They say absence makes the heart grow fonder; so imagine what a decade sabbatical will do for the arteries of diehard fans of Australian punk-rock noise merchants The Drones.
One of Australian's premier underground forces of the 2000s and early '10s, The Drones will reunite for a lap around our sunburnt land this August-September, and they're bringing fellow indie legends The Mess Hall along for the ride.
The run of dates follow two fundraiser shows The Drones headlined at the Croxton Bandroom in Melbourne last year; both gigs selling out in 20 minutes, making it obvious the love for the band has not waned in the slightest the last decade.
Billed as a one-off tour, Gareth Liddiard and Fiona Kitschin will take a mini break from their other baby, Tropical F Storm, to play shows in Darwin, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Castlemaine and Archie's Creek.
The band will perform material from their seven studio albums, with fans likely to hear such underground gems as 'Taman Shud', 'To Think That I Once Loved You', 'Shark Fin Blues', 'Jezebel', 'Boredom', 'I See Seaweed', 'How To See Through Fog' and 'River Of Tears' (Kev Carmody cover).
If you're new to the band, this is your opportunity to find out why The Drones won the inaugural Australian Music Prize (for their LP 'Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By') and toured with the likes of Neil Young, Patti Smith and The Dirty Three, to name a few.
Tickets on sale via each venue. Darwin Festival tickets will be available from 25 May.
The Drones 2026 Tour Dates
Sat 8 Aug - Darwin Festival
Fri 14 Aug - Thornbury Theatre (Melbourne)* sold out
Sat 15 Aug - Thornbury Theatre (Melbourne)* new show
Thu 27 Aug - Crowbar Brisbane* new show
Fri 28 Aug - Crowbar Brisbane* sold out
Sat 29 Aug - Factory Theatre (Sydney)* sold out
Sun 30 Aug - Factory Theatre (Sydney)* new show
Fri 4 Sep - The Gov (Adelaide)
Sat 5 Sep - Rechabite (Perth)
Fri 11 Sep - Theatre Royal (Castlemaine)
Sat 12 Sep - Archie's Creek Hotel
