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Australia, the time has nearly come to witness some of Boston and Chicago's finest performing on our shores. Yep, this week we get Dropkick Murphys and Alkaline Trio kicking off a massive national tour, including multiple sold out shows and some extra dates added on due to overwhelming demand.
For Alkaline Trio, now with more than two decades and ten albums under their belts, the upcoming tour marks their first performances down under in over 10 years. And ahead of making even more Aussie memories over the next week and a bit, frontman Matt Skiba took a quick trip down memory lane with The Soundcheck, sharing some of his favourite moments from his last Aussie visits. Surf, skydiving and hangovers ahead!
SURF'S UP
Maybe I'm beating a dead horse, but I love to surf and I can only surf in warm water. The water in California compared to Australia is cold. Especially if you go up to Northern California, you have to wear three, four wetsuits almost. At least I do. I shouldn't speak for everyone.
Even in the summer here, I will go out in a full wetsuit just because my elbows and my knees get inflamed, red and itchy. I don't know what that's about, but I have an allergic reaction to cold seawater, even in a thick ass wetsuit. There was a time when I just tried to grin and bear it, and I was surfing year-round. The summer months down there are best for surfing. Hawaii and Australia are my two favorite places to surf.
Anytime there's a day off, I can be found in the water. I just bought a new rash guard and two pairs of board shorts just for this trip.
The last time we were in Australia, I went surfing with my buddy Greg Teal down there. We were going out and surfing in Oz with great buddies from great bands. I remember one afternoon we went surfing with a couple of the Green Day dudes and we're just sitting in the water. The sun was setting, and it was an evening session. I remember I had the hangover to end all hangovers down there, and I shouldn't say I've been sober ever since, but that was the last time I got drunky drunk. That was the end.
I was partying with some other bands we were on tour with, and I woke up in this living hell in one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. It was something I'm still kicking myself for. I'm thinking, "there's something just fundamentally wrong with this. What have I done to myself?". Unfortunately, I had to learn my lessons the hard way. That particular surf session was really something, after the hangover subsided, I realized that I needed to get my shit together.
Surfing Bondi, every time. I had a beautiful day with Fletcher from Pennywise. A friend of his from Australia picked us up and drove us to Piha, that was one of the coolest places I've ever been. You’re on some beautiful tropical, alien planet.
UP IN THE AIR
I went skydiving in Australia and in New Zealand as well. I was super into it for a while, but the last time I ever jumped was over in New Zealand. I befriended a bunch of the guys from the jump school there. They all came out to our show and a few weeks later, the plane that I jumped from crashed and they were killed. That’s the last time I skydived. I was like: "that's a sign". New Zealand's such a small island, we jumped from 18,000 feet and you could see the whole thing underneath us. And I could see I think Tasmania, it was on that same trip. I had a bunch of great jumps but that was the last one, rest of their souls. I'm not sure who was in the plane. I only met them that day and they came out and partied with us, and it seemed like a nice bunch of guys. Sorry that it's kind of a bummer of a story, but it's memorable.
THE ULTIMATE HANGOVER
The last tour we did, touring with Gwar is another standout memory. I caught that hangover to end all hangovers partying with Dave Brockie from Gwar, who is unfortunately not with us anymore. He passed not long after that tour.
Just being down in that beautiful land, with so many beautiful friends is up there in general. The Gwar element was something else. Bobbing around the ocean with Green Day, and then watching them on stage. There was a lot of partying going on, but we also have some great memories.
TOURING WITH DOWN
And lastly, playing shows with Down is another favourite Australian memory for me. I love Pantera and I'd never met Phil Anselmo before, I got to hang out with him a bunch, which was fun. And you can do anything, you can go furniture shopping in Australia, or something somebody would usually say is boring - but you can do it, and it's probably a blast!
DROPKICK MURPHYS + ALKALINE TRIO AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES:
For ticket info, head here.
Dropkick Murphys & Alkaline Trio Tour Dates:
Friday 15 November – AEC Theatre, Adelaide
Sunday 17 November - Forum Theatre, Melbourne SOLD OUT
Monday 18 November – Forum Theatre, Melbourne
Wednesday 20 November - Roundhouse, Sydney SOLD OUT
Thursday 21 November – Roundhouse, Sydney
Friday 22 November – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane SOLD OUT
BY TIANA SPETER