Tag: The Stems

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Stems Announce 40th Anniversary Tour

When I think about my favourite songs from the ‘80s, “At First Sight” by The Stems is always near the top of my list. It’s criminally underrated and still sounds fresh as a daisy while so many other tunes from the decade have dated. Unlike so many bands from the era, they’ve resisted the urge to tour the scene relentlessly, which makes their recent announcement of a 40th anniversary run pretty special.

Original members Dom Mariani, Julian Matthews, and Dave Shaw haven’t toured Australia since 2019. This time around, they’ll be joined by Ashley Naylor, of Even and The Church fame. Together they’ll celebrate four decades since they made their debut in 1984 supporting The Saints and The Triffids.

This isn’t simply a nostalgia tour either. While there’ll certainly be an element of that, the band are preparing to release a brand-new single and a live LP. Stay tuned fans, and make sure you get your tickets to the following gigs:

24 August 2024 – Corner Hotel, Naarm/Melbourne
25 August 2024 – The Gov, Tarntanya/Adelaide
30 August 2024 – The Zoo, Meeanjin/Brisbane
31 August 2024 – Manning Bar, Eora/Sydney
6 September 2024 – Freo. Social, Boorloo/Perth

Image used with permission from Jo Corbett Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Stems Celebrate Debut Album’s 30th Anniversary

“At First Sight” by The Stems is one of the real unsung gems to come out of Australia in the 80s. Now The Stems are remembering that song and others from their 1987 debut At First Sight Violets are Blue with an album reissue and tour.

Citadel Records will rerelease the long deleted album as a limited edition 30th anniversary digipack on November 3. The new release is worth getting even if you’ve got the original; it’s been totally remastered and there are three bonus tracks as well. If you prefer things a little bit old school, look for the vinyl edition out early next year.

The Stems will stop by capital cities around the country next year.

9 November 2017 – Brisbane Hotel, Hobart
10 November 2017 – Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne
11 November 2017 – The Gov, Adelaide
17 November 2017 – Factory Theatre, Sydney
18 November 2017 – The Triffid, Brisbane

Image used with permission from RiSH Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Stems Celebrate 30th Anniversary of “First Sight Violets Are Blue” With Reunion Shows

“At First Sight” is one of my favourite songs from the ‘80s. So I’m thrilled to see The Stems, the Perth band who brought it to you, are set to make a long-awaited return to the live scene this November.

The shows will celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Stems’ breakthrough debut First Sight Violets Are Blue, one of the best-selling albums of 1987 despite a lack of commercial airplay. Rediscover what made The Stems such an iconic Aussie act at the following shows.

9 November 2017 – Brisbane Hotel, Hobart
10 November 2017 – Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne
11 November 2017 – The Gov, Adelaide
17 November 2017 – Factory Theatre, Sydney
18 November 2017 – The Triffid, Brisbane