SHOW SPOTLIGHT: CIVIC ANNOUNCE FIRST EVER U.S. TOUR

The band released a new single “Chase the Dragon” – Listen HERE – & new studio album Taken By Force out now via ATO Records!

Melbourne’s CIVIC – Jim McCullough (vocals), Lewis Hodgson (guitar), Roland Hlavka (bass), Eli Sthapit (drums) – will be coming to the US this fall for the band’s first ever stateside trek.

In addition to announcing the fall headline tour, the band is released a new single, a cover of Beasts of Bourbon’s “Chase the Dragon” – listen HERE. The new song is part of a series to celebrate the new book Half Deaf, Completely Mad: The Chaotic Genius of Australia’s Most Legendary Producer by Tony Cohen with John Olson. Maverick music producer-engineer Tony Cohen defined Australia’s punk and rock sounds in the late ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. His long and celebrated career took him from the studios of Melbourne and Sydney to West Berlin and London’s Abbey Road, working with innumerable bands until his death in 2017. Co-writer and producer John Olson said: “These recordings feature talented Australian artists and are a continuation of Tony’s career supporting unique independent music.” When asked about covering the song for the series CIVIC’s Lewis Hodgson said, “‘Chase The Dragon’ grabbed my attention when I was a kid. Seeing it on TV I thought it was real cool. The production is hard as fuck. Almost industrial. That snare sound. The film clip suits too. Obviously a classic now. Good seedy riff with good seedy lyrics. Fun to play too.”

News of CIVIC’s fall tour and the new single come as the band wrapped an incredible run of shows in the UK at this year’s The Great Escape Festival as well as this past Spring’s US debut at SXSW 2023 that had the Austin Chronicle declaring, “CIVIC’s Tough Sound Confirms Aussie Punk Supremacy,” had Minneapolis’ The Current writing, “…CIVIC are a force on the stage…” and Philadelphia’s Magnet stating, “If there were better bands than CIVIC at SXSW this year, we didn’t hear them.” CIVIC did not disappoint those in attendance, creating a visceral, unforgettable experience with their energetic and intense sets led by the always engaging frontman Jim McCullough. 

We can’t wait to have them perform live on our stage on October 25th. Get your tickets here.