harlots will be joining them. On January 21 they’ll be doing something called “I Heard They Suck At Conversation!!” where Jay and The Doctor will come on stage to share stories. NOFX will be touring Europe in spring 2024 and will be touring North America in the summer and fall. Check out the full dates and details below.

NOFX have announced the Australian leg of their farewell tour. The band will play two shows in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The band will be playing three albums in full at each show. Frenzal Rhomb , The Bennies , Voiid , Flangipanis , Bodyjar , Clowns , Fever Shack , Something Something Explosion , and Charlotte and The Harlots will be joining them. On January 21 they’ll be doing something called “I Heard They Suck At Conversation!!” where Jay and The Doctor will come on stage to share stories. NOFX will be touring Europe in spring 2024 and will be touring North America in the summer and fall. Check out the full dates and details below.

Source: punknews.org

Fan poll: 5 best punk albums of all time

The Effens and Denz McFarlane of The OBGMs release song together

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The History Of Australian Punk In 30 Tracks ~

-- Words by Adrian Cunningham

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I was at high school in the back blocks of Bjelke-Petersen’s Queensland in the mid-1970s. Politically and socially, it was a grim time. Ultra-conservative heavy manners and rigid conformity were almost impossible to escape. Contemporary music, so often a refuge of hope for disaffected teenagers, was of little or no interest to me.

Rock music at that time was fat, boring, self-important and bloated. Rock stars swanned around like minor royalty on the Titanic. Turgid heavy blues-boogie and tedious prog rock ruled; only the awesome David Bowie and his fascinating associates Lou Reed and Roxy Music offered some respite from the gloom.

I spent my days regretting that I had not been born ten years earlier, when I could have enjoyed my teenage years listening to the exciting and contemporary sounds of the early Who, The Small Faces, The Kinks and The Yardbirds. I still listened to The Kinks and The Yardbirds, but I felt like a museum curator rather than someone who was part of a vital and current zeitgeist.

Then in late 1976 things started to change. I saw The Sex Pistols playing ‘Anarchy in the UK’ on an afternoon kids’ TV show on the ABC called Flashez . I was buying the NME at my local news agent — delivered three months late via the slow boat from London — and read about some intriguing new names from New York: The Ramones, Patti Smith and Television.

Even more astounding, I heard about a Brisbane band called The Saints that had made a splash in London with their independent single ‘(I’m) Stranded’. The idea that anyone good could come from Brisbane — of all places — took some getting used to. It took me a while to deal with the cognitive dissonance associated with overcoming my cultural cringe.

The Saints (like The Ramones) didn’t look very cool — certainly not compared to the Yardbirds or the Kinks — but the power of their music was undeniable. Suddenly I had something contemporary, and local, that was exciting and meaningful. My life was forever changed. I no longer felt like I had been born out of time — indeed, I started to feel like I had been born at just the right time to enjoy one of the most exciting eras in rock music.

Throughout 1977 the good news just kept piling up. An avalanche of great music was released in the UK and the USA. Australia seemed a bit slow in comparison, but we had The Saints and we also had Sydney’s blistering Radio Birdman, who I saw late one night on ABC TV doing a live studio performance for a short-lived show called The Real Thing . I became Toowoomba’s only confirmed punk. My choice might have been met with open hostility in what was, frankly, a very narrow-minded and violent town. I was probably saved by the sheer out-there novelty of my choice. In 1977, a lone punk in Toowoomba was no threat to the established order, so could be treated with amused condescension.

Nevertheless, my days in Queensland were numbered. Upon finishing school, I immediately decamped to the excitement of Sydney — too late to see Radio Birdman or The Saints, who by then had both departed for the UK — but just in time to participate in the emerging punk scene which had its epicentre in a few inner-city pubs and dive bars. A scene that was small enough, even in a city as large as Sydney, that you quickly got to know all the faces and feel the warm inner glow of knowing you were part of something precious and secret.

This article celebrates the great music that emerged from that scene — a scene where Australia’s contribution was at least the equal of any other country. I have selected 30 songs that represent the best of Australian punk. The first nine selections actually come from Australia’s original punk scene, the 1965-1967 era of garage punk that mirrored similar phenomena across a plethora of regional cities in the USA. Those original Australian punks are largely forgotten today — hell, they were largely forgotten in 1977 too! But they were honoured by the late ’70s Oz punks, who drew inspiration from the fact that those pioneers had proved that great and exciting music could be made in the land Down Under.

One rule I have observed in making this list: no one band gets more than one song. This is unfair on the likes of The Saints and Radio Birdman, who deserve multiple entries. But I want to convey the size and diversity of the Australian punk scene and pay tribute to all the weird, wonderful and talented eccentrics that burned, burned, burned like fabulous roman candles.

1965 The Easybeats – ‘Wedding Ring’

Working class kids from the immigrant hostels of Villawood in Sydney’s deep south west, The Easybeats became Australia’s Beatles. But they never lost their garage punk aesthetic. Once, when asked who was Australia’s greatest band, The Saints’ Ed Kuepper replied instantly and in a manner that brooked no contradiction: ‘The Easybeats’.

They released many great songs, including the world-wide smash ‘Friday On My Mind’, but this early rocker shows them at their garage punk best. The story of singer Little Steve Wright’s tragic later years of waste and misadventure is well known, but in 1965 he was the epitome of exhilarating exuberance and snotty rebellion. Remember him that way.

1965 The Missing Links – ‘You’re Drivin’ Me Insane’

Described by Ian Marks and Iain McIntyre in their brilliant book Wild About You  as “about as caveman primitive as rock’n’roll can get,” this song is as punk as they come.

The Saints later covered the Links’ totemic ‘Wild About You’ on their debut album. If the Easybeats were Australia’s Beatles, Sydney’s Missing Links were our Rolling Stones or, more accurately, our Pretty Things. As Marks and McIntyre say, they were “Too loud, too outrageous, too unstable, too provocative, too young, too dirty, too destructive, too scary — too much”.

1966 The Purple Hearts – ‘Just a Little Bit’

B-side of this Brisbane band’s third single, ‘Just a Little Bit’ is one minute and fifty-one seconds of ferocious Benzedrine beat. In Lobby Lloyd on guitar and Mick Hadley on vocals/screams, the Purple Hearts featured two of Australia’s most primal punk talents.

The Black Diamonds – ‘I Want, Need, Love You’

Hailing from Lithgow, The Black Diamonds played definitive and devastating ’60s garage punk. Eardrum-shredding and only just staying the right side of being totally unhinged, this track is a white-knuckle ride from start to finish.

1966 The Loved Ones – ‘Everlovin’ Man’

Melbourne’s The Loved Ones featured ’60s rock’s most adventurous and unorthodox vocalist, Gerry Humphries. His voice really is something extraordinary. At just two minutes and eight seconds, their second single was a massive national hit. Never before or since has a top ten hit featured such mind-altering singing. The B-side, ‘More Than Love’, is just as good.

1967 The Atlantics – ‘Come On’

Sydney’s Atlantics, as their name suggests, started out as a surf band — having an early hit in 1963 with ‘Bombora’. As fashions changed they went back to the garage and recorded ‘Come On’ in an Eastlakes scout hut, favoured because it gave them the desired “raw, thumping, rock’n’roll sound”. By 1967, the Atlantics were journeymen and this manic piece of history almost disappeared from view as a B-side. But those who heard it never forgot it.

1967 The Elois – ‘By My Side’

Yet another B-side (presumably ’60s punk bands reserved A-sides for their more poppy, commercial fare), this song was later covered by the Hard-Ons in 1986 without coming anywhere near matching the sheer visceral ferocity of the original. Sounds like a gang of hyperactive Neanderthals speeding in a souped-up Corvette with shredded leopard skin trim — and about as tasteful.

1967 Masters Apprentices – ‘Buried and Dead’

The Masters Apprentices later became Australian hippy pop royalty, but prior to that they released a couple of classic ‘wrong side of the tracks’, grungy garage anthem singles. This, their mucho intenso second single, was later covered by Radio Birdman, who certainly knew a reverb and fuzz drenched punk classic when they heard one.

1967 The Creatures – ‘Ugly Thing’

It is probably not possible to invent a better garage punk band and song name combination than this. You knew before the needle hit the groove what you were in for, and this delivered on those expectations in spades. It is punk gone truly and absolutely feral.

It was recorded and released in late 1967, by which time garage punk had been sidelined by hippy psychedelica, so it was the last desperate gasp of a dying genre. But what a way to go out! Vindication following oblivion would have to wait ten years but, as always, quality won out.

1977 The Saints – ‘This Perfect Day’

Jump forward ten years, it’s as if Dark Side of the Moon and Tales from Topographic Oceans never happened. And thank god for that!

The Saints were another bunch of immigrant kids from an outer suburban wasteland. They are rightly celebrated for their monumental milestone recording from June 1976 of ‘(I’m) Stranded’. But unbelievably, even better was to come later. Written by Ed Kuepper in Oxley on Christmas Day 1976 and released on single shortly after their arrival in the UK in mid-1977, this song is the greatest piece of music ever recorded by an Australian band. Period.

“This song is the greatest piece of music ever recorded by an Australian band. Period.”

They performed it on Top of the Pops and the British promptly rushed off to the shops in droves to buy it — only for the record company EMI to completely underestimate demand. Stocks were unavailable for weeks and the single dropped out of the charts. It was as close as The Saints ever came to being truly successful. A year later the band fell apart in the face of patronising anti-Australian English attitudes and the band’s unwillingness to conform with increasingly ridiculous punk stereotypes.

As great as The Saints’ oeuvre is, the only song of theirs that comes close to matching this is their apocalyptic ‘Nights in Venice’. The studio version of ‘Nights’ on their debut album is awesome, but check out the live version recorded at Sydney’s Paddington Town Hall immediately before their departure for London to get a true sense of the aural meltdown that this song could deliver.

1977 Radio Birdman – ‘Do The Pop’

Like The Saints, Radio Birdman released their first vinyl independently via mail order in late 1976. The Burn My Eye EP was utterly brilliant and quite unprecedented, as was 1977’s Radios Appear album.

Any number of Birdman songs deserve to be on this list, but I have chosen the raging, intense and life-affirming ‘Do The Pop’. Guitarist Deniz Tek was a native of Ann Abor, Michigan and was totally besotted with Ann Arbor heroes the Stooges and the MC5. ‘Do The Pop’ is his tribute to those heroes.

Like The Saints, Radio Birdman had a unique belief in the worth of their cause and the vital importance of swimming against the tide of current trends. This fierce self-belief often came across as arrogance, but when you listen to their music and watch recordings of their live performances it is clear that their arrogance was well founded.

1978 Boys Next Door – ‘These Boots Are Made for Walking’

This was the first release by Australia’s greatest musical export, Nick Cave .

The Boys Next Door were formed at Melbourne’s exclusive Caulfield Grammar. Inspired by the first wave of punk (there is a great photo taken at a Saints gig in Melbourne with young fan boy Nick wigging out in front of the stage), they signed to Michael Gudinski’s short-lived Suicide label — an attempt by a music biz insider to hop on the punk bandwagon.

This is a period of his life that Cave now prefers to forget, regarding the Suicide association as an embarrassing misjudgement and his early recordings as being excruciating juvenilia. Nevertheless, the band does a spirited punk deconstruction of Nancy Sinatra’s 1960s classic.

Despite his ambivalence about his early output, Cave continues to be proud of his involvement in fighting the early ‘punk wars’ against a hostile and uncomprehending establishment. He is grateful for having had the certainty of the punk cause as something that kept him and his cohorts grounded as they wobbled through the chaos of the 1980s.

