From frequent flyers to occasionally overseas, The Wombats on their relationship with Australian audiences.

There was always bound to be a bond between Australia and Liverpool indie rock outfit, The Wombats.

It’s written in the name after all. But the relationship that rose from 2007’s launch of ‘Let’s Dance To Joy Division’ would shape the band’s next nearly two decades.

Summersalt- The Wombats

WHEN: SAT 20 SEP

WHERE: TORQUAY COMMONS

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‘Let’s Dance To Joy Division’ shot to number 76 on our over all single charts but the youth of Australia would back it in that year’s triple j Hottest 100, catapulting it to number 12. So began a regular rotation of The Wombats on our local touring circuit and festival map. 

“Australia has always been very kind to us so it’s always a privilege to come back,” explains frontman Matthew Murphy. “Australia has always got us from day one really.”

But the trend dropped off. The lengthy jet lag and the frequency of the flying saw the band look to reevaluate their touring schedule. It just so happened that the pandemic would plan things out for them.

“The only thing that has changed in our relationship with Australia is that we went there a lot and then it was like “Oh shit, are we going there too much? Do we need to turn it into more of a special occasion than something we go to twice every album cycle?”, but to be honest Covid did it for us. It feels like we haven’t actually been there properly for a while so it feels more special for me to be getting there. It doesn’t just feel like clockwork. It’s always been an incredible place for us to tour and it’s such a beautiful country and kind of a crazy place. We’re never on a tour bus so it’s always early flights mean we’re always kind of delirious when we are there. But it’s always worth it come 9pm or whenever we walk on stage.”

 

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The new schedule means that The Wombats are making a point of playing in Australia, marking their time here with a special event, festival or milestone. Their upcoming visit certainly checks that box. The band will be flying out to play two special shows as the headliners of Summersalt. Taking place at Torquay on Saturday 20 September and then in Fremantle on Sat 4 October, as well as playing six headline concerts across the country. 

In addition to the schedule change, the crowd has also changed for The Wombats. The youth that fell in love with their jangly quirky tunes still stand in the crowd but the band are continuing to appeal to the youth of Australia. The Torquay show will likely see a mix of mainstay fans and fresh listeners.

“We’ve noticed it in Australia and especially in the UK and the US, and I have no idea why it’s happening or why we are the lucky ones that this is happening to. A lot of the bands that we grew up with in 2007 don’t get this luxury so I don’t know what we’re doing differently. I think maybe we’re a bit weirder, maybe lyrically we’re a bit odder or there’s a bit of a story going on that sets us out a little bit from the bands that came up with us. I have no idea why it’s happening.”  

 

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Fittingly their stop in Torquay comes in celebration of the band’s sixth album, Oh! The Ocean which dropped on Valentine’s Day of this year. The album was born at the beach, following a revelation Murphy had looking out at the expansive shore.

“It was a very powerful feeling of awe. I had a stressful week and we live in LA but went down to the beach in Orange Country and stayed in this nice hotel and I remember just being on the beach, sleep deprived, staring out at the water kind of lapping in and going out and just thinking “What the fuck is this”. I’ve been to many beaches and many oceans and seen mountains and stuff but had never really taken in how magical and odd it is to even exist there in the first place. It was a real trippy, mushroomy experience,” he says.

“It was showing me that my reality is far more exciting than I realise it is. It was like I saw all of the meaning and I saw all of the purpose and the blinkers were off and it was quite trippy – it’s hard to explain but essentially it was like I saw the ocean for the first time.” 

Whilst Murphy is yet to experience the feeling again, perhaps the stunning surf coast shore will provide new perspective for the next lot of albums.

Pick up your tickets to Summersalt now to see The Wombats alongside DMA’s, Ball Park Music, Del Water Gap, Bea and her Business, and Ra Ra Viper.

Tickets are available here.

Words by Tammy Walters