Violent Femmes’ 30th Anniversary Album Tour
30 years since the release of their multimillion-selling eponymous debut that spawned such coming-of-age hits as ‘Blister in the Sun‘, ‘Kiss Off’, ‘Add It Up‘ and ‘Gone Daddy Gone‘, acoustic punk innovators the Violent Femmes will make their Opera House debut on the edge of New Years Eve, on Monday 29 December 2014.
Celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of Violent Femmes (1983), this performance will see the American three-piece consisting of founding members Gordon Gano (singer-songwriter, guitar) and Brian Ritchie (bass), and new member Brian Viglione (drums), perform the lauded album in its entirety plus tracks from their critically acclaimed sophomore LP Hallowed Ground (1984) – transforming the Concert Hall with their inimitable rite-of-passage, alt-rock.
Ben Marshall, Head of Contemporary Music at Sydney Opera House said, “One of the pivotal bands that paved the way for the recent explosion of literate, ambitious and exciting indie-rock that we’ve programmed so much of, the Violent Femmes’ searing, caustic and energising work struck a deep chord early on in Australia and we are thrilled to have them play the big room here.”
“They are the first band I ever saw play live and to have them play their incredible first album in its entirety for its 30th anniversary at the Opera House is a real moment and will be an incendiary summer concert this December.”
Forming in 1981 with the intention to ‘rock harder than any other acoustic act on the planet’, the trio’s mythical rise saw the fresh grad buskers handpicked off the street by The Pretenders, before releasing their coming-of-age self-titled classic, ‘a perfect expression of geeky teenage angst,’ (Pitchfork). Considered one of the greatest debuts of all time with over nine million copies sold, the Wisconsin-born outfit’s minimal mix of 10 steel strings and a snare drum spawned a string of classic indie-rock anthems boasting classic riffs in league with ‘Smoke on the Water, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and ‘You Really Got Me’.
Described as ‘downright visionary,’ (The Atlantic) and fabled as a sneerier, post-pubescent Catcher in the Rye with a rabid, age-defying following, the Femmes have drawn fans from The Smiths and the Pixies to Lou Reed and The Dresden Dolls, ensnaring Dolls drummer Brian Viglione in the process whilst Amanda Palmer declared that ‘we were raised on their music’.
Having first toured Australia in 1992 – with Nirvana as support – only to return eight years later for a raucous Falls Festival finale that rang in the new millennium, the Femmes have been embraced by the nation with bassist Brian Ritchie having performed with members of Midnight Oil and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Now celebrating the 30th anniversary of their iconic self-titled debut, the legendary Violent Femmes will take to the Concert Hall stage this summer for a roaring Opera House debut pop, punk and pure rock ‘n’ roll glory.
This performance is part of Music at the House, the contemporary music program presented by Sydney Opera House that includes upcoming performances by Angus & Julia Stone, Boy & Bear, Pat Metheny Unity Group, Nils Frahm, Max Richter, The Gloaming and Damon Albarn, and has included performances by City and Colour, The Jezabels, Iron & Wine, Buddy Guy and Charlie Musselwhite, The National, Flying Lotus, Grizzly Bear, Neil Finn, Bonobo, CHIC featuring Nile Rodgers, James Blake, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and more.