1978 Young Charlatans – ‘Shivers’

While Nick Cave was consorting with Michael Gudinski, his future collaborator Rowland Howard formed a punk super-group with Melbourne scenester Ollie Olsen and former Saints (and future Laughing Clowns) drummer Jeffrey Wegener.

Their party piece was a song that a 16-year-old Howard had written two years earlier — a song that was destined to become an absolute classic. The Young Charlatans recording of ‘Shivers’ did not emerge until 1981, and then only on an elusive cassette magazine called ‘Fast Forward’. In the meantime, in 1979 Howard had joined the Boys Next Door, who then recorded ‘Shivers’ with Cave on vocals. Much to Howard’s annoyance, Cave insisted on singing the song. Years later Cave conceded that he was incapable of doing it justice.

1978 Thought Criminals – ‘More Suicides Please’

Written about office workers queueing up to jump off the top of Sydney’s Australia Square, then Australia’s tallest building, this song is darkly hilarious.

Roger Grierson’s Thought Criminals showed an imaginative way forward for a local punk scene that was at risk of descending into self-parody. Angular, fast, jagged and frantic are words that have been used to describe their sound, but it was never less than fun, funny and intelligent. A gem.

1979 The Lipstick Killers – ‘Hindu Gods of Love’

Produced by Radio Birdman’s Deniz Tek, this classic slice of Sydney-via-Detroit hard rock is probably the best artefact from the large and often somewhat clichéd genre of post-Birdman Sydney punk.

In the late ’70s and early ’80s there seemed to be dozens of bands in Sydney intent on copying Radio Birdman. I once saw the Lipstick Killers play at the Civic Hotel to a bunch of sieg-heiling neo-Nazis — and, disturbingly, no one in the band seemed to object. Which kind of supports the Saints’ Chris Bailey’s reservations about Birdman’s military-style armbands and stage banners when, at a shared gig at Paddington Town Hall, he famously thanked “the local chapter of the Hitler Youth for the fine stage props”.

But that is probably all forgotten now. The Lipstick Killers amazed me when they released this piece of sheer brilliance. Honestly, I didn’t think they had it in them.

1979 Little Murders – ‘Take Me, I’m Yours’

Heavily influenced by British ’60s punk like The Who, The Troggs and The Kinks, Melbourne’s Little Murders became the darlings of that city’s mod scene. As unpromising and derivative as that sounds, this song is a delight and is as good an example of punk pop as you can find anywhere.

1980 Tactics – ‘Buried Country’

Canberra’s Tactics, led by the quirky, intelligent and mercurial Dave Studdert, were a punk band that pointed towards a brighter and more interesting future that could transcend the stultifying limitations of punk.

Close associates of the Thought Criminals, ‘Buried Country’ first appeared on a poorly recorded EP in 1979. The definitive version appeared a year later on their debut album, My Houdini. This song took white Australia to task for its mistreatment of Aboriginal people — something that was unusual, to say the least, in the 1970s.

1980 ME 262 – ‘Gonna Die’

Named after a Blue Oyster Cult song, Sydney’s ME 262 were yet another post-Birdman outfit with a Detroit obsession. ‘Gonna Die’ was recorded as a demo, but not released until one of the ‘Do The Pop’ compilations appeared over 20 years later. Pretty obscure, in other words. But this song does not deserve its obscurity, as it is one of the few post-Birdman outfit recordings that could give Deniz Tek’s gang a run for its money.

1980 The Sunnyboys – ‘The Seeker’

Hailing from Kingscliff in northern New South Wales, the Sunnyboys caused a sensation when they hit the inner-city circuit in Sydney in 1980.

Their initial release, an absolutely stunning four-track EP released on Phantom Records, was even better than Radio Birdman’s Burn My Eye EP from four years earlier. Any of its four songs could sit happily in this list, but ‘The Seeker’ exemplifies everything that was great about The Sunnyboys. Later the band were signed by Michael Gudinski’s Mushroom label and went on to enjoy considerable, and deserved, mainstream success. But none of their subsequent recordings captured the sheer joy, creativity and energy of that initial EP.

Leader Jeremy Oxley later sadly suffered from mental illnesses that have blighted his career, yet The Sunnyboys still periodically reform and tour to the delight of their still-loyal fans.

1981 The Birthday Party – ‘King Ink’

In 1980 the Boys Next Door renamed themselves The Birthday Party and moved to London to take on the world.

At the time, they had moved away from their punk origins and were embracing more experimental and arty post-punk sounds. Their first year in London was a demoralising experience. No one wanted to know them (except for the redoubtable BBC DJ John Peel) and they were severely disillusioned by the music that they saw and heard there. It lacked energy and it seemed that the punk wars had been fought for nothing.

On returning to Australia in late 1980 for a Christmas visit to friends and families, a rethink and reinvention was called for. I saw them play with Laughing Clowns and the Go-Betweens at the legendary Paris Theatre show in Sydney in late November when they were still fairly arty and ‘post-punk’. Nick Cave even played saxophone on one song!

After Christmas, they returned to Sydney as a totally transformed entity. They had gone completely feral. No more saxophones, no more arty endeavours. The Stooges primal ‘Loose’ was now an encore. They had rediscovered their obnoxious punk roots. This was the shtick they took back to London along with their new album, Prayers On Fire , which they had recorded over the summer break. This new much more confrontational version of the band blew everything else in England to smithereens. World domination awaited.

‘King Ink’ was the apotheosis of this new manifestation of the band — an ugly, awkward and hideous “fuck you” to the new romantics and other scum that were in the band’s crosshairs.

1981 New Race – ‘Haunted Road’

Although Deniz Tek had relocated back to his native USA after the demise of Radio Birdman, the Birdman legend grew out of all proportion in his absence.

In response to this heightened interest, Tek formed a temporary touring supergroup made up of former members of Birdman, and his hero bands the Stooges and the MC5. A stupendous live album from this tour was released. Alongside retooled Birdman and MC5 tunes was this amazing new Tek composition that was as exciting as anything he recorded with Radio Birdman.

1981 The Scientists – ‘Swampland’

Led by unique Kim Salmon, the Scientists were Perth’s premier late-70s punk band. By 1980 they had run out of steam. In late 1981 Salmon reconstituted the band with a different line-up, taking particular inspiration from The Cramps’ brand of trashy psychobilly.

The next few years became their golden age. Swampland was the B-side of the new incarnation’s first single (the A-side ‘This is My Happy Hour’ is also an essential recording) and it contains all the best elements of Salmon’s particular talents. It is utterly irresistible. Also, don’t miss 1983’s incredible ‘We Had Love’ single and Blood Red River mini album.

1982 The Screaming Tribesmen – ‘Igloo’

Originating in Brisbane in 1981, the Mick Medew-led Screaming Tribesmen combined members of legendary defunct Brisbane punk bands The 31 st and the Fun Things, including Brad Shepherd (of Hoodoo Gurus fame) and Ron Peno (of Died Pretty fame).

Recorded in late 1982 and released on single by Citadel in 1983, ‘Igloo’ was their masterpiece. They later relocated to Sydney, experiencing innumerable line-up changes and hooking up with former Radio Birdman guitarist Chris Masuak. Unfortunately, as time went on the band descended into b-grade hard rock and denim clichés. But they will be forever lionised for the cavernous guitar and haunting melody and lyrics of ‘Igloo’.

1983 The Moodists – ‘The Disciples Know’

Formed in Melbourne in 1980 out of the remnants of Adelaide punk band the Sputniks, The Moodists featured the enduring talents of Dave Graney, Clare Moore and Steve Miller.

In early 1983 they released their finest moment, the Engine Shudder EP, featuring the eternally brilliant ‘The Disciples Know’ — all squalling guitars and claustrophobic vocals. Later that same year they relocated to London. I saw them play there in early 1986, sharing a bill with Melbourne’s equally awesome Crime and City Solution (featuring Rowland Howard and the enigmatic Simon Bonney).

But London wasn’t really interested (their loss) and the band broke up out of frustration in 1987. Graney continued to forge an idiosyncratic career as self-annointed ‘King of Pop’ and leader of the Coral Snakes.

1983 Beasts of Bourbon – ‘Ten Wheels for Jesus’

Another occasional punk/garage/swamp rock supergroup, which has featured a shifting cast of members over the years, with the only constants being Spencer P. Jones and Brisbane’s Tex Perkins (also of the Cruel Sea).

Their first album, The Axeman’s Jazz was recorded in four hours in October 1983 in Woolloomooloo for $100. When released the following year it spawned the alternative hit single ‘Psycho’ and became the best-selling alternative album of the year in Australia. The initial line-up included the Scientists’ Kim Salmon and Boris Sujdovic, as well as the Hoodoo Gurus’ James Baker. Perkins claims that the album is the best thing he has ever done and ‘Ten Wheels for Jesus’ beats some stiff competition to be the best thing on the album.

1984 X – ‘Halfway Round the World’

Former Rose Tattoo member Ian Rilen formed X (not to be confused with their Los Angeles punk namesakes) in 1977 as one of Sydney’s first punk bands. Their sound was brutal, unsubtle and uncompromising.

I saw them first in 1980 supporting Ed Kuepper’s Laughing Clowns, by which time old school punk was looking and sounding somewhat irrelevant. I was not impressed. They had just released their album X-Asperations , which did nothing for me — though hindsight reveals it as having more redeeming features than I was prepared to concede at the time.

X split up shortly after that and Rilen went on to form the far more interesting post-punk band Sardine v. X reformed in 1984 and, lo and behold, they were brilliant — combining the best aspects of the old X, with some of the subtlety and creativity that Rilen had acquired in Sardine v. The 1985 album At Home With You , produced by Lobby Lloyd, is magnificent. It features the excellent ‘TV Glue’ and also this gem, which had originally appeared in the previous year as the B-side to an excoriating version of John Lennon’s ‘Mother’.

1985 The Triffids – ‘Field of Glass’

Perth’s Triffids are one of the top five Australian bands of all time. Leader, the late lamented David McComb, was a singular talent in every respect. Like their Brisbane contemporaries and rivals, the Go-Betweens, they were never regarded as punk, though they were certainly post-punk.

But in 1985 they veered extremely close to punk with their Field of Glass EP. Under the sway of Nick Cave and The Birthday Party, McComb chose that record to plumb the darkest depths of intensity possible. The resulting title track is nine harrowing minutes that are certainly not for the faint hearted, but which constitute one of the most powerful recordings ever made by an Australian band. Believe me, after you hear this song you will never be the same again.

1986 The New Christs – ‘Born Out of Time’

After Radio Birdman’s demise in 1978, singer Rob Younger spent a few years at something of a loose end. His distinctive frame and haircut could often be seen wandering around the streets of inner Sydney and he even did a stint behind the counter of the alternative record shop, Anthem, underground at Town Hall station.

Eventually, he formed the New Christs who released the supremely collectable single ‘Face A New God’ in 1981. The band then disappeared from view, re-emerging with a new line-up in 1983 to support an Iggy Pop tour Down Under. This version of the band recorded two classic, take-no-prisoners singles, ‘Like a Curse’ (1984) and ‘Born Out of Time’. Both deserve a guernsey on this list, but I have given the nod to the latter — if only for its classic couplet of ‘I was born out of time, what’s your excuse?’

The New Christs continue to this day, with whatever shifting cast of support musicians Younger chooses to recruit when the fancy takes him.

GOD – ‘My Pal’

GOD were third generation punks and the best evidence available that the punk flame could be kept alight by youngsters not forged in the fires of the 1977 insurrection.

Written by 15-year old Melbournian Joel Silbersher, this debut single on Au Go-Go records has grown in stature and reputation over years to the point that it is now regarded as a solid gold punk classic. The band itself proved to be a short-lived entity. But, hey, if you have one brilliant shot in the bolt, get it out there fast and then get out of the way. The perfect punk aesthetic.

