AUSSIE ROCKERS THE STEMS ANNOUNCE 40th ANNIVERSARY TOUR

This will be the WA act’s first tour in five years.

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One of Western Australia’s greatest bands, The Stems, is embarking on a national tour later this year to commemorate their 40th anniversary.

The shows will take place in August and September, with the garage rockers kicking off their five-date tour in Melbourne at the Corner Hotel on Saturday August 24. They’ll then make their way to Adelaide for a gig at the Gov on Sunday August 25, followed by shows at The Zoo in Brisbane on Friday August 30, Manning Bar in Sydney on Saturday August 31, and finally in their home state of Perth at Freo. Social on Friday September 6.

This is The Stems’ first tour in five years and will see original members Dom Mariani, Julian Matthews, and Dave Shaw joined by guitarist Ashley Naylor (Even/Paul Kelly/The Church) for what promises to be a fantastic celebration of the band.

Founded in 1983, The Stems’ first show was at the legendary Old Civic Theatre in Inglewood where they supported iconic Australian bands The Saints and The Triffids. Things took off for The Stems after that show, with the band becoming a staple of the pub rock scene in Australia throughout the 80s. Their distinct sound, combining scuzzy garage rock with power pop melodies, led to the band releasing a series of singles and EPs, along with their timeless debut album, At First Sight – Violets Are Blue.

Sadly The Stems disbanded in 1987 – the same year they released their first album – with internal conflicts and egos leading to their demise. The original lineup played their last show on August 31 1987.

The re-release of At First Sight – Violets Are Blue in 2003 saw the band reform and play to packed crowds around the country. They’ve since toured the globe multiple times, playing sold-out shows in Australia, North America, Europe and Japan.

They released their second album, Heads Up, in 2007 and have gone on to drop several singles and extended plays, including 2023’s vinyl album, Mushroom Soup, which contained previously out-of-print tracks and reached #3 on the ARIA Charts. The Stems will also release their first new single in over 15 years and a live LP later this year.

Tickets for The Stems at the Gov are on sale now via Oztix.

THE STEMS

40th ANNIVERSARY AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL TOUR

Saturday August 24 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne

Sunday August 25 – The Gov, Adelaide

Friday August 30 – The Zoo, Brisbane

Saturday August 31 – Manning Bar, Sydney

Friday September 6 – Freo. Social, Perth