Australian rock band pays it forward with ambitious regional tour

Aussie rock band Grinspoon has announced an exciting regional tour stopping into unlikely NQ locations like Bowen, Home Hill, and Ingham, along with Townsville.

Leighton Smith

@LeightonESmith

2 min read

May 27, 2024 - 5:00AM

Townsville Bulletin

Grinspoon – Joe Hansen, Kristian Hopes, Phil Jamieson, Pat Davern. Picture: Michelle Grace Hunder.

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Remembering their youthful excitement whenever a big band toured through their regional town, Australian rockers Grinspoon are paying it forward to the next generation with a massive tour that includes gigs in several NQ towns.

From their humble beginnings in Lismore in 1995, Grinspoon has become one of the country’s most popular rock bands, selling over half a million records and racking up 13 ARIA Award nominations.

Over this time they’ve built an unmatched live reputation off the back of relentless touring.

After a 12 year wait, the Grinners (as they are fondly known) lit up the internet by sharing the single ‘Unknown Pretenders’ – the first glimpse of their new album, ‘whatever, whatever’ that’s set for release on August 9, backed by a mammoth 49 date tour.

Grinspoon guitarist Pat Davern said he was looking forward to the upcoming adventure with fellow rockers Press Club, with the tour’s ambitious scope harking back to their younger days as touring road warriors.

Australian rock band Grinspoon, whose eighth album 'Whatever, Whatever' will be released on August 9, 2024. L-R: Joe Hansen (bass), Kristian Hopes (drums), Phil Jamieson (vocals) and Pat Davern (guitar). Picture: Michelle Grace Hunder

While their return to Townsville was unsurprising, seeing stops into Bowen, Ingham and Home Hill, would have raised the eyebrows and excitement levels of entertainment-starved North Queenslanders.

“It’s because they’ve always been areas that have wanted to see Grinspoon. We used to go up to North Queensland a lot in our early days,” Davern said.

Grinspoon performing at Grooving the Moo in Adelaide, Friday, April 27, 2018. (AAP Image/Morgan Sette)

“Queensland in general has always been very good for Grinspoon and I think in a lot of ways, it’s a bit of payback.”

In addition to supporting regional fans, Davern said the tour was also about supporting live music venues in this challenging economic climate.

“I’m always hearing about venues that are struggling, it’s a tough game to be in … the cost of living crisis, people are hurting at the checkout, all the cliches … the most important thing a musician could do is to support them,” he said.

Grinspoon are giving back to the regions. Source: Supplied

Adding extra excitement to the tour was being able to showcase material from their new album, which ranges from “ball-tearing surf punk” and “all out rockers”, through to “pop songs” and an “acoustic ballad”.

For those in Townsville keen to rock out with Grinspoon, you had better rush to secure a ticket after Davern warned that half of the Dalrymple Hotel’s tickets had sold already.

Pre-sale tickets to Grinspoon’s whatever, whenever, wherever tour are available now, with the general sale opening at 9am on Monday, May 27 from grinspoon.com.au.