1991 The Aints – ‘It’s Still Nowhere’

Appropriately, the final entry in this list belongs to Australia’s greatest punk (though he would, of course, reject the label): Ed Kuepper.

After the original Saints split up in 1978, Kuepper returned to Australia to put together his next project — the utterly unprecedented experimental band Laughing Clowns. Saints singer Chris Bailey responded by appropriating the Saints name and forming a succession of reasonably good, though quite orthodox, bands that had absolutely nothing to do with the vision of the original Saints.

To say that Kuepper was irked by that would be a gross understatement. Eventually Kuepper decided to seize back ownership of his original vision by forming the ironically named Aints. While his musical interests had broadened considerably in the interim, at heart he was still a hard rocker who liked nothing better than making a huge racket on his Gibson SG.

The Saints have toured off and on over the years whenever Ed feels the need for some primal rock therapy. ‘It’s Still Nowhere’ is probably the pick of their handful of recordings, but really you can’t go wrong with any of them.

Adrian Cunningham is an Australian punk obsessive. He is definitely not on Twitter.

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Australian Punk Rock Bands List

This list of the best Australian punk rock bands includes both dynamic groups and punk rock solo artists from the land down under. It's always interesting to see where famous bands got their starts, so use this list to discover some great Australian music that you've never heard before. The punk rock bands and artists below have played their music all over the world, but they all were formed in Australia. 

The list you're viewing is made up of bands like Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Brody Dalle.

If you want to answer the questions, "Who are popular punk rock bands from Australia?" and "Which punk rock bands started in Australia?" then look no further! Vote for your favorite Australian punk rock bands below, and be sure to vote based on the quality of their music rather than simply their popularity or following. 

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Australia concerts in 2024: here’s a list of shows and tours coming up

Big names confirmed for tours Down Under in 2024 include Coldplay, Pink, SZA, Hozier, Iron Maiden and more

Fresh out of a pandemic, Australia’s 2023 touring calendar was one of the busiest in recent memory, as artists of all stripes took centrestage everywhere from stadium shows to intimate local gigs. With a starry schedule that included the likes of Post Malone , Red Hot Chili Peppers , and Mötley Crüe , it’ll be tricky for 2024’s schedule to outdo its predecessor – and yet, thanks to the likes of Taylor Swift , Blink-182 and Pink , plus Coldplay, Pearl Jam and SZA later in the year, it’s poised to do just that.

From debut headline shows for breakout artists to bustling festival sideshow programs, there’s something for everyone to enjoy as a stellar batch of musicians make their way Down Under in 2024. Read on for NME’s roundup of all the biggest concerts and tours coming to Australia this year.

Here are the concerts and tours coming to Australia in 2024:

Pink When: February 9 – March 23 Find tickets and more info

Australia bloody loves Pink , and she’s apparently pretty fond of her “home away from home” too. In 2009, she played 58 shows here as part of her Funhouse tour, performing for some 660,000 fans. In 2013, when she announced an Australian tour in support of sixth studio album ‘The Truth About Love’, 320,000 tickets were snapped up within a few hours of them going on sale.

It makes sense, then, that the American singer-songwriter has a slew of dates booked for her return in February and March 2024 as part of her Summer Carnival world tour . She’ll be bringing songs from her ninth studio album ‘Trustfall’ to stadiums around the country, including stops in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

She’ll be playing a total of four shows at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium and conclude the tour at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank stadium.

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Lydia Lunch When: March 8 – March 23 Find tickets and more info

Lydia Lunch’s unique artistry will take centre stage during her six-date Australian tour early 2024. The musician and poet will first perform at the Brisbane Powerhouse on March 8, before taking to Melbourne Recital Theatre (March 15), Theatre Royal Castlemaine (March 17), Sydney’s The Great Club (March 22) and MONA in Hobart (March 23).

Lunch will also find time for a one-off with Melbourne band Black Cab, performing the songs of her fellow NYC pioneers Suicide , in the intimate confines of The Tote on March 20. Find tickets for the special tribute here.

New Bloom sideshows When: March 9 – March 24 Find more info and tickets here

Emo, punk and post-hardcore fans will find a lot to like in the inaugural touring festival New Bloom in March. In addition to festival dates on the east coast, most of the bands are doing sideshows across the country. Catch Citizen , Movements , Touche Amore , Fleshwater and No Pressure in various venues in Perth, Adelaide, Wollongong, Belgrave and the Gold Coast. Movements, Touche Amore, Fleshwater and No Pressure will stick around for bonus headline shows in Melbourne while the latter two will also play again in Sydney.

Dylan: The Rebel Child Tour When: March 18 – March 27 Find tickets and more info

Rising UK pop sensation Dylan makes her Australian debut in March, kicking off her three-date tour at The Brightside in Brisbane on March 18. The Rebel Child Tour, named after Dylan’s 2023 single, will then head to The Lansdowne in Sydney on March 22, before wrapping up in Melbourne at Northcote Social Club on March 25. Find tickets here.

• READ MORE: Dylan – ‘The Greatest Thing I’ll Never Learn’ EP review: a superstar is born

Maisie Peters: The Good Witch Comes to Australia When: March 19 – 23 Find more info

Maisie Peters might have taken the Wizard of Oz references on her new album ‘The Good Witch’ a little too seriously. The UK artist is coming back to Australia for three dates in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne – all of which are sold out.

• READ MORE: Drink up: Australia’s 10 most memorable musician ‘shoey’ moments

Expectations will be high for Peters’ tour and not necessarily because of the music. As she tweeted : “Last time I toured here I did a shoey on stage and became an honorary Australian so who knows what will happen next!!”

Gladys Knight: The Farewell Tour When: March 19 – March 30 Find tickets and more info here

Soul legend Gladys Knight will return Down Under after touring the US, bringing her numerous hits with her. She’ll kick off the seven-stop tour in Perth, head to Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Canberra, and wrap things up in Sydney before crossing the Tasman to New Zealand.

The Damned: Final Australian Tour When: March 20 – March 26 Find tickets and more info here

The Damned ’s ‘70s output is somehow a rosetta stone for punk rock and goth. The London band is reuniting the “classic” lineup that influenced a generation for the first and final time since 1989 for shows in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth in March 2024.

Aqua: Mixtape Festival Volume 1 When: March 21 – March 28 Find tickets and more info here

Come on Barbie, let’s go party! Aqua are coming to Australia to headline the touring Mixtape Festival Volume 1, accompanied by 2 Unlimited, East 17, Phats & Small, Big Brovaz, Booty Luv, and Urban Cookie Collective. The ’90s will be alive on this five-date tour of Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.

Joker Xue: Extraterrestrial World Tour When: March 23 – March 26 Find tickets and more info here

If you’re not familiar with Mandopop, Joker Xue is one hell of an introduction. The songwriter is bringing his ‘Extraterrestrial’ world tour to arenas in Melbourne and Sydney in March 2024. In the show’s pantomime, Xue transforms into an “interstellar executive who descends from an alien planet and is ordered to destroy the earth”, before deciding humans aren’t so bad after all.

Itzy When: March 24 – March 26 Find tickets and more info

K-pop girl group Itzy have a short and sweet trip of Australia planned – they’ve plotted two arena dates down under as part of their Born To Be world tour . The JYP Entertainment act will take over the ICC Sydney Arena and then Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena this March.

• READ MORE: The 10 best ITZY songs, according to the girl group themselves

$uicideboy$: Grey Day Tour When: March 25 – March 30 Find tickets and more info here

Melding Southern rap with 21st century nihilism and heavy metal, New Orleans’ $uicideboy$ are an unlikely success story. The prolific duo will perform a series of arena shows along the east coast in 2024, checking in at Brisbane’s Entertainment Centre (March 25, 26) and Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena (March 28, 29) before finishing up the Grey Day tour at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on March 30. Ghostemane, Pouya, Germ, and Shakewell are guests that have been confirmed.

Newton Faulkner When: March 25 – April 1 Find tickets and more information

The English folk singer is headed to Australia as part of the Byron Bay Bluesfest line-up, and has lined up headline shows in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Newcastle along the way.

Bluesfest sideshows: Snarky Puppy, Meshell Ndegeocello and Blind Boys of Alabama When: March 25 – April 6

Snarky Puppy will supplement their set at Bluesfest’s 2024 edition with a pair of headline shows in Melbourne and Sydney on March 25 and March 27, respectively. Meshell Ndegeocello will bring her career-spanning setlist – as well as tracks from her latest album ‘The Omnichord Real Book’ – to Sydney’s Factory Theatre (March 25) and Melbourne’s Recital Centre (March 26), before Blind Boys of Alabama take to those same cities on April 4 (Sydney City Recital Hall) and April 6 (Melbourne Recital Hall).

Each of these acts will also grace the stage across Bluesfest’s three-day run from March 28 to April 1, with ticketing information for their sideshows linked above.

UMI When: March 26 – March 27 Find tickets and more info here

While Down Under for Souled Out festival, US singer-songwriter UMI will play two headline shows at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory and Melbourne’s Night Cat. Expect to hear her name-making track, ‘Remember Me’ – though she’s more recently met a new audience with ‘Wherever U R’, featuring V of K-pop titans BTS .

PJ Morton When: March 27 – March 28 Find tickets and more info here

You’d probably recognise PJ Morton’s voice even if you’ve never heard his name: the Maroon 5 keyboardist’s distinctive backing vocals can be heard in the mega band’s latter-day output. Morton will be performing his latest solo album ‘Watch the Sun’ at Bluesfest in 2024, before sideshows in Melbourne (170 Russell) and Sydney (Metro Theatre) on back-to-back nights in March.

Drive-By Truckers When: March 28 – April 1 Find tickets and more information

American alt-country legends Drive-By Truckers haven’t visited Australia in a decade and a half. Their long-overdue 2024 tour will see them perform as part of Byron Bay Bluesfest, along with headline shows in Melbourne and Sydney.

The band have released a whopping seven albums since they last played in the country, so there’ll be plenty of new cuts for them to show off at these shows.

Elvis Costello & The Imposters When: March 28 – April 4 Find tickets and more info

Costello and co’s plans for their first Australian tour in almost a decade were dashed at the 11th hour in April 2023. Less than 24 hours before their shows – in support of 2022 album ‘A Boy Named If’ – a case of COVID-19 within the band forced them to withdraw from Byron Bay Bluesfest 2023 and postpone their headline tour dates .

The good news is, new dates were swiftly locked in. Costello and the Imposters will be one of the headliners for 2024’s edition of Bluesfest , and play headline gigs at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne’s Palais Theatre. Previously purchased tickets for Costello’s headline shows will remain valid, and they’re still on sale for the majority of dates.

Eric Nam: House on a Hill Tour When: March 30 – April 2 Find tickets and more info

After his debut Australian tour in 2022, the American-Korean singer Eric Nam will return in late March and early April as part of his massive, 66-date ‘House on a Hill’ world tour. Nam will play three shows – in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane – joined at all three by special guest Keenan Te.

Chris Isaak When: April 4 – April 20 Find tickets and more info here

Australia, says Chris Isaak, is his “favorite place to tour… or just hang out”. Get ready to play a ‘Wicked Game’ when the US singer-songwriter tours down under in April, kicking things off in Perth before going onto a run of A Day on the Green tour dates with supporting acts Boy & Bear , Mark Seymour & The Undertow, Vika & Linda and Mason Watts.

Isaak has added extra dates in Melbourne and Sydney in the same venues on April 17 and 11 respectively to cope with demand. He can’t wait : “Bring on the sun! Bring on the beach! I think I’m gonna wax my guitar…. I told you I was excited!”

