Yep, it's all over the news - Melbourne's iconic indie punk band The Meanies are opening for the Foo Fighters on Friday in Geelong. And of course, they're pretty chuffed about it, especially since it's been 30 years (nearly to the day) since they first played with a young Dave Grohl when he was in Nirvana. As Wally Meanie sez, “Thirty years since we opened for Dave’s old band, happy anniversary pal!”
In this time of Foo frenzy, let it be noted also that the Meanies are about to undertake their own tour as well, to belatedly celebrate their most recent album Desperate Measures. Check out the details below.
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ONLY in these crazy times might a band tour its 'new' album two years after it was released, but that's what the Meanies will be doing when they hit the road to finally give Desperate Measures a proper live airing. Desperate Measures was released in July 2020 (on Cheersquad Records & Tapes), by which time the shit had already hit the fan. Their BETTER LATE THAN NEVER DESPERATE MEASURES TOUR was first announced a year ago when things looked like they'd cleared. It got bumped a couple of times and announced again in November 2021 for this year. Then Omicron came along, blowing out January and causing another reshuffle. So here we go again.
ABOUT THE MEANIES - Starting out in '88, following on from the late '80s GOD/Bored scene and anticipated the subsequent successes of Spiderbait and Magic Dirt, the Meanies are genuine Melbourne icons and national treasures. Arriving at the same time as grunge, they defied the odds with a pop punk-meets-hardcore sound that pre-empted what was to come out of the US on labels like Epitaph and Fat Wreck Chords. They became Triple J and Big Day Out faves (they did the BDO in 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1999!) and kings of the all-ages circuit, and they toured their arses off, playing with the likes of Nirvana, The Lemonheads, Redd Kross, Beastie Boys, Pearl Jam and Bad Brains along the way. They toured Europe, the US, and Japan and retain an international following. And like their older and uglier brethren The Cosmic Psychos, The Meanies are now enjoying a late-career revival, which began with the release of their first album in 21 years, It's Not Me It's You in late 2015 on Poison City Records. Desperate Measures was released in July 2020.
THE MEANIES' BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
DESPERATE MEASURES TOUR 2022
MARCH
Fri 4 – supporting Foo Fighters, GMHBA Stadium, Geelong VIC
https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/event/25005C55BAAC0E20
Sat 5 - Ninchfest, St. Andrews Beach, VIC
https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=841915&
Thu 10 - The Zoo, Fortitude Valley, QLD + Some Jerks + Blussh
https://zoo.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/db1fadf2-2878-4a89-a5a1-c5945e939073
Fri 11 - Eleven Dive Bar, Maroochydore, QLD + Some Jerks + Blussh
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/11d3fc08-8f07-47ee-a267-c92c69766e2d
Sat 12 - Spring Loaded Festival, Bribie Island, QLD
https://premier.ticketek.com.au/events/SPRINGLO21/venues/EHH/performances/EEHH2021933SL/tickets
Sun 13 - Miami Marketta, Gold Coast, QLD
https://miamimarketta.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/66235740-4e76-4072-964d-aa039e21bdf3?utm_source=MiamiMarketta&utm_medium=Website
Fri 18 - The Tote, Collingwood, VIC + Stiff Richards + Persecution Blues + Maggie Alley
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/ab9c024c-4b0e-47ae-82b2-ab2962c235f5
Sat 19 - The Tote, Collingwood, VIC + Ute Root + Sidesplitter + Cheeky Geezers
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/b62b2c96-ac6c-40f4-a0e7-f0beb19483f0
Fri 25 - Barwon Club, Geelong, VIC + Poppin’ Mommas + Eyeroll
https://barwonclub.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/e81e6686-b595-4c01-8f5b-eaa67b248c16
Sat 26 - The Eastern, Ballarat, VIC + The Dawdlers + The Shorts
https://theeastern.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/eb3eb2bf-1963-4d09-a773-8b0466e2a585?preview=1b74279c-6297-4d7a-9b74-c92104d4848
Wed 30 - Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle, NSW + Hellebores + I Hate People
https://thecambridgehotel.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/d83b82d4-ecc0-4f50-ad6d-f7ff6a780c12
Thu 31 - Lansdowne Hotel, Sydney, NSW + Chinese Burns Unit + Blitz Babiez
https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/the-meanies-%E2%80%98better-late-than-never-album-tour%E2%80%99/128692?skin=thelansdowne
APRIL
Fri 1 - Manly Leagues Club, NSW + Chinese Burns Unit + Shitaki
https://kingdomsounds.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/1e98f77f-0c79-4785-a59a-7241aa2ac2aa
Sat 2 - Yours & Owls Festival, Wollongong NSW
https://yoursandowlsfestival.com.au/
Sun 3 - The Basement, Canberra, ACT + Sketch Method + Charlotte & The Harlots
https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/b7670940-f045-4fb3-b579-b5aada11bf78
Sat 9 - Spring Ditch, Stanley VIC
https://www.springditch.com/
Easter Thu 14 - Jive, Adelaide, SA + Cull The Band + The Vains
https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/the-meanies/128680
Sat 23 - Uncaged Festival, Sydney NSW
https://www.festicket.com/eventgenius/uncaged-syd-2022/shop/28814/
Sun 24 - Uncaged Festival, Brisbane QLD
https://tickets.silverbacktouring.com.au/outlet/event/3c2d5476-3629-454f-84e2-8aa2805f4f47