If you’ve got your finger anywhere near the pulse of the Australian metal/alternative scene, you know exactly what last night was. It was the official launch of the highly anticipated Oddworld Underground Australian Tour, and it all kicked off last night in Western Australia at the legendary Amplifier Bar in Perth.
We are sitting down with the absolute kings of eccentric heavy tunes, the one and only Ocean Grove, with frontman Dale Tanner shunning valuable rehearsal time to bring us up to speed. These Melbourne nu-metal misfits have spent the last twelve months completely tearing up international stages, including a massive run across the UK and Europe supporting fellow Aussies Thornhill. After leaving a trail of beautiful destruction overseas, Ocean Grove are finally back on home soil for their first proper headline run in what feels like an eternity. Last night sparked a relentless nine-day, five-city assault that will see the band unleash captivating chaos through Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Newcastle, before wrapping it all up with a massive final show at The Princess Theatre in Brisbane on Saturday, August 22.
Ocean Grove aren’t doing things by halves either; recruiting New Orleans metalcore heavyweights Cane Hill who mark their monumental return to Australian shores for the first time in a decade. If that wasn’t enough to push the boundaries of your local venue, Western Sydney’s hardcore-metal powerhouses Deficit are on the bill to provide absolute live spectacles, alongside the stunning cinematic shoegaze textures of Adelaide’s very own Blinder.
This tour promises to be an absolute headline run for the ages; a full-throttle celebration of what makes the alternative heavy music scene in this country so incredibly unique. HEAVY caught up with Dale just hours before stepping onto the stage to talk about bringing the Oddworld universe back home, the absolute madness of touring with international heavyweights, and what fans can expect when the doors finally open.