Simple Plan, Boys Like Girls and We The Kings When: April 6 – April 18 Find tickets and more info here

Simple Plan are bringing a pop punk extravaganza to Australia in April 2024, headlining a tour with fellow genre stalwarts Boys Like Girls and We The Kings . The trio will play multiple shows in Perth, Sydney and Brisbane, as well as John Cain Arena in Melbourne and AEC Theatre in Adelaide.

+LIVE+ and Incubus When: April 6 – April 20 Find tickets and more info

+LIVE+ and Incubus will embark on a mammoth run of dates across Australia in April, both as headliners of the inaugural Lookout festival and as co-headliners of their own standalone tour. +LIVE+ and Incubus’ Lookout festival dates – where they’ll be joined by the likes of Birds of Tokyo and Eskimo Joe – span April 6-20, with appearances slated for Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia.

Elsewhere, the bands’ own co-headlining shows will take place in Wollongong (April 9), Sydney (April 11), Melbourne (April 15) and Adelaide (April 17).

Bring Me The Horizon: NeX GEn tour When: April 10 – April 21 Find tickets and more info

In what promises to be one of 2024’s rowdiest tours, Bring Me The Horizon will bring their ‘NeX GEn’ shows to Australian shores next April, with stadiums booked for Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane . The Sheffield band’s string of performances from April 10 to April 21 comes ahead of their much-anticipated album, ‘POST HUMAN: NeX GEn’, and will enlist special guests Sleep Token , Make Them Suffer and daine . Find remaining tickets here.

• READ MORE: Oli Sykes talks “unhinged” new Bring Me The Horizon album ‘Post Human: NeX GEn’

The Front Bottoms When: April 12 – April 20 Find tickets and more info here

The Front Bottoms return for the first time since 2017, playing their biggest Aussie shows to date in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Expect to hear fresh tracks from their 2023 album ‘You Are Who You Hang Out With’.

James Taylor: An Evening with James Taylor & His All-Star Band When: April 12 – April 28 Find tickets and more info here

If there was ever a festival made for James Taylor & His All-Star Band at this juncture of his 50-year career, it’s Day on the Green . The singer will perform at wineries in Queensland (Sirromet Wines in Mount Cotton), and New South Wales (Bimbadgen in the Hunter Valley, and Centennial Vineyards in Bowral) across April 2024. Taylor will be accompanied by Aussie pair Josh Pyke and Ella Hooper .

Taylor is also playing his own headline shows. After selling out dates in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, new shows have been added in those cities. A Live Nation pre-sale begins February 9 while general on-sale starts February 12.

Chase & Status When: April 19 – April 28 Find more info and ticket waitlists here

After a new mixtape, charting singles and landmark Boiler Room set, drum’n’bass lifers Chase & Status celebrated a huge 2023. This year, the British duo will bring the party to Australia and New Zealand on a sold-out co-headlining tour with Australia’s very own Luude. They’re notably playing RAC Arena in Perth, on top of Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane.

SZA When: April 19 – May 2 Find tickets and more info here

Fresh off winning three Grammys, SZA has announced a tour of Australia and New Zealand this April. The ‘Kill Bill’ singer will be performing two shows in New Zealand and eight across Australia, with shows confirmed for Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

Pandemonium Festival sideshows When: April 22 – April 23 Find more info and tickets here

Pandemonium Festival is bringing a glut of rock legends from yesteryear to Australian shores in 2024 , and has just announced two all-ages sideshows at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre to boot on April 22-23. The first night is headlined by NYC new wave icons Blondie , supported by Aussies Wolfmother and Cosmic Psychos . The next day, Alice Cooper will share a classic rock split bill with Deep Purple , while Gyroscope opens proceedings.

Beth Orton When: April 24 – April 30 Find tickets and more info

Initially slated to appear in Australia in November 2023, Beth Orton  rescheduled her Australian tour to April 2024 and added an extra show in Tasmania. The folk musician will now embark on a four-date run with performances in Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney and Brisbane from April 24 to April 30, with tickets for the original cities still valid for the rescheduled dates. Tickets for the additional date at Hobart’s Odeon Theatre are accessible here.

Nick Cave (solo) When: April 25 – May 7 Find tickets and more info

The legendary Nick Cave embarks on a solo tour of Australia (read: without the Bad Seeds) this April, playing two shows in Melbourne and five in Sydney. Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood will be on bass duties for these shows at Plenary Melbourne and State Theatre Sydney, which are all sold out.

The Dandy Warhols When: April 25 – May 1 Find tickets and more info

The Dandy Warhols will make their return to Australia in April 2024 armed with their new album ‘Rockmaker’. So far, they’ve scheduled dates in Brisbane , Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. If you missed them when they toured down under with Hoodoo Gurus in 2022, this is your chance. Find tickets here.

Elephant Gym When: April 26 – April 28 Find more info and tickets here

Elephant Gym isn’t the result of a random band name generator; “elephant” refers to the Taiwanese math rock band’s bass-led grooves, while “Gym” denotes the “agility” of their rhythm. The trio will perform their technical and idiosyncratic instrumentals at three shows on the Australian east coast for the first time this April, supporting sleepmakeswaves.

6LACK: Since I Have A Lover Tour When: April 26 – May 1 Find tickets and more info

R&B favourite 6LACK (pronounced ‘black’) will return to Australia in April to tour his new album, ‘Since I Have A Lover’. The four-date jaunt will take him to Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.

Niall Horan: ‘The Show’ Live On Tour When: April 26 – May 4 Find tickets and more info

Niall Horan will take ‘The Show’ on the road down under in 2024. The ex- One Direction member’s world tour comes in support of his third solo album ‘The Show’ , out June 9. For the Australian leg, he’ll perform arena shows in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

Groovin The Moo sideshows When: April 29 – May 11 Find tickets and more info

Sadly, Groovin The Moo is no longer going ahead this year – but many of the artists who would have played the touring festival will still be forging ahead with their own Australian headline shows. Singer-songwriter Claire Rosinkranz, Wu-Tang Clan legend GZA (performing a set dubbed ‘Liquid Swords Live’) and Stephen Sanchez will all perform headline shows in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

Toronto indie rockers The Beaches will also perform their own dates, playing shows in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in May. Find more information and tickets for all sideshows here .

Jessie Reyez When: April 30 – May 7 Find tickets and more info

Jessie Reyez will tour Australia for the first time in autumn, playing three shows along the east coast. The Canadian R&B singer will bring cuts from 2020 debut ‘Before Love Came to Kill Us’ and 2022 follow-up ‘Yessie’ to Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on April 30, before shows at the Forum in Melbourne and the Tivoli in Brisbane. Find tickets here .

Nothing But Thieves: Welcome To The DCC World Tour When: April 30 – May 7 Find tickets and more info

Nothing But Thieves cleaned up on a sold-out tour of Australia last year – and they’re back for more. The UK alt-rockers have announced the second Aussie leg of their Dead Club City World tour, which will kick off at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on April 30, continue on to Brisbane and Melbourne, and wrap up at Hindley Street Music Hall in Adelaide on May 7.

Mahalia: In Real Life When: April 30 – May 8 Find tickets and more info

UK R&B artist Mahalia has booked a five-date tour of Australia, her biggest yet and her first time back down under since 2020. Audiences in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane should get ready for smooth tunes off her 2023 album ‘IRL’ .

• READ MORE: Mahalia on her emotional, empowering new record: “I didn’t think I would finish this album”

Jonas Brothers: Five Albums. One Night. Tour When: May 1 – 9 Find tickets and more info

Joe , Nick and Kevin Jonas – the Jonas Brothers – play Australia for the first time between May 1 and May 9 as part of their massive Five Albums. One Night. Tour. The tour will see the brothers perform hits from all five of their albums across one night, including fan favourites.

Tesseract When: May 2 – May 9 Find tickets and more info

UK prog metal outfit Tesseract are set to make the highly anticipated return to Australia in May 2024, marking their first shows Down Under since 2018. Between May 2 and May 9, the band will perform in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

With 2023 album ‘War of Being’ and songs from 2021’s ‘Portals’ not played in Australia yet, Tesseract are set to bring with them a fresh bounty of new music to Australia.

The Vaccines and Everything Everything Dates: May 4-11 Find tickets and more info here

UK indie rockers The Vaccines and Everything Everything are banding together for a co-headline tour of Australia, their first time back in the country since 2019 and 2018 respectively. Embrace the indie disco in May when they head to Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and finally Sydney.

Sammy Virji When: May 10 – May 18 Find more info and tickets here

UK garage has been making a steady comeback, and DJ/producer Sammy Virji is one of its frontrunners. He’s set to come back to Australia for his biggest headline tour of the country yet. Virji will kick off his tour at Metro City in Perth on May 10, before heading through Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and finishing at The Roundhouse in Sydney May 18.

Melissa Etheridge: I’m Not Broken Tour When: May 10 – May 17 Find tickets and more info here

Melissa Etheridge is bringing her trailblazing heartland rock to Australian shores for the first time in five years in May 2024. The ‘I’m Not Broken’ tour kicks off in Perth on May 10, before heading through Adelaide, Melbourne and finishing up in Sydney on May 17. Expect to hear a blend of the songwriter’s greatest hits as heard on her latest live album ‘Beautiful Day’.

Macklemore When: May 11 – May 20 Find tickets and more info

Fresh off the release of latest album ‘Ben’, Macklemore will embark on an Australian tour next May. The hip-hop artist will perform at Hordern Pavillion in Sydney on May 11-12, before taking to Melbourne’s John Cain Arena and Brisbane’s Riverstage on May 15 and May 17, respectively. Macklemore will perform at BASSINTHEGRASS in Darwin, and then conclude his Australian run at HBF Stadium in Perth on May 20. Find tickets here.

• READ MORE: Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?! – Macklemore

Sleater-Kinney When: May 17 – May 23 Find tickets and more info

In their first shows here since 2016, Sleater-Kinney are embarking on a theatre tour of Australia. Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein will play four headline shows down under in support of their latest album, ‘Little Rope’ , in what the latter has called a “homecoming” of sorts.

• READ MORE: Sleater-Kinney talk new single ‘Untidy Creature’ and grief-driven new album: “This is not a somber record”

“For all intents and purposes, Sleater-Kinney got its start in Australia,” Brownstein said in a statement. “We recorded our first album and played our first ever shows there. Because of that, Australia feels like one of the band’s spiritual homes, and returning there always feels like a homecoming, a reunion.”

Jungle When: May 17 – May 22 Find more info

Jungle have unleashed more dancey goodness with their latest album, ‘Volcano’. Get ready to boogie in May when they tour Australia. The entire run, comprising the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, Festival Hall in Melbourne, and Fortitude Music Hall in Brissy, is sold out.

Botch When: May 17 – 25 Find tickets and more info

Cult-favourite mathcore/hardcore/metal band Botch from Tacoma, Washington reunited last year more than two decades after their split – and now they’re embarking on their first-ever Aussie tour. The jaunt will include two dates in Melbourne and Sydney apiece as well as shows in Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane.

Guitarist David Knudson has promised Botch will go all out: “We don’t want to half-ass it…we want to be fucking tight as we ever were, if not tighter. We don’t want to disappoint a fan that’s never seen us live. So you know, it’s all in or nothing.”

Peter Hook & The Light When: May 21 – 28 Find tickets and more info

Peter Hook , the legendary bassist and co-founder of Joy Division and New Order is set to return to Australia in May 2024, just two years after his last tour of the country in 2022. For the upcoming tour, Hook will perform the New Order and Joy Division substance compilations live, giving fans a chance to once again revel in both bands’ music.

