It’s hard to believe but the undisputed classic album, ‘Starfish’, from legendary Australian band The Church, commemorates its 30th anniversary this year. To celebrate the occasion, The Church will be touring the UK this June, including a weekend of shows at London’s Bush Hall, as well as appearances at Manchester’s Club Academy, and La Belle Angele, in Edinburgh.
Even if you don’t think you know anything by The Church, you probably do. Possibly their most famous track, ‘Under The Milky Way’, which features on ‘Starfish’, has been added to movie soundtracks, and been covered by buskers, flashmobbers, and children’s choirs. Its inclusion in the house party sequence in ‘Donnie Darko’ introduced The Church to a whole new generation.
The Church have released 26 albums in their incredible 38 year career, pioneering paisely as cult leaders of an underground sound which has not been bettered. The Church has seen their music covered by the a vast range of artists, including The Killers, Sia, and the late great Jimmy Little, one of the best indigenous Australian singers. They started 2019 with a sold out appearance at London’s Meltdown Festival, invited personally by The Cure’s Robert Smith, who curated the event.
Their return to the UK will see them perform ‘Starfish’ in its entirety, along with other gems from their incredible career.
Don’t just expect a trip down memory lane at their shows however. In 2014 The Church added guitarist Ian Haug to their lineup, a former member of another iconic Australian band, Powderfinger. Speaking of Haug, fellow guitarist Peter Koppes said,
“Ian is a big part of the band now. He’s a consummate, intuitive musician with fantastic tones.”
Going on to sum up the band, Koppes adds,
“Music is like inner space and we’re astronauts,” he says. It’s a spellbinding thing, it’s hypnotising. That’s why people like it. It takes them into another world and we’re here to open those doors.”
The Church will be performing on the following:
Sat 8th/Sun 9th June – ‘Of Seance and Starfish’ – The Church Weekend, Bush Hall, London
Mon 10th June – Manchester Club Academy
Tues 11th June – La Belle Angele, Edinburgh
For tickets and further information, visit The Church’s official website. Listen to ‘Starfish’ on Spotify.
