California post-hardcore rockers Thrice are heading to Australia for a largely sold-out 20th anniversary tour of their seminal record The Artist in the Ambulance this September. The extensive tour will see them perform two shows in Melbourne and Perth, stopping at Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide in between. Thrice will be performing the album in full, supported by locals Wifecult, St Judes and Shangrila.
To get pumped for the tour, we had Thrice share their five favourite memories and moments of Australia with us.
1. In 2004, we toured Australia opening for our friends in Hot Water Music and Alkaline Trio. We’d toured the States together in 2001, so getting to reunite with them halfway around the world was really special. It was our first time Down Under, and as an opening band, we didn’t really expect much from the crowds on a nightly basis. Much to our surprise, the crowds were BONKERS. So much so, that as the tour progressed, we ended up closing a couple of the shows. Australia has been amazing for us from the get-go and we love it down there.
2. In 2007, we played the biggest show we’ve ever played in Australia, opening for Deftones at Festival Hall in Melbourne. Getting to share the stage with a band that was such a huge influence on us, and play in front of ~5000 of their fans, was insane. A very surreal experience.
3. I can’t really pinpoint a specific experience that cemented this into my brain, but on the whole, I can say that Australian brekkie is the greatest brekkie in the world — the coffee is incredible, and the food is even better. Every time we head down there, we stumble across some new brekkie spot that blows our mind. A highlight of every trip to Australia.
4. Any time we can get a day off in Perth is a treat. It feels a lot like coastal Southern California to me and I love it — the beach, incredible food, fantastic weather. It’s great. The shows there are great too — intimate, energetic, and … sweaty.
5. The last time we were in Australia was 2019. It was our first time Down Under since we took a hiatus (2012-2016), and we weren’t sure what to expect. Had people forgotten about us? Would anyone still care? Thankfully, the shows were nuts, and as good as they’d ever been. That tour was a really nice welcome back for us, and we’ve been itching to head back ever since.
The Artist in the Ambulance, released 22 July 2003, peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200 and was ranked #25 on Rock Sound’s list of Modern Classics. Featuring hit singles like “Stare at the Sun”, “All That’s Left” and, of course, that killer title track, Thrice’s third album is (funnily enough) their most influential and still considered one of the best to come out of the scene. You can get your tickets to the 20th anniversary Australia tour HERE.
The Artist in the Ambulance – Revisited is available to stream everywhere.
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