The Snuts When: May 23 – May 26 Find tickets and more info

Scottish indie rockers The Snuts will return for their second Australian tour in as many years, following their debut run of headline shows in 2023. With third studio album ‘Millennials’ in tow, the band will kick off their 2024 tour with a show at Melbourne’s Northcote Theatre. They’ll play Sydney’s Metro Theatre on May 25, before a show at the Triffid in Brisbane the following evening. Find tickets here .

Tom Grennan When: May 29 – May 30 Find tickets and more info

Tom Grennan will duck over to Australia for a pair of headline shows this year, following a debut visit in 2022. The English singer-songwriter will play Sydney’s Metro Theatre and 170 Russell in Melbourne on May 29 and 30 respectively.

Since his last trip, Grennan has released his third studio album, ‘What Ifs & Maybes’. Find tickets here .

Sky Ferreira When: June 2 – June 4 Find more info and tickets here

It’s been 12 years since Sky Ferreira released her debut ‘Night Time, My Time’, and her mystique has only grown in the interim: Ferriera has explored the silver screen, modelling, and long teased the release of a second album ‘Masochism’ . She’ll play two rare headline shows at bespoke Melbourne and Sydney festivals RISING and Vivid LIVE this June – a decade after her last Australian performance.

Boney M featuring Maizie Williams: The Farewell Tour When: June 3 – July 6 Find tickets and more info

Legendary disco group Boney M and vocalist Maizie Williams will bid goodbye to Australia with an extensive national tour in June and July 2024. Don’t wait to get your tickets – 15 of the 20 shows are sold out. More info here.

Bar Italia When: June 4 – June 8 Find more info and tickets here

Buzzy London trio Bar Italia are proteges of Dean Blunt, and have emerged from relative anonymity in the last few years with two albums of sinister post-punk. They’ll tour Australia for the first time in June, playing at Oxford Art Factory in Sydney and Brisbane’s Black Bear Lodge before a matinee show in Melbourne as part of RISING festival.

LANY When: June 19 – June 28 Find tickets and more info

LANY – the pop duo of Paul Klein and Jake Goss – will return to Australia in mid-2024. After playing small, intimate shows down under in August 2023, they’ll go bigger in this national tour at venues including the Hordern Pavilion and Margaret Court Arena. See info on dates and tickets here.

Conan Gray When: July 11 – July 19 Find more info and tickets here

Conan Gray is the archetypal Gen Z popstar, honing his craft as a teenage YouTube vlogger before unleashing his multimodal talent as a singer. Gray will play songs from his upcoming third album ‘Found Heaven’ in some of the biggest rooms in the country this July, as well as a headline spot at Adelaide’s Spin Off Festival on July 19.

Tenacious D When: July 13 – July 22 Find tickets and more info

It’s been more than a decade since Tenacious D toured Australia, but that all changes in July. Jack Black and Kyle Gass will play their first shows in the country since 2013, performing six arena dates.

The tour will kick off with two shows at the ICC Sydney Theatre on July 13, continuing on to Newcastle, Brisbane and Melbourne before wrapping up at Adelaide Entertament centre on July 22. Find tickets here .

FLETCHER When: July 16 – July 28 Find tickets and more info

After postponing her original tour, the rescheduled dates for FLETCHER ’s long-awaited Australian visit have been locked in for mid-2024. Audiences across the country will revel in FLETCHER’s latest album ‘Girl Of My Dreams’ towards the end of July, with venues including Perth’s Metro City (July 16), Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane (July 18), Festival Hall in Melbourne (July 23) and Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion (July 28). Find tickets here.

IVE: 1ST WORLD TOUR ‘SHOW WHAT I HAVE’ When: July 25 – July 28 Find tickets and more info

As part of their broader debut world tour, IVE will bring their ‘Show What I Have’ set to Australian shores in July, kicking off the two-date run at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on July 25. The K-pop group will conclude the Australian leg of their tour in support of 2023 album ‘I’ve IVE’ with a show at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on July 28. Find tickets here.

• READ MORE: IVE – ‘I’VE MINE’ review: K-pop’s queen bees grow beyond the archetype

HEALTH: Rat Based Warfare Tour Down Under When: July 31 – August 4 Find more info and tickets here

The electronic body music of HEALTH flirts with metal, noise, and synth wave, but remains uniquely their own. The band are back in Australia after their 2023 Dark Mofo appearance for a full tour in support of their seventh album ‘Rat Wars’. They’ll play cosy rooms in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane from late July this year.

aespa When: August 31 – September 2 Find more info

K-pop girl group aespa will bring all the dra-ma-ma-ma down under for two stops of their SYNK: Parallel Line tour. The four-piece of Karina , Giselle , Winter and NingNing will perform in Sydney on August 31 and head to Melbourne two days later. Venues and ticket prices have not been announced just yet – stay tuned for more.

• READ MORE: The 25 best K-pop songs of 2023

Iron Maiden: The Future Past Tour When: September 1 – September 13 Find tickets and more info

In what will be their first trip Down Under since 2017, Iron Maiden are poised to bring The Future Past tour to stadiums in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne next September.

The first three cities will host the metal legends between September 1 to September 10, while Melbourne and Sydney will each enjoy a two-night outing at Rod Laver Arena (September 6 and 7) and Qudos Bank Arena (September 12 and 13), respectively. Find tickets here.

J Balvin: Que Bueno Volver a Verte Tour When: September 4 – September 10 Find more info and tickets here

J Balvin’s career as the Prince of Reggaeton has dovetailed with an explosion in the popularity of Latin music worldwide. The juggernaut will bring his Que Bueno Volver a Verte Tour (It’s Good To See You Tour) to Australian arenas in September this year. Sofi Tukker will support him as he plays the biggest rooms in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

SiM: Playdead World Tour When: September 12 – September 15 Find tickets and more info here

Like a kind of Japanese Gorillaz , SiM are a content universe unto their own – spanning anime , video games and records. Australian audiences can experience their inimitable reggae-metal-punk at The Zoo in Brisbane September 12, Sydney’s Crowbar on September 14 or Max Watts in Melbourne on September 15.

Thirty Seconds To Mars: Seasons World Tour When: September 12 – September 17 Find tickets and more info

To announce Thirty Seconds To Mars ’ Seasons World Tour, Jared Leto pulled a massive stunt: scaling the Empire State Building . The tour comes in support of their album ‘It’s The End Of The World But It’s A Beautiful Day’ and will hit Australian shores in mid-September. It marks the band’s first headline tour in over five years, and will see them grace the stage at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena (September 12), Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney (September 14) and Brisbane’s Riverstage (September 17). Find tickets here.

The Reytons When: September 29 – October 5 Find more info and tickets here

Yorkshire four-piece The Reytons are revivalists of another revival – 2000s British indie. But this band is independent in the truer sense of the word, self-releasing their latest album ‘Ballad of a Bystander’. They will tour their raucous, ungenteel rock from late September to early October this year, packing rooms in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne.

The Kid LAROI When: October 2024 Find tickets and more info

US-based homegrown rap phenom The Kid LAROI ‘s return to Australia was supposed to take place in February, but it was postponed in December , with the Gamilaroi star calling February “logistically impossible”. Instead, he’ll fill stadiums around the country in October with tracks from his freshly released debut album ‘The First Time’. With shows locked in for Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and the Gold Coast, these all-ages shows will be his biggest to date. Stay tuned for more info on specific dates for the rescheduled tour.

• READ MORE: The Kid LAROI live in Sydney: A hometown hero returns a certified legend

Kim Wilde: The Greatest Hits Tour When: October 17 – October 26 Find more info and tickets here

If you look at the pop charts for any given week in the 1980s, chances are Kim Wilde was on it. The ‘Kids in America’ singer is still performing, on a break from her new life as a gardener, and will play a whirlwind Australian tour this October. Wilde will begin in Brisbane on October 17, before heading through Tweed Heads, Sydney, Wollongong, Perth, Adelaide and finishing in Melbourne October 26.

• READ MORE: Soundtrack of My Life: Kim Wilde

Buzzcocks When: October 24 – November 2 Find more info and tickets here

The Buzzcocks , progenitors of “love punk” and pop punk before it even existed, are still going strong almost 50 years after their formation. With Steve Diggle on vocals, replacing the late Pete Shelley, the band will return to Australia for seven shows in late October to early November. The Buzzcocks will begin on the Gold Coast on October 24, before travelling through Brisbane, Adelaide, Fremantle, Newcastle, Sydney and finishing in Melbourne on November 2.

PinkPantheress: Capable of Love Tour When: October 29 – November 5 Find tickets and more info here

PinkPantheress was once an anonymous beatmaker going viral on TikTok – she’s anything but anonymous now, as she comes to Australia for the first time promoting her debut album ‘Heaven’. Between opening for Coldplay , the 22-year-old Brit will headline shows at Melbourne’s Festival Hall (October 29) and Horden Pavilion in Sydney on November 5.

Coldplay: Music of the Spheres Tour When: October 30 – November 9 Find tickets and more info here

Coldplay will bring their ‘Music of the Spheres’ tour to Australia’s east coast at the end of a more than two-year stretch. The pop juggernauts have already sold 9 million tickets – the most for any tour in history – and are set to play eight stadium shows in Melbourne and Sydney after playing in Perth in 2023.

Expect to experience the galactic sprawl of the band’s recent rock operas, while still belting out the anthems that took them to the top.

Take That and Sophie Ellis-Bextor When: October 30 – November 10 Find tickets and more info

It’ll be murder on the dancefloor when this tour comes to town. Sophie Ellis-Bextor , enjoying a Saltburn -fueled resurgence, will accompany Take That on a six-show tour of Australia . Three dates of the tour, which marks Take That’s first live shows in the region since 2017, will take place at wineries as part of A Day on the Green, where Ricki-Lee Coulter will also appear.

• READ MORE: Sophie Ellis-Bextor on the return of ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ – and watching Saltburn with her mum

Hozier: Unreal Unearth Tour When: November 6 – November 18 Find more info and tickets here

Irish singer-songwriter Hozier will tour Down Under for the first time since 2019 this November, supporting his 2023 album ‘Unreal Unearth’ with a nation-wide arena sojourn. Hozier will kick off in Perth on November 6, before heading through Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. He will also play regional areas Torquay and the Hunter Valley as part of Summersalt festival.

• READ MORE: Hozier: “There has always been a space in my work for my own conscience”

Tate McRae: Think Later World Tour When: November 8 – November 17 Find tickets and more info

In what marks her biggest headline Australian shows to date, Tate McRae’s Think Later World Tour will head Down Under in November, encompassing five shows in Perth (November 8), Brisbane (November 10), Sydney (November 12), Adelaide (November 15) and Melbourne (November 17). The tour comes in support of McRae’s sophomore album ‘Think Later’, which features her massive single ‘Greedy’. Tickets are available here.

Pearl Jam: Dark Matter World Tour 2024 When: November 13 – November 23 Find tickets and more info

Pearl Jam have announced their new album ‘Dark Matter’, which they’ll support with a massive tour around the world . They’ll make a stop Down Under with Pixies in support, playing stadium shows in the Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney. The grunge giants have added bonus gigs in Melbourne on November 18 and Sydney on November 23 in response to overwhelming demand. Find tickets here.

James Blunt: The Who We Used To Be Tour When: November 21 – November 28 Find tickets and more info here

Self-deprecating superstar James Blunt is returning to Australian stages for the first time in over six years in November 2024. The ‘You’re Beautiful’ singer will begin a five-date arena tour at Brisbane’s Riverstage on November 21, before heading through Sydney’s ICC Super Theatre (November 23), Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena (November 24), Adelaide’s Entertainment Centre Theatre (November 25) and Perth’s Red Hill Auditorium (November 28).

