The Dead South Gear Up For Round Two Down Under

As The Dead South gear up for their long awaited return to Australian shores, the band are equal parts keen for and sentimental about the fans who made their first run here unforgettable.

Australia isn’t just another stop on the map for the band, it’s a place that threw its arms around them before they even arrived. “Australia is one of our fresher markets,” they explain. “We toured Australia for the first time in 2023. So it’s very different in that when we first started touring here we already had an established fanbase, which wasn’t really the case anywhere else.”

That early embrace was immediate. “Most of [the shows] sold out in 1–2 weeks… the venues had to be upgraded,” they add, still a little stunned about it. “We’ve always felt a LOT of love from our Aussie fans who waited patiently for us to get down here.”

Touring Australia however isn’t without its speed bumps. “Bands don’t typically take tour buses like they do in Europe and North America; instead you fly from show to show,” they say. That means their signature stage setup gets a stripped-down makeover. “We always have to bring a stripped down version of our stage set when we tour down there.”

This year, the band is bringing something new, including a lineup update that is quite unexpectedly wholesome. “Our banjo player Colton is out with a back injury, so we have our good friend Caelum Scott joining us,” they say. “He was our first ever meet-and-greeter, and he taught himself all of Colton’s banjo parts by ear. He’s played with the band in the past but he’s never been to Australia. The fans are in for a treat!”

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While some artists tailor their sets to each region, The Dead South keep theirs globally consistent. “Making a set list is a tricky process,” they explain. “You don’t just think about individual songs… you think about how the entire set is going to ebb and flow. You need energy in specific spots, softer moments in specific spots.” As such they only overhaul it once or twice a year.

The band laughs when asked about their signature blend of dark humour and high energy strings. “Yeah, that sounds about right,” they say, explaining that their influences come from all sorts including punk, indie rock, dubstep, metal, classical, even horror films and westerns. “And we’re all piss funny to boot.” they add, summing it up.

Musically, they’ve grown a lot. “We’ve all become much better players and much better songwriters since we started,” they reflect. “We also know our roles better, we know what unique thing each member brings to the band and how and when to highlight those things most effectively.”

When it comes to songwriting, it remains a somewhat choose your own adventure journey. Sometimes it’s a riff, Banjo Odyssey started with the main banjo riff, before Colton brought it to the band and the rest of the track was built out from there. Other times it’s the reverse, Travellin’ Man was a fully finished track before Scott brought it to the band to add in some instrumental breaks. The band workshop ideas like a chaotic committee: testing structure, adding bridges, swapping chords, pulling