The Living End’s 2017 run of Australian shows has received a high-octane injection today, with the announcement that a huge line-up of incredible local talent is set to guest alongside the Aussie punk rock legends for their upcoming Staring Down The Highway regional tour.
The trio will be supported by a selection of some of the most exciting future stars of Australian rock, including Melbourne party punk animals The Bennies (all shows), as well as a high calibre line-up of local regional talents, including:
Canberra: The Spindrift Saga
Wollongong: Raised as Wolves
Newcastle: Split Feed
Central Coast: Lion Island
Laurieton & Coffs: Son of Jaguar
Ipswich, Gold Coast & Byron: Good Boy
Townsville & Airlie Beach: Why Wait
Geelong & Frankston: Pretty Littles
Traralgon: The Diecasts
Hobart: A Swayze and The Ghosts
Speaking of these regional shows, The Living End’s frontman Chris Cheney could barely contain his excitement to be hitting the road again for the performances ahead. “Scott, Andy and myself are getting in the Tarago for a big, loud, sweaty rock’n’roll tour and we got The Bennies coming along with us and they rule!! Hard!”
The news runs alongside the announcement that the band will be joined by several special guests at their run of zoo shows in Sydney and Melbourne this March.
They’ll be joined on stage by none other than Australian rock icon, Jimmy Barnes (Sydney, March 5th) as well as multiple ARIA award winners and revered songwriters in their own right, Josh Pyke (Sydney, March 4th) and Dan Sultan (Melbourne, March 2nd & 3rd). The all-female string quartet, The String Sirens, will be adding to the emotion and ambience of each show as well, while rising Melbourne rocker Gabriella Cohen will be supporting all zoo shows.
Speaking of the shows, Cheney explained each performance would be a unique experience. “There’ll be an acoustic set, an electric set, a string quartet and some seriously legendary guests.”
2016 was a year to remember for The Living End, even for rock icons of their calibre. Having released their ARIA # 5 album Shift in May; levelling their sold out major city national Shift tour; performing on the at the 2016 AFL Grand Final; headlining festivals around the country; and scoring nominations for Best Rock Album and Best Australian Live Act at this year’s ARIA Awards – so far it has been a year in which the kings of Australian rock reclaimed their throne after a five-year hiatus after their 2011 ARIA-Award winning album, The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating.
2017 looks set to tread a similar outstanding path, with not only these multiple tours, but the announcement this week that Chris Cheney will be performing as the lead star of the Australian cast of Green Day’s American Idiot musical.
Cheney will appear in the role of St Jimmy from the show’s opening on February 23 up until the start of the Zoo shows in early March, before being replaced by fellow local rock icon, Phil Jamieson (Grinspoon).
|
|
|
|