Wallows: Model Tour 2024 When: December 5 – December 14 Find more info and tickets here

US alt-rockers Wallows played some of their favourite shows ever on their previous tour of Australia – so they’ll undoubtedly be looking to top the experience when they return in December. They’ll kick things off in Perth, before heading to Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and finally Brisbane.

• Depeche Mode

Aussie Depeche Mode fans are an incredibly patient bunch. The last time the British synth-pop titans toured the country was in 1994, meaning nearly three decades have passed since they last paid us a visit. But good things come to those who wait, and it seems there is a glimmer of hope for those hoping to catch the band Down Under.

• READ MORE: Depeche Mode: every single album ranked and rated

In March 2023, Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan told an Italian blog that the band were eyeing “as-yet-unannounced dates in Asia and Australia” as part of a touring run that would lead into 2024. The band have toured the world in support of their latest album, ‘Memento Mori’ , and a trip to Australia to cap off the jaunt seems more likely than ever.

Keep checking NME for more Australia live music news – from festival updates to concert and tour announcements

Additional reporting by Ellie Robinson, Tom Disalvo and Josh Martin

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Australian punk bands the Chats and the Cosmic Psychos bring tandem tour to Bay Area

By Dave Pehling

Updated on: September 25, 2023 / 11:45 PM PDT / CBS San Francisco

Upstart Australian punks the Chats bring their current tour with their spiritual forefathers and punk vets the Cosmic Psychos to the Bay Area for two dates in Santa Cruz and Berkeley this weekend.

Though they have only been around for seven years, the Chats clearly take cues from the Cosmic Psychos with their tuneful, often hilarious blasts of punk paying tribute to Aussie culture. Founded in 2016 on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland when the band members were still in their teens, the group featuring bassist/singer Eamon Sandwith and drummer Matt Bogs with original guitarist Josh Price and guitarist/bassist Tremayne McCarthy took its name from the Australian slang phrase "that's chat" referring to something gross or disgusting. 

The band recorded its first batch of profane songs for the self-titled eponymous EP at a high school studio, focusing on teenage foibles ("Mum Stole My Darts") and getting wasted ("Yeah Nah," "I Feel Good") with primitive, melodic tunes that quickly scored the Chats airplay on Australian national radio station Triple J. Their follow-up EP  Get This in Ya!!  the following year saw the departure of McCarthy -- though he played bass on the viral video hit and disaffected youth anthem "Smoko" -- and would score the Chats a deal with Hot Wax Records.

By the summer 2019, the band had built enough of a following outside of Australia to embark on its first round of extensive international touring that saw them invited to play the Burger Boogaloo in Oakland as well as the Reading and Leeds Festivals in the UK. The trio's rising popularity in their native country led to a global deal with Universal Music Publishing Australia that gave the Chats the clout to found their own Bargain Bin Records imprint for the release of their first full-length album,  High Risk Behavior , the following year, which featured more crass and catchy anthems about gorging on fried food ("Pub Feed"), catching STDs ("The Clap") and getting your identity stolen while buying drugs on the Internet ("Identity Theft") .  Late in 2020, the band confirmed the departure Price from the line-up while announcing Josh Hardy of Australian band the Unknowns had replaced him.

A year ago, the trio released Get F**ked , arguably the Chats' most concisely tuneful and quotable effort yet. Whether celebrating getting hammered on "I've Been Drunk in Every Pub in Brisbane" or bemoaning everyday headaches on "The Price of Smoke," "Ticket Inspector" and "Paid Late," the band delivers the perfect blend of music, mischief and mayhem in under 30 minutes. In addition to playing stadium shows with Guns n' Roses and avowed influence the Cosmic Psychos, the Chats headlined their biggest UK and European tour yet in May and June.

The comic punk threesome also hit the road in Australia with kindred spirits the Psychos, who are along for the ride for their first U.S. tour in a decade. Though their roots were in the early '80s Melbourne art-punk band Spring Plains, by 1985 bassist/singer Ross Knight had joined guitarist Peter "Dirty" Jones and drummer Bill Walsh in the rechristened Cosmic Psychos. Churning out proto-punk Stooges riffs at high-octane tempos with wailing, fuzzed-out guitar and goofy humor from the beginning with their debut EP Down on the Farm , the Psychos became a beloved Aussie institution that gradually made international inroads.

The band's second album, 1989's Go the Hack , would see U.S. release via Sub Pop Records, the rising Seattle-based indie label that already was putting out releases of like-minded fuzz merchants including Mudhoney. The Psychos would be embraced and celebrated by other Washington state musicians like Melvins mainstay Buzz Osborne and Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain as an early influence on grunge.  

While Jones would depart the band in 1990, the Cosmic Psychos carried on with new guitarist Robbie "Rocket" Watts. Signing with Amphetamine Reptile Records, the trio tracked their next album Blokes You Can Trust  with Nirvana producer Butch Vig that was hailed by some as their finest effort to date. The group continued to tour and record steadily through the decade, scoring more fans with their 1995 disc  Self Totalled  and gaining more fame when L7's song "Fuel My Fire" (which Donita Sparks had borrowed the chorus from the Psychos' hit "Lost Cause" to finish) was in turn covered by massively popular UK dance act the Prodigy.

The band went through some changes with the departure of Walsh in 2005 -- he was replaced by current member Dean Muller, who played drums in Knight's side project Dung -- and the sudden death of Watts while the trio was touring the following year. Longtime guitarist and singer for the Onyas and fellow Aussie pub punk legend John "Mad Macka" McKeering would fill the void, solidifying the line-up that has remained solid in the 16 years since. The band last toured the States in 2012 when it promoted reissues of several of its classic '80s and '90s albums as well as the release of the acclaimed documentary Cosmic Psychos: Blokes You Can Trust . Their most recent recording, Mountain of Piss  from 2021, was their highest charting release in Australia of their career.    

 The two Aussie acts will be supported by renowned San Diego-based garage-punk outfit the Schizophonics. Though founded in Southern California in 2009, the group anchored by guitarist/singer Pat Beers and his drummer wife Lety can trace its roots back to when the pair met in high school in the Arizona city of Casa Grande. She invited him to play bass in her Ramones cover band, marking their first musical collaboration. Fast forward to 2008, the duo reconnected in Tuscon as Beers was preparing to relocate to San Diego and began dating (they would marry three years later). Once settled in their new city, Beers asked Lety to take over drums in his garage-rock trio, which soon thereafter took on their new name: the Schitzophonics.

The couple would play with a number of different bassists, recording a demo in 2013 and developing their unhinged style of psychedelic garage rock heavily indebted to the sound of Detroit icons the MC5 (Beers' voice has an uncanny resemblance to the 5's late lead singer Rob Tyner) and the Stooges as well as lesser known pioneers like the Sonics and the Rationals with a dash of Jimi Hendrix and James Brown added for good measure. Despite the rotating door of players holding down the bass, the band -- which would eventually drop the "t" from their name -- established itself as one of the most explosive live acts in San Diego, earning praise from the local press and teaming with Robert Lopez (aka El Vez) as his opener and backing band for a punk-rock revue tour in 2013.  

After releasing singles for various labels, in 2017 the trio would issue its proper debut album  Land of the Living  on Sympathy for the Record -- in mono, no less. The Schizophonics' explosive stage show has led them to supporting such luminaries as fellow San Diego group Rocket From the Crypt and garage-rock stalwarts the Woggles on tour as well as opening local shows for the likes of Devo, the Damned, the Hives and Cage the Elephant.

The band released its second album,  People In The Sky , on Pig Baby Records in 2019, earning them another round of critical accolades. While the pandemic curtailed their usual hectic touring schedule, Schizophonics focused their energies in the studio, recording their follow-up effort for the imprint  Hoof It  which came out last year to rave reviews. This tour with the Chats and the Cosmic Psychos follows a string of dates in Australia last March as well as a subsequent headlining jaunt in the Western U.S. with European garage-rock duo Courettes. Providence, Rhode Island-based crew Gymshorts opens these two shows at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz and the UC Theatre in Berkeley .

The Chats and the Cosmic Psychos with the Schizophonics and Gymshorts

Saturday, Sept. 30, 6 p.m. $25-$29 The Catalyst

Sunday, Oct. 1, 6 p.m. $30 The Catalyst

Dave Pehling started his journalism career doing freelance writing about music in the late 1990s, eventually working as a web writer, editor and producer for KTVU.com in 2003. He moved to CBS to work as the station website's managing editor in 2015.

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Teenage Bottlerocket Announce 2024 Australian Tour

By David James Young

Teenage Bottlerocket have announced a tour of Australia, set for September 2024. It will take place over four years after the band were originally scheduled to return , which was delayed indefinitely at the time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The band will now be touring in belated support of their ninth studio album, 2021’s Sick Sesh!

Due to only having a brief window of time to come to Australia in-between touring commitments with longtime friends NOFX , the band will play five shows in five days. Details for each show, as well as ticketing information, can be found below.

Teenage Bottlerocket – ‘Bigger Than KISS’

Teenage Bottlerocket first came to Australia in 2011, at the tail-end of the world tour for their fourth album They Came From The Shadows . They returned in October of 2017, playing a run of shows in support of their unique project Stealing The Covers . Rather than perform well-known songs, the band opted to record versions of obscure songs by short-lived punk bands such as the Varsity Weirdos, Sprocket Nova and Onion Flavoured Rings.

The band made headlines in 2021 as live music began to slowly surface globally yet again, with the band headlining a show in Florida where the promoter had put together an intriguing offer . For those that were vaccinated against COVID-19, tickets would be $18; for those that were not, tickets would be $1,000. Reportedly, no-one took the promoter up on the offer for the latter.

Teenage Bottlerocket 2024 Australian Tour

• Thursday, September 26th – Soapbox, Brisbane QLD
• Friday, September 27th – Vinnies Dive, Southport QLD
• Saturday, September 28th – Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle NSW
• Sunday, September 29th – Crowbar, Sydney NSW
• Monday, September 30th – The Tote, Melbourne VIC

Tickets are on-sale now via Oztix .

Further Reading

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Bob Mould Announces First Australian Tour In 12 Years

Buzzcocks Announce Modern English As Support For 2024 Australian Tour

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G'day and welcome to the official home of the australian pink floyd show, the biggest and most spectacular pink floyd show on the planet, having sold over five million tickets to concerts that have taken place in 35 countries, the australian pink floyd show is rightfully hailed as one of the most in demand touring entities currently operating., the times newspaper in london described them as “the gold standard”. this act are so good they were even engaged by david gilmour to perform at his 50th birthday celebration.

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Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

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The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

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Fjords, Pharaohs or Koalas? Time to Plan for Your Next Eclipse.

If you can’t get enough of totality, or missed out this time, you’ll have three more chances in the next four years in destinations like Iceland, Spain, Egypt and Australia.

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By Danielle Dowling

Are you still a little giddy from the magical moments of totality during Monday’s solar eclipse? Or did clouds swoop in to block your view? Maybe you just couldn’t make it to the path of totality this time. No matter what, the question now is “ Where and when will it happen again?”

“People who have never seen it before, the first words out of their mouth after the totality ends is ‘I’ve got to see another one, this is incredible, this is unbelievable.’ That is when you become addicted to these things and end up traveling no matter where the next one is,” said Joseph Rao, an eclipse chaser and guest lecturer at the Hayden Planetarium.

So, if like Mr. Rao, you’ve developed a raging case of umbraphilia — the love of eclipses — you’ll have three chances over the next four years to see the moon blot out the sun. The first, on Aug. 12, 2026, will start above Greenland, then strafe the west coast of Iceland and move along the Atlantic Ocean and over Spain. Almost a year later, on Aug. 2, 2027, another will skirt the Mediterranean coast of North Africa then cross Egypt and part of the Arabian Peninsula. The third, on July 22, 2028, will cut across Australia and the southern tip of New Zealand.

