The Necks, the improvising piano-bass-drums trio, mark 40 years with their biggest Australian tour ever, running January to March 2027 across 13 dates nationally. The milestone coincides with Surf, their 24th album and a double LP/CD of four 21-minute pieces built around a vintage harmonium, each improvised in the studio with minimal overdubbing.
THE NECKS ANNOUNCE THEIR BIGGEST AUSTRALIAN TOUR EVER TO MARK 40 YEARS, PLUS NEW DOUBLE ALBUM, SURF
One of the world's greatest cult bands, The Necks, will celebrate four decades of their elusive musical alchemy in 2027 with their biggest Australian tour ever.
The 13-date national tour runs from January to March, taking in cities, regional towns and festivals, with more tour dates to be revealed in the coming weeks. The tour coincides with the release of Surf, the trio's 24th album, on double LP and CD – pre-order LP and CD now.
Building on their acclaimed double releases Unfold (2017) and Travel (2023), Surf sees The Necks offer four tracks of 21 minutes each, improvised in the studio with minimal overdubbing. Three pieces are built on propulsive grooves, while the fourth is more mysterious and intriguing. All four are set against the haunting sound of a vintage harmonium, and they contrast and complement each other and the rest of The Necks' substantial catalogue.
"When you think about it, almost everything we do runs counter to the logic of the music industry," says bassist Lloyd Swanton.
"We play instrumental music, we have no front person, our albums are often a single track an hour long, and we never play our records live. We walk on stage with nothing prepared, and the only rule is that one of us starts each piece, with no discussion about who that will be. And yet here we are, forty years on."
Since their first show at the Old Darlington School at the University of Sydney on 9 April 1987, Chris Abrahams (piano), Tony Buck (drums) and Lloyd Swanton (bass) have captivated audiences around the world with long-form pieces that slowly unravel, shift and metamorphose. Revered for their improvisational prowess and hypnotic live performances, they compose every piece in real time, so no two shows are ever alike.
With the same line-up for four decades, The Necks have built a critically acclaimed catalogue of live and studio albums as rich as it is distinctive. In the studio, their recordings are often intricately layered in the mix with texture of mysterious origins. The deceptive simplicity of their music reveals new charms with every listen.
Along the way, The Necks have collaborated with Brian Eno, Underworld and Swans, and received the 2019 Richard Gill Award for Distinguished Services to Australian Music. Four decades in, they still offer the rarest of chances: to hear music made once, then gone forever.
'The greatest trio on earth.' - The New York Times
'One of the most arresting and sophisticated bands on the planet.' - The Quietus
'The most beautiful music, at turns poetic then violent.' - Warren Ellis
THE NECKS - 40TH ANNIVERSARY AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2027
Thursday 28 January – Byron Theatre, Byron Bay NSW
Friday 29 January – Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane QLD
Thursday 4 February – City Recital Hall, Sydney NSW
Saturday 6 February – The Street Theatre, Canberra ACT
Sunday 7 February - Four Winds, Barragga Bay NSW
Thursday 11 February – The Chapel, Ballarat VIC
Friday 12 February - Federation Square, Melbourne VIC, (FREE CONCERT)
Saturday 13 February - Ukaria Cultural Centre, Mt Barker SA,
Saturday 20 February – Clarence Jazz Festival, Rosny Farm TAS
Sunday 21 February – The Substation, Newport VIC (SOLD OUT)
Monday 22 February – The Substation, Newport VIC
Saturday 6 March – Bundanon, Illaroo NSW
Tuesday 16 March – Freo.Social, Fremantle WA
More dates to be announced.
TICKETS
Presale: 9am AEDT Monday 2 November
Sign-up https://mailchi.mp/topshelf.com.au/thenecks2027
General on sale: 9am AEDT Wednesday 4 November
The Necks
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