Only 11 years since they last toured Australia, veteran Canadian rock band The Sheepdogs are returning down under this autumn.
Already revealed on The Gum Ball's 2023 line-up, the 'Feeling Good' and 'Please Don't Lead On Me' rockers will also headline shows in Eltham (northern regional NSW), Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in April.The five-piece band – who formed in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 2004 – were the very first unsigned group to grace the cover of Rolling Stone. They've also played such notable festivals as Coachella, Glastonbury, Bonnaroo, South By Southwest and Lollapalooza.
"It's been 11 years, so figured best be heading back and couldn't be more excited to come rip some shows along with our appearance at The Gum Ball festival," shares the band.
The four-time Juno Awards winners have released seven studio albums, their most recent being the '70s-infused 'Outta Sight' (2022).
"It's a weird world. Everybody stuck in place, overthinking absolutely everything. We wanted to avoid all that – just get in the room, plug in your guitar and go. So that's what we did," says the group's singer Ewan Currie, who cut most of the album's tracks in three takes.
"Themes like optimism in the face of adversity, standing tall and staying strong, knowing that better times are around the corner kept coming through when making the record and it felt really damned good to play.
"Rock & roll is about cheering us up. Simple as that," adds Currie. "We hope our music does the same for the listeners at a time where things still can feel very tough. There's no greater truth than rock & roll."
The lack of touring also allowed the band to focus on the songwriting aspect for the 'Outta Sight' sessions.
"The band still operates under the same principle we were founded on: Dudes who like to rock, making rock music that sounds like what we like to listen to because there's nothing like that around us," bassist Ryan Gullen says.
"Recording time is usually so preciously slotted between being on the road, but this time, when there was no road, things evolved naturally.
"We worked out a song until it felt good and then recorded it, the songs benefiting from the pressure being taken off guys who love playing to each other's strengths."
Tickets are on sale.
The Sheepdogs 2023 Tour Dates
Wed 19 Apr - Eltham Hotel (NSW)Thu 20 Apr - The Brightside (Brisbane)
Fri 21 Apr - The Great Club (Sydney)
Sat 22 Apr - The Gum Ball (Hunter Valley)
Mon 24 Apr - Northcote Social Club (Melbourne)