Future Eclipses

Eclipse chasers will have several more chances this decade to view a total solar eclipse .

Last week, as Victoria Sahami , the owner of Sirius Travel , was preparing to guide a group of tourists in Mazatlán, Mexico, for Monday’s big event, she was also planning for these other upcoming eclipses. Ms. Sahami joined the ranks of the eclipse-obsessed when she witnessed one in Venezuela in the 1990s. “Like many people, I was hooked. There was no going back,” she said.

Total solar eclipses happen fairly regularly — about every one to two years — in locations scattered around the world. “That’s the great thing about them: You wind up in places that you don’t normally go,” Ms. Sahami said.

A major spoiler is weather, which will be a big variable in the 2026 eclipse — one Greenland, Iceland and Spain will see.

“Iceland normally has a lot of cloud during that time of year,” said Paul Maley , who runs Ring of Fire Expeditions . “The data shows Spain to have the higher good-weather prospects of all three. However, the sun is low in the sky and the eclipse ends as the sun hits the horizon at sunset.”

Because of Iceland’s mercurial meteorology, Ring of Fire Expeditions is going all in on Spain, with a 10-day excursion on the mainland. Sirius Travel is offering not only a five-day trip to Majorca but also an eight-day tour around Iceland. It will be based in Reykjavik, and the itinerary will remain flexible on the day of the eclipse so the tour can easily pivot toward the location with the least cloud cover. Ms. Sahami recommends the trip for those who already have a few eclipses under their belt and would be happy just to take in the sights of Iceland if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

The 2027 eclipse, on the other hand, promises to be truly stellar: Luxor, Egypt — the site of numerous ancient temples as well as the Valleys of the Kings and Queens — sits right in the middle of the path of totality and will be bathed in darkness for a full 6 minutes 23 seconds. Weather-wise, it is what Ms. Sahami called “a slam dunk.” “You know you’re going to see it. You know that you’re not going to get any clouds,” she said.

But for all its potential, those considering Egypt should be aware that the State Department has a Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” warning for the country because of the risk of terrorism.

The 2028 eclipse will darken the skies over Sydney, Australia, for 3 minutes 49 seconds. It will be the first time the city has experienced a total solar eclipse since 1857. Ms. Sahami has her eyes on a trip based out of there, while Mr. Maley has chartered a cruise ship off the northwest coast of Australia. It will be winter there, he said, but that isn’t likely to mean bad eclipse-viewing weather.

If you want to see any (or all) of these eclipses, you should get started on planning and booking now, particularly if you want to sign up for a trip organized by a tour company. One of Sirius Travel’s excursions to Luxor is already full.

Scrutinize refund policies and look into insuring your trip. Several companies will fully refund your deposit if you cancel a year in advance. A lot can happen, Ms. Sahami said, “but if you think you’re going to go, why not?”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

2024 Masters: Final round tee times

Here are the full tee times for sunday's final round at the 88th masters.

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Final-round tee times have been released for the 88th Masters. Scottie Scheffler and Collin Morikawa will play in Sunday’s final pairing at 2:35 p.m. ET.

Scheffler enters Sunday at 7-under 209, one stroke clear of Morikawa. Both players deftly navigated firm conditions Saturday afternoon at Augusta National, as Scheffler (71) and Morikawa (69) carded two of the day’s 11 under-par scores. Scheffler, who played in Saturday’s penultimate pairing, emerged from a three-way co-lead through 36 holes to assume the solo lead in chase of his second green jacket, while Morikawa ascended from Saturday’s third-to-last group into Sunday’s final pairing as he seeks his first green jacket and third major title.

The penultimate pairing, set for 2:25 p.m. ET, includes Max Homa and Ludvig Åberg. Homa, who played in Saturday’s final pairing alongside Bryson DeChambeau, recorded 17 pars in a third-round 73 that moved him from a share of the lead to two strokes off the pace, still within striking distance of his first major title. Åberg, hanging tough in his major championship debut, carded a third-round 70 that matched the day’s third-lowest score; he stands at 4-under 212, three strokes back of Scheffler.

DeChambeau (3 under) and Xander Schauffele (2 under) will compete in the third-to-last group. DeChambeau fell from the 36-hole co-lead with a third-round 75, while Schauffele carded a bogey-free, third-round 70 to move within striking distance. They’ll be preceded by Cam Davis and Nicolai Højgaard (both 2 under) in the fourth-to-last pairing.

Note: Final-round tee times run in 10-minute intervals from 9:15 a.m. to 2:35 p.m., with time-slot gaps at 10:55 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 1:35 p.m.

Other notable pairings include:

• Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood (1:45 p.m. Eastern) : Two uber-talented players still seeking their first TOUR win; could one make it a major? Both carded even-par 72 on Saturday and both will begin the final round six back of Scheffler. A tall task, but not out of the realm.
• Patrick Cantlay, Lucas Glover (1:25 p.m.) : Cantlay carded a third-round 70, matching the day’s third-lowest score, to move within seven of the lead as he seeks his first major title. He’s tied at even-par 216 with Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open champion.
• Rory McIlroy, Joaquin Niemann (12:45 p.m.) : McIlroy carded a solid 1-under 71 Saturday but will begin the final round 10 strokes back of Scheffler in a long-shot attempt to complete the elusive career Grand Slam. The four-time major winner would need a career day to have a chance.
• Phil Mickelson, Shane Lowry (11:15 a.m.) : The three-time Masters winner Mickelson and the Irishman Lowry, who made the 14th hole’s first eagle since 2016 on Saturday, each trail by 13 strokes into Sunday.
• Tiger Woods, Neal Shipley (9:35 a.m.) : The five-time Masters winner Woods struggled to a third-round 82 to fall from contention, and he’ll play Sunday alongside the reigning U.S. Amateur runner-up, Ohio State’s Shipley, who has secured low amateur honors as the field’s only of five amateurs to make the cut.

Here are the full tee times for Sunday's final round:

9:15 a.m. : Adam Hadwin (Canada), Vijay Singh (Fiji) 9:25 a.m. : Grayson Murray, Jake Knapp 9:35 a.m. : Neal Shipley*, Tiger Woods 9:45 a.m. : Tom Kim (South Korea), Denny McCarthy 9:55 a.m. : Kurt Kitayama, Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) 10:05 a.m. : Erik van Rooyen (South Africa), Eric Cole 10:15 a.m. : Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain), Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 10:25 a.m. : Russell Henley, Jason Day (Australia) 10:35 a.m. : Keegan Bradley, Min Woo Lee (Australia) 10:45 a.m. : Si Woo Kim (Korea), J. T. Poston 11:05 a.m. : Corey Conners (Canada), Brooks Koepka 11:15 a.m. : Phil Mickelson, Shane Lowry (Ireland) 11:25 a.m. : Taylor Moore, Sahith Theegala 11:35 a.m. : Akshay Bhatia, Harris English 11:45 a.m. : Jon Rahm (Spain), Tony Finau 11:55 a.m. : Hideki Matsuyama (Japan), Luke List 12:05 p.m. : Ryan Fox (New Zealand), Rickie Fowler 12:15 p.m. : Patrick Cantlay, Neal Shipley* 12:25 p.m. : Danny Willett (England), Adam Scott (Australia) 12:35 p.m. : Will Zalatoris, Tyrrell Hatton (England) 12:45 p.m. : Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Joaquin Niemann (Chile) 12:55 p.m. : Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Joaquin Niemann (Chile) 1:05 p.m. : Matt Fitzpatrick (England), Patrick Reed 1:15 p.m. : Adam Schenk, Chris Kirk 1:25 p.m. : Patrick Cantlay, Lucas Glover 1:35 p.m. : Adam Schenk, Patrick Reed 1:45 p.m. : Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood (England) 1:55 p.m. : Byeong Hun An (South Korea), Cameron Smith (Australia) 2:05 p.m. : Cam Davis (Australia), Nicolai Højgaard (Denmark) 2:15 p.m. : Bryson DeChambeau, Xander Schauffele 2:25 p.m. : Max Homa, Ludvig Åberg (Sweden) 2:35 p.m. : Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa

* Denotes amateur

Madonna returns to Austin after 40 years with sweaty, sexy Celebration Tour at Moody Center

“It took 40 years to invite me back,” Madonna told an Austin audience on Sunday night. “Should I take that personally?”

The Queen of Pop indeed last performed in the Live Music Capital in 1985 at the Erwin Center. Strange, but true (blue).  Perhaps the mistress of reinvention, ever looking for the new, waited until that venue was demolished and she could pack in two nights at Moody Center . She’ll perform again on Monday.

Regardless, Austin has missed a lot of Madonna over four decades. That made her retrospective Celebration Tour all the more spectacular — and if the cradle of weird can appreciate anything, it's a spectacle. 

Madonna postponed her original September dates following a health scare, and pent-up fan pride runneth over. Before the show, material girls and leather daddies filed through the corridors of the arena. Blonde Ambition-era high ponytails mingled with “Lucky Star” hair bows. Local drag artists like Brigitte Bandit — in full “Like a Virgin” regalia — posed for photos a few steps away from a Trisha Yearwood-branded nacho stand. On the floor, a group of middle-aged ladies in tulle skirts and fishnet gloves chatted next to a row of bears in decades-old concert tees. Accessorization was key. If you forgot your chunky silver cross pendant, hopefully someone could lend you their riding crop.

The air conditioner took the night off. The show had an 8:30 p.m. start time, but the main event didn’t get going until 10:30 p.m., when tour emcee Bob the Drag Queen emerged wearing the rosy contents of Marie Antoinette’s closet. 

“It’s showtime,” Bob said with a tongue pop. 

Her Madgesty lived up to her name, appearing as a holy apparition, much more exciting than her namesake’s various cameos on pieces of toast. Cloaked in a dark kimono with giant sleeve cutouts, Madonna donned a headpiece equal parts crown and halo to sing late-’90s techno earworm “Nothing Really Matters.”  A giant lighting rig circled above like an even larger hat from heaven. It’s right there in the name, folks.

“Nothing takes the past away/ Like the future,” she sang. The song made a fitting icebreaker for the mother of all pop music: “Everything I give you/ All comes back to me.”

Then it was off to the time machine — though as the star admitted later in the show, the setlist made emotional sense, if not always the chronological kind. First stop: Danceteria. Madonna conjured her early 1980s it-girl era with “Everybody” and “Into the Groove.” Dancers swarmed around her in thrift store finery and spotted the singer in a backbend. There was a lot of crotch work.

“I’m about to share the story of my life with you,” Madonna said during the first of several rambling, prickly stretches of crowd work that skirted right up to coherence but instead opted for a middle finger. Joined by a masked dancer dressed as her past self, she asked if everyone knew what a metaphor was. An audience member asked who her next boyfriend would be. “My next boyfriend is me,” she cracked.

Then, Madonna offered a sage bit of advice for the next two hours: “Embrace the confusion.”

The singer astral projected into CBGB with an electric guitar as her guide, shredding through “Burning Up” and spewing Budweiser at the front rows. (Shout out to the stage tech responsible for wiping up Ms. Ciccone’s beer spit immediately afterward.) 

So much of Sunday’s party hinged on awe-inspiring choreography. For “Open Your Heart,” Madonna and company made iconic use of a few chairs and the laps that went on top of them. For “Holiday,” the singer and her crew became a many-headed disco hydra massed around a mirror ball the size of New Jersey.

A trip through time also invited sorrow. At the end of “Holiday,” a dancer fell to the ground as Madonna gazed mournfully. She entered a floating picture frame rigged to the ceiling, one of the night’s most oft-used set pieces, for a gorgeous rendition of “Live to Tell.” Around her, photos memorialized icons lost to AIDS — Freddie Mercury, Keith Haring, Robert Mapplethorpe, Arthur Ashe, Cookie Mueller and more. An affecting vigil from a pioneering activist.

But this was a Madonna show, so then shirtless men in lace gimp masks came out to writhe around glowing crosses. Robed monks, rosary beads, a Catholic censer and a snippet of Sam Smith’s “Unholy” helped usher in “Like a Prayer.” One of her most controversial pop culture moments, the song played like a thumping salute to sacrilege and gymnastics.

Madonna put on a Marlene Dietrich wig and thrusted her way into the 1990s: “Erotica,” “Justify My Love” and “Bad Girl.” In the middle there, she squeezed in 2005’s “Hung Up,” which might have felt like an awkward fit for that act if not for the fleet of topless dancers.

Of course, Madonna couldn’t curate her legacy without two things: cone bras and “Vogue.” Bob the Drag Queen took the stage with a glittery bowler hat and a houndstooth fan to take Austin to the ballroom. Clips of the tour’s “Vogue” segment have gone viral for months, and it was just as joyful in person. A conically breasted Madonna always welcomes a special guest to help her judge a cavalcade of runway looks. For Sunday’s show, she brought up drag superstar Trixie Mattel , and the pair gave their 10s and chops as appropriate. A gay ol’ time.

The dancers weren’t the only ones falling into dips on stage. The setlist meandered a bit after Ginger Rogers danced on air and Rita Hayworth gave good face. “Human Nature” and “Crazy For You” led into James Bond theme “Die Another Day,” a song this reviewer appreciates for nostalgic reasons but admits is an oddball cut for a four-decade hit parade. If you longed to see Madonna dressed like a character from Alejandro Jodorowsky’s “The Holy Mountain” while dropping mainstream music’s foremost reference to Sigmund Freud, congrats.

The wide-brimmed hats kept coming. Madonna stripped to full cowgirl leathers, boot-scooted and strummed out “Don’t Tell Me” from the “Music” album. For “Mother Father,” she brought out son David Banda to sing and play guitar. (She also welcomed daughters Mercy and Estere onstage to perform during “Bad Girl” and “Vogue,” respectively.)

“People don’t get tired in Texas, do they?” Madonna asked after picking up her fallen cowboy hat with her foot. More freewheeling Madge moments: bragging on the kids, talking about forgiving herself for mistakes, berating an audience member for not lighting up his phone upon her command. 

“It’s so important you understand the concept of light,” she said while vamping about darkness and such. Madonna led the “boys and girls and theys and thems” in a campfire singalong to an acoustic “Express Yourself.” 

During “La Isla Bonita,” she projected jumbo photos of cultural revolutionaries like Sinead O’Connor, Che Guevara and Martin Luther King Jr. Not sure what the thematic connection between song and imagery was, but RIP Malcolm X — you would have loved dreaming of San Pedro, I guess.

As Madonna rounded the home stretch, she changed into a pink wig and textured silver catsuit that evoked Jane Lynch performing “Super Bass” on that one episode of “Glee.” Nevermind the sartorial critique: As Madonna soared above the arena in her aerial frame and doused the crowd in lasers during “Ray of Light,” she truly was goddess of her universe.

“Take a Bow” led into a questionable amount of time devoted to a Michael Jackson tribute. But there wasn’t much time to marinate on that, as Madonna stormed the stage flanked by her cadre of dancers, all dressed in recreations of some of her most famous looks. The finale: “Bitch I’m Madonna,” of course. 

Super Bowl Madonna strutted next to “Frozen” Madonna. If you’d sealed an Austin fan in a cryogenic tube for the decades since the pop icon last came to town, the multiversal procession might have driven them to madness.

But, then again … the American-Statesman’s review of Madonna’s 1985 show praised the “slick, polished, contemporary Las Vegas-style production.” The critic also wrote: “Madonna may be considered by some music critics as a fleeting pop star and her penchant for lingerie and erotic posturing understandably irritates feminists. Nevertheless, Madonna is a formidable, timely talent.” 

Erotic posturing. Formidable talent. She might be the living avatar of reinvention, but Madonna never lost her own plot. That’s something worth waiting 40 years to celebrate.

Eric Webb is an award-winning culture writer based in Austin. Find him at www.ericwebb.me .

This Is Going to Hurt writer Adam Kay tours Australia for first time with his diaries of a junior doctor

During the pandemic, former doctor Adam Kay tried to return to medicine.

Now a writer and comedian — best known for his bestselling memoir This Is Going to Hurt — Kay quit his job as a junior doctor in the UK in 2010 and his name was taken off the medical register five years later.

In 2020, when the National Health Service (NHS) called out for retired and former doctors to join the fight against COVID-19, he tried to re-join the profession.

"They had this hotline, and I phoned them up, and I told them everything I'd done and when I last worked, and they said, 'Thanks very much. We'll be in touch.' And then they emailed me a couple of weeks later saying, 'No, we're fine, thanks,'" Kay recalls.

"It was very insulting. Why didn't they want a labour-ward doctor who's not worked for a decade?" he adds, with a laugh.

While Kay may have been rejected by the NHS, he's been embraced by readers and audiences around the world: He embarks on his first Australian tour this month, playing sold-out theatres across the country.

This Is Going to Hurt is the basis of his live show, and comes off the back of February's free-to-air premiere of the TV adaptation, written by Kay and starring Ben Whishaw (Skyfall; Paddington).

Published in 2017, This Is Going to Hurt is a collection of diary entries written between 2004 and 2010. They detail his experiences as a young doctor specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology (or "brats and twats"): from the first caesarean section he performed; to the strange things people insert in their vaginas; to the toll being an overworked, underpaid doctor had on his personal relationships; through to the birth complication that led him to leave medicine for good.

The memoir is a passionate defence of the NHS, which at the same time highlights the systematic issues it faces — especially in terms of the wellbeing of healthcare staff.

A memoir about a junior doctor

When Kay set out to publish his diaries, he was working as a writer on TV comedies, and had performed sections of them at the Edinburgh Fringe. He never expected the book would resonate the way it did.

"I've been blown away with its success," says Kay.

"I think people are fascinated at peeking behind the blue curtain, knowing what a doctor's life involves, and also there's clearly an innate love of disgusting stories," he says.

"That all colluded to mean that lots of people bought it."

The book has sold more than 2.5 million copies and been translated into 37 languages.

"I thought I was writing a very parochial, particular story; it was just my story," Kay says.

But he soon started to get messages from doctors, not only from similar countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada, but from Venezuela, Chad and Belarus.

"All these people said, 'This could be set on my ward.' And I think that's when I thought, 'I think I'm onto something here,'" he says.

"Because I'd been so open, which is something that doctors traditionally don't do, I became a bit of an agony uncle for medics … I was glad that they felt they could speak to me."

Turning a memoir into a TV series

The TV adaptation of This Is Going to Hurt premiered on the BBC in the UK and on Binge in Australia in 2022. The series not only follows a junior doctor called Adam Kay — a fictionalised version of the author, played by Whishaw — but trainee doctor Shruti Acharya (Ambika Mod from One Day ).

The series follows Adam as he battles professional complaints made against him — first by a patient and later by a colleague. Meanwhile Shruti struggles with her mental health and a lack of support from her colleagues and hospital administration.

"I wanted the TV show to have a point," he says.

"I wanted to focus it really firmly on the mental wellbeing of doctors. And I wanted it to be less gaggy and funny than the book, because I wanted people to lean in and take note.

"It's essentially a show about Shruti more than it is about Adam. And, sadly, Shruti is based on people who I knew."

In the UK, one doctor dies by suicide every three weeks, and a nurse takes their own life every three days.

"There can't now be many people who work in a clinical setting over here who don't know someone who's taken their own life," says Kay.

He wanted to make sure the message was not just "brushed under the carpet", as it usually is.

"I knew I'd reach a lot more people through a TV show — it got 10 million people watching that — and that's more than I'll reach in a lifetime of standing up on stage and writing books."

That means 10 million people also saw a version of Kay he cheerfully describes as an "arsehole": rude to patients and nurses, sarcastic, arrogant.

"I could have written the version where that character is a superhero, but that's very boring telly," says Kay.

"I wanted to show the pressures of the job and what that does not just to a relationship and family and friends, I wanted to see the destruction on the individual as well. It's impossible, really, to work a hundred hours a week and at the end of it be unscathed."

At the 2023 BAFTAs, the series earned Kay the award for writing for TV drama and Whishaw best leading actor. Kay dedicated his speech to junior doctors.

"I was paid 25 per cent more in real terms than junior doctors are paid today. And if the government don't sort that out, they've got the most enormous problem on their hands," he said.

Comedy during COVID

Instead of returning to the NHS during the pandemic, Kay continued to perform live comedy — or at least he tried to.

He tried Zoom gigs and even had a crack at performing at a COVID-safe event where the audience watched comedians from their cars, with their radios tuned to the right frequency.

"Instead of clapping or laughing, they would do the windscreen wipers or flash their lights. And that was so weird. It was like being a stand-up comedian car in the film Cars," he says.

"At that point, I sat it out until we were allowed into actual theatres again."

With live performances cancelled around the world, Kay says people started to realise how much they valued the arts in their lives — at the same time as casual workers in creative industries were shut off from receiving government suppor t.

"I'm not pretending it's the same as saving a life on a labour ward. But what is life for when it's stripped of [the arts]?"

At the same time as people were watching live comedy in their lounge rooms, they were also gaining a greater appreciation for healthcare staff. In the UK, many people participated in Clap for Our Carers, where people would applaud essential workers from their doorsteps.

"COVID crystallised in everyone's mind quite how important those jobs are, and how reliant we are on these people. [Though] not enough for the government to pay them anymore," he says.

But while people may appreciate the essential work of medical professionals more, Kay points out that budgets are more stretched now than they were in 2010, and that many doctors — like him — have left the field.

"Things are a lot tougher on the wards [now]," he says.

But Kay does think the industry has improved in terms of staff wellbeing. In 2019, the government launched a dedicated 24-hour helpdesk for doctors working across the country.

"Medicine can no longer get away with totally ignoring the concept of the wellbeing of its staff. They're not doing it well enough. But at least there's like some effort being made," he says.

"It's probably a kinder place than when I was working there."

'Culturally a doctor'

It took Kay a long time before he was comfortable calling himself a "writer". Yet even though he has started to put "writer" as his occupation on forms, part of him still sees himself as who he was.

"I consider myself culturally a doctor," he says.

"A lot of my friends are doctors. I still miss working as a doctor. I've got a lot of guilt about leaving medicine. People still text me their rashes. But I'm not a doctor. The reason that I applied to medicine in the first place to help people hasn't gone away: I've still got that in me somewhere."

He loves to perform on stage, and describes his live shows as a mix of stand-up and storytelling. What he loves even more is sitting at a table after a show signing books and talking to people — something he'll be doing on his Australian tour.

Usually, audiences approach him and say things like "This book helped me through this patch", or "This book put my child off studying medicine."

But recently his audiences in the UK have started to tell him a new story.

"I've had people come up to me, saying, 'You're not going to remember this person, but you delivered them 17 years ago.' Which is quite wild," he says.

"But it's also quite a good business model, isn't it: delivering your own audience."

Adam Kay: This Is Going to Hurt is at Melbourne International Comedy Festival from April 16-21, before touring to Sydney Comedy Festival, Brisbane Comedy Festival and Perth Comedy Festival.

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