[Gallery] Story of the Year @ Forum Theatre, Melbourne, 08/08/2024
The Story Of The Year
Behind Crimson Eyes
Senses Fail
Interview with Dryden Mitchell (Alien Ant Farm)
ALIEN ANT FARM & CKY ANNOUNCE AUSTRALIAN CO-HEADLINE TOUR
Two decades after ALIEN ANT FARM topped the charts worldwide with their singles Movies and Smooth Criminal (#3 and #1 on Australian Charts, respectively), you still cannot visit a rock club or turn on rock radio without hearing those songs blasted; evoking joyful memories of a better time when rock music ruled the world and auto-tuned garbage was far off in the distant future.
As great as chart success may be, however, Alien Ant Farm's enduring legacy derives from the seemingly endless catalogue of incredibly crafted and equally worthy alt metal anthems such as Yellow Pages, Homage, Godlike, Glow, Forgive & Forget, Last dAntz, etc. and of course, the energy, ferocity and dedication with which they deliver those songs in a live setting.
2025 will see Alien Ant farm make their very long-awaited return to Australia for a co-headline tour with the equally iconic CKY, fresh off of their successful North American and European “CKY 25 Years” celebration touring.
CKY hoists the flag high for big, raw, authentic, earth-shaking music liberated from useless pretence. They burned it all down, with a raucous, anarchic rock sound soaked in the skate-punk culture that birthed them; and a hard-partying lifestyle onstage and off that left decimated relationships and reputations in its wake. CKY's music is a huge part of the infamous Jackass TV series as well as just about every skate and surf compilation of the era. CKY has toured the world with the likes of Metallica, Guns N' Roses and Deftones; and have seen artists ranging from The Dead South to Polyphia and Dillon Francis cover their iconic songs.
Alien Ant Farm and CKY February 2025 Australian Tour Dates:
Friday 7th February BRISBANE, Princess Theatre
Saturday 8th February SYDNEY, Metro Theatre
Sunday 9th February MELBOURNE, Northcote Theatre
Tuesday 11th February ADELAIDE, Lion Arts Factory
Wednesday 12th February PERTH, Magnet House
PRESALE: Friday July 25 – 9:00am (Local)
GENERAL PUBLIC ON SALE: Tuesday July 29 – 9:00am (Local)
TICKETS FROM: https://thephoenix.au
GHOST ‘RITE HERE RITE NOW’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Is Out Now
GHOST
RITE HERE RITE NOW
ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK TO HIGHEST-GROSSING HARD ROCK CINEMATIC EVENT IN NORTH AMERICAN HISTORY
NOW AVAILABLE VIA LOMA VISTA RECORDINGS
MARY ON A CROSS/THE FUTURE IS A FOREIGN LAND
ANIMATED DOUBLE FEATURE HOSTED BY GHOST LIVE NOW
“As far as live acts go, they’re one of the best in the business — and now they have the movie to prove it.”
—THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
Following a record-smashing Top 10 worldwide box office performance and rapturously received global streaming premiere, GHOST now unleashes theRITE HERE RITE NOWoriginal motion picture soundtrack, released today via Loma Vista Recordings. This collectible double LP and CD includes a 16-page photo book, official film poster and 18 songs from the band’s debut feature film, recorded live at GHOST’s now-legendary pair of sold out shows at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum. In addition to live versions of classics and deep cuts spanning the GRAMMY-winning theatrical rock ensemble’s vaunted catalog, theRITE HERE RITE NOWsoundtrack features the film’s previously unreleased end credits anthem, the unearthed third Papa Nihil 1969 era single The Future Is A Foreign Land. The RITE HERE RITE NOW soundtrack is available worldwide on all digital services, 2xLP, 2XCD and cassette (UK exclusive) now.
In keeping with shocking events depicted in RITE HERE RITE NOW, memorials for the dearly departed Sister Imperator have been announced. To find one of the sacred locations where fans can pay their respects and leave personal offerings in her honor, please visit here.
Finally, the eve of the RITE HERE RITE NOW release has been heralded by an animated double feature via the GHOST YouTube channel: The wide release of the much adored Mary On A Cross animated video pulled directly from the film and the much anticipated music video for soundtrack exclusive The Future Is A Foreign Land are out now.
RITE HERE RITE NOW – OUT NOW
https://i.ghost-official.com/RiteHereRiteNow
V Boys: Swedish absurdist punks return to Australia – November 2024
“V Boys completely steal the show… The energy is pure chaos’ – The Music
‘Hopefully V Boys are already in your life. If not, it’s time to get onboard’ – Double J
‘A bongo-fuelled punk send-up of hyper masculinity’ – Broadsheet
Celebrated as one of Europe’s best live bands, punk-rock satirists Viagra Boys last touched down in 2019. Now, the unruly Swedish outfit is thrilled to announce The Australia Shrimp Grand Prix tour – with three headline shows this November in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.
V Boys are a band that weaponizes absurdity – tossing firecrackers into the middle of the room and standing around to see the reaction. Led by frontman Sebastian Murphy (‘equal parts Iggy Pop and Hank Williams’), whose voice is a compelling blend of impish smirk and smoker’s rasp, the band is known for its seething satire and darkly comic edge, encapsulating a unique blend of grit and sleaze.
Murphy’s lyrics often reflect on the absurdity and backwardness of the modern world, though he avoids prescribing beliefs or taking sides. Therefore, the band’s music is marked by a playful yet incisive critique of societal follies and contradictions, set to heavy-weight, explosive production.
Tickets for the November tour will go on sale Friday 28 June at 11am AEST via frontiertouring.com/vboys. Frontier and Penny Drop members can get early access through promoter presales starting Wednesday 26 June at 11am AEST. Visit the Frontier website for full details.
V Boys have unleashed three critically acclaimed albums to date: Street Worms (2018), Welfare Jazz (2021), and Cave World (2022). Their electrifying mix of no-holds-barred attitude, electronically laced riffs, dark sax, and dynamic sound bursts forth in singles like ‘Sports’, ‘Troglodyte’, ‘Ain’t No Thief’ and ‘Punk Rock Loser’. Another highlight is their audacious cover of John Prine’s ‘In Spite Of Ourselves’, featuring Amy Taylor (Amyl and the Sniffers).
Live on stage, V Boys have garnered significant success and acclaim, performing sold-out shows worldwide, including prestigious festival sets at Coachella, Glastonbury, Lowlands, Outside Lands, Reading & Leeds, Meredith, and more. 2023 saw them tour the US with Queens of The Stone Age. The band’s impact extends to the Swedish music scene, where they’ve won awards such as Album of the Year and Best Live Act at the Swedish Grammis & P3 Guld Awards, highlighting their widespread appeal and influence.
The Australia Shrimp Grand Prix rolls through town this November! Don’t miss V Boys – tickets go on sale Friday.
V BOYS
+ special guests tba
AUSTRALIA
NOVEMBER 2024
Presented by Frontier Touring, Penny Drop, Wasserman & YEAR0001
FRONTIER MEMBERS PRESALE
via frontiertouring.com/vboys
Runs 47 hours from: Wednesday 26 June (11am AEST)
or until presale allocation exhausted
PENNY DROP MEMBERS PRESALE
Runs 47 hours from: Wednesday 26 June (11am AEST)
or until presale allocation exhausted
GENERAL PUBLIC ON SALE
Begins: Friday 28 June (11am AEST)
ALL SHOWS 18+
Saturday 2 November
Forum Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC
ticketek.com.au
Tuesday 5 November
Enmore Theatre, Sydney, NSW
ticketek.com.au
Thursday 7 November
The Tivoli, Brisbane, QLD
ticketmaster.com.au
Patrons are advised to purchase tickets only through authorised ticket sellers.
We cannot guarantee any ticket purchase made through any means other than the official ticketing agents listed on the Frontier website.
HAMMERFALL Announce First Ever Australian Tour
THE MIGHT! THE POWER! THE GLORY!
ANNOUNCE FIRST EVER AUSTRALIAN TOUR
‘’It’s a spectacular show and encapsulates just how and why HammerFall have become such a beloved band across the world.’’ Headbanging Life
The GODS have listened, and they have heeded your call, Sweden’s Power Metal overlords, the mighty HammerFall will set sail for Australia in January 2025 for their first ever Australian tour.
‘’We all agreed that one measly show in 27 years is not nearly enough. So we’re coming in full force next year. Brace yourselves for a Heavy Metal celebration the likes of which you have never seen!’’ – Oscar Dronjak
‘’We are very excited to bring our particular brand of Heavy Metal to Australia for the first time, and we can’t wait to show you what HammerFall Anno 2025 sounds like!’’ – Joacim Cans
No matter how much everything changes in culture and the world at large, heavy metal endures. It empowers. It engages. It engenders strength. It outlasts fads. Since forming in Gothenburg, Sweden and releasing their debut album Glory To The Brave in 1997, HammerFall have stormed the gates of heavy music’s pantheon and waved the genre’s flag higher and higher with every subsequent release. With multiple international number ones, gold certifications, sold out tours, and over 100 million+ streams and 100 million+ YouTube views, the group upholds a venerable legacy.
But it is in a live setting where they outshine their peers and imitators. In true HammerFall fashion, every element becomes dangerously and dramatically amplified. The riffs hit harder. The rhythms thunder louder. The choruses soar closer to the clouds.
The Hammer will strike with force in Australia as HammerFall unleash a setlist full of power drenched anthems such as ‘Heart’s on Fire’, ‘Last Man Standing’, ‘Brotherhood’, ‘Heeding the Call’, ‘Any Means Necessary’, ‘Hail to the King’ and so many more.
Donning their brightest shining armour, HammerFall will leave their mark on Australia forever by delivering an unforgettable live experience for metalheads across the continent.
HAMMERFALL January 2025 Australian Tour Dates
Tuesday 14th January PERTH, Metro Fremantle
Wednesday 15th January ADELAIDE, Lion Arts
Friday 17th January MELBOURNE, Northcote Theatre
Saturday 18th January SYDNEY, Manning Bar
Sunday 19th January BRISBANE, The Triffid
Tickets:
On Sale: Friday 14th June 9:00am local
From: https://thephoenix.au/
New Album Avenge The Fallen Out on 9th August via Nuclear Blast Records
[Gallery] Everything Everything / The Vaccines @ Forum Theatre, Melbourne 09/05/2024
Everything Everything
The Vaccines
Kitschen Boy
Story Of The Year Announce 20 Years Of Page Avenue Australian Tour With Special Guests Senses Fail & Behind Crimson Eyes
Destroy All Lines Presents
STORY OF THE YEAR
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF PAGE AVENUE
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
SENSES FAIL
PERFORMING THEIR ALBUM ‘LET IT ENFOLD YOU’ IN FULL
AND BEHIND CRIMSON EYES
Spawning a global legacy and critical acclaim for over two decades, American rockers STORY OF THE YEAR are set to return down under this August, celebrating the 20 year anniversary of their debut album Page Avenue and performing all their greatest hits alongside special guests SENSES FAIL and BEHIND CRIMSON EYES.
Starting in Perth on August 4, this national celebration of post hardcore and alternative rock will head to Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney before closing out in Brisbane on August 11. And between STORY OF THE YEAR celebrating the anniversary of their iconic 2003 release, SENSES FAIL are also set to perform their 2004 debut album Let It Enfold You in full across the tour alongside BEHIND CRIMSON EYES flying the Aussie flag this August.
A band classed as helping to shape the post hardcore landscape, STORY OF THE YEAR blend loud guitars, singalong choruses and a permeating sense of positivity into their enduring creations. Erupting onto the scene back in 2003 via their debut album Page Avenue, which became one of the first of its kind to sell a million copies, the group would go on to tour alongside the greats of their stylistic surrounds, including Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Deftones and The Used.
Teaming up with Goldfinger’s John Feldmann to bring Page Avenue to life, STORY OF THE YEAR toured part of Warped Tour before Page Avenue‘s breakout single Until the Day I Die had even released. Praised for its additional standout singles Anthem of Our Dying Day and Sidewalks, Page Avenue would go on to reach platinum status, while also garnering praise for its layered instrumentals, candid lyricism, and infectious hooks and melodies.
Now in command of six studio albums, including In The Wake of Determination (2005), The Black Swan (2008), The Constant (2010), Wolves (2017) and their most recent 2023 full length Tear Me To Pieces, STORY OF THE YEAR have also cultivated a diehard legion of global fans over the years, with the tight-knit group dedicated to authentically connecting with their audience both through their music and dynamic live reputation. From teenagers working in a pizza shop through to hitting hard rock headliner status, STORY OF THE YEAR remain as potent as they were over two decades ago, if not moreso; and Australia is once again in their sights in 2024.
Hailing from New Jersey, SENSES FAIL emerged in the early 2000s, ultimately stamping their mark on the scene with their 2004 debut album Let It Enfold You. Blending emo and screamo elements, Let It Enfold You also boasted iconic hits Buried a Lie, Bite to Break Skin and Rum Is for Drinking, Not for Burning. Certified gold, Let It Enfold You would ultimately set the scene for ongoing successes for SENSES FAIL, with the five-piece going on to release eight studio albums and tour the globe alongside the likes of Taking Back Sunday, Silverstein, Stick To Your Guns and many more.
One of Australia’s most beloved post hardcore acts, Melbourne’s BEHIND CRIMSON EYES are well versed in welding heavy rock with elements of screamo, pop and beyond. Snagging mainstream attention courtesy of their 2006 debut album, A Revelation For Despair, BEHIND CRIMSON EYES debuted in the ARIA Albums Chart Top 50 via their maiden LP, before going on to tour with bands including Bullet For My Valentine, Artreyu, Avenged Sevenfold and Disturbed. Roaring back to life in 2017 after a hiatus, Melbourne’s BEHIND CRIMSON EYES are back bigger and better than ever.
Early bird pre-sale tickets on sale: Tuesday 7 May @ 12pm local time
To Gain Early Ticket Access Register Here -> https://daltours.cc/SOTY2024
General tickets on sale: Thursday 9 May @ 12pm local time
Tickets from destroyalllines.com
STORY OF THE YEAR
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF PAGE AVENUE
AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2024
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
SENSES FAIL (PERFORMING THEIR ALBUM ‘LET IT ENFOLD YOU’IN FULL)
AND BEHIND CRIMSON EYES
SUNDAY 4 AUGUST – MAGNET HOUSE, PERTH
TUESDAY 6 AUGUST – THE GOV, ADELAIDE
THURSDAY 8 AUGUST – THE FORUM, MELBOURNE
FRIDAY 9 AUGUST – ROUNDHOUSE, SYDNEY
SUNDAY 11 AUGUST – THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE
General tickets on sale: Thursday 9 May @ 12pm local time
Tickets from destroyalllines.com
We Wish To Inform You… GHOST Will Premiere Their Highly Anticipated Debut Feature Film ‘RITE HERE RITE NOW’
WE WISH TO INFORM YOU…
GHOST
WILL PREMIERE THEIR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DEBUT FEATURE FILM
‘RITE HERE RITE NOW’
IN CINEMAS WORLDWIDE ON JUNE 20 & 22 ONLY
DIRECTED BY ALEX ROSS PERRY AND TOBIAS FORGE
EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK POSTER LAUNCH
TICKETS ON SALE MAY 9 AT ritehereritenow.com
STARRING: GHOST, Maralyn Facey, Alan Ursillo, Ashley McBride, Kevin “Jesus” Kaufmann
DIRECTED BY: Alex Ross Perry and Tobias Forge
PRODUCED BY: Kristen Mulderig, Rick Sales, Craig Butta and Jonas Åkerlund
Trafalgar Releasing today announced worldwide theatrical distribution plans for RITE HERE RITE NOW. The unique feature-length film combines never-before-seen 2023 concert footage of GRAMMY award-winning rock band, GHOST, with a narrative story that picks up plot threads from the band’s long-running webisode series. Directed by GHOST’s Tobias Forge, and Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell), RITE HERE RITE NOW will launch in cinemas globally on June 20 & 22 only.
Full trailer launch and cinema tickets will be available beginning Thursday, May 9. Worldwide screening details and ticket links will be revealed at ritehereritenow.com at 11pm AEST time. Fans are encouraged to sign up for further information.
Shot over the course of GHOST’s two sold-out shows at Los Angeles’ hallowed Kia Forum, RITE HERE RITE NOWfully immerses viewers in the technicolor melodrama of the vaunted live ritual that has helped to propel Sweden’s foremost theatrical rock export to GRAMMY-winning, chart-topping, arena-headlining status the world over.
RITE HERE RITE NOW is, however, so much more than a concert movie. GHOST’s debut feature film combines live performance from the two-night finale of the band’s RE-IMPERATOUR U.S.A. 2023 with a narrative story that picks up plot threads from the band’s long-running Chapters series. The result is an utterly unique phantasmagorical blend: Flesh and bone renditions of favourites from all five of GHOST’s albums as well as the RIAA platinum-certified “Mary On A Cross” and more are interwoven with the silver screen debuts of a few faces familiar to the band’s legions of fans—all interacting behind the scenes with GHOST‘s Papa Emeritus IV, as his future and fate lay in the hands of the Ministry.
Whether you’re a devoted disciple looking to relive treasured memories of the GHOST live spectacle or among the curious uninitiated, RITE HERE RITE NOW will put you right there: putting your phones down and living in the moment—as a shadow of uncertainty looms—completely spellbound and in the thrall of this bombastic yet intimate cinematic portrait of GHOST.
The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to RITE HERE RITE NOW will be released via Loma Vista Recordings. Pre-order launch and additional details will complement the film’s cinema on-sale date of May 9.
Tobias Forge explained: “Over a decade ago when GHOST got signed to Loma Vista, Tom Whalley (owner and CEO) asked what the story of the band was.
He felt telling a story was vital in order to get new fans engaged.
I said that because we were a new ‘baby’ band and more importantly we were an ANONYMOUS baby band, there wasn’t really a compelling story to tell.
Not yet anyway.
But I told him that if he wanted a story, I could come up with one.
This film is the fruit of that conversation.”
Director Alex Ross Perry said “Collaborating with Tobias to expand the saga of GHOST into a feature film has been a wicked delight. This movie allowed us to be inspired by everything from silent horror to The Great Rock n’ Roll Swindle, from Ralph Bakshi to KISS Alive II. The influences were many, but above all, the ultimate goal was to make a one-of-a-kind feast not only for GHOST fans, but all lovers of the cinematic alchemy between rock spectacle and spooky delights.”
Kymberli Frueh, SVP of Programming and Content Acquisitions at Trafalgar Releasing, adds “The mystery, mystique, and musical style of GHOST has created such a dedicated allegiance to the band. Our cinemas provide the perfect immersive experience to unite fans as a community and experience GHOST’s elaborate performances with big screens and big sound.”
RITE HERE RITE NOW is produced by Popecorn Cinematic Pictures. Producers include Kristen Mulderig, Rick Sales, Craig Butta and Jonas Åkerlund.
Notes to Editors: Exact screening dates may vary between territories. Notable exceptions include Sweden and Denmark, where screenings will be held on June 20 & 23, and France, where screenings will be held on June 23 only. Full screening information will be available at ritehereritenow.com from May 9.
Official Channels:
RITE HERE RITE NOW official website: https://www.ritehereritenow.com
GHOST’s official website: https://ghost-official.com/
GHOST’s Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thebandghost/
GHOST’s X page: https://twitter.com/thebandghost
About GHOST
Accumulating nearly 10 billion streams, GRAMMY-winning Swedish theatrical rock band and global sensation GHOST continues to bring the “euphoric spectacle” (ROLLING STONE) of its live shows to ever-growing crowds, most recently on last year’s triumphant RE-IMPERATOUR U.S.A. 2023, which hit more than two dozen North American cities before its two-night finale at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. In March 2022, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES reported in a Calendar cover story that GHOST had “conquered metal and the charts” when its fifth album IMPERA debuted at #1 in a sweep of the U.S. album charts, entering the BILLBOARD 200 at #2 and bowing at #1 in the band’s native Sweden, Germany and Finland, while cracking the top 5 in another half dozen or more countries. Featuring “Spillways”—hailed as a “sweetly constructed rock tune” by THE NEW YORK TIMES and later reimagined with Joe Elliott of Def Leppard—and the GRAMMY-nominated “Call Me Little Sunshine,” GHOST’s fifth #1 at Active Rock radio—IMPERA moved ROLLING STONE to remark, “GHOST predicted the pandemic, now the metal band is foretelling the fall of empires.” The album presented the most current and topical GHOST subject matter to date set against a darkly colorful melodic backdrop making IMPERA a listen like no other—yet unmistakably, quintessentially GHOST. Having closed out 2022 by cracking the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, with the RIAA platinum-certified “Mary on a Cross,” as well as IMPERA winning Favorite Rock Album at the American Music Awards and Best Rock Album of the Year at the iHeart Radio Music Awards, GHOST unveiled PHANTOMIME, a five-song covers EP including the version of Iron Maiden’s “Phantom of the Opera” that earned the band its fifth GRAMMY nomination. GHOST’s seemingly limitless ambition will soon take the band to the silver screen with the June 2024 theatrical premiere of the feature film RITE HERE RITE NOW.
About Alex Ross Perry
Alex Ross Perry was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania in 1984. He attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and worked at Kim’s Video in Manhattan. He is the director of the films Impolex, The Color Wheel, Listen Up Philip, Queen of Earth, Golden Exits, Her Smell and the writer of Disney’s Christopher Robin. He has directed music videos for GHOST, Pavement, Kim Gordon, Sleigh Bells and many more. He lives in Brooklyn.
About Trafalgar Releasing
Trafalgar Releasing, the global leader in event cinema distribution, harnesses the power of cinema to bring fans together in more than 15,000 cinemas across 132 countries. A subsidiary of Trafalgar Entertainment, Trafalgar Releasing’s operations include production, acquisition, marketing, and distribution of live or pre-recorded content to cinemas worldwide led by an international team based in the UK, US and Germany. Featuring live concerts, music documentaries, world-class opera, award-winning theatre, and more from leading names in entertainment such as Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, BTS, Metallica, Oasis, Coldplay, Billie Eilish, the Royal Opera House and others, Trafalgar Releasing has repeatedly shattered event cinema box office records, most recently with international distribution for TAYLOR SWIFT | THE ERAS TOUR, the highest-grossing concert film of all time. Information about Trafalgar Releasing can be found at www.trafalgar-releasing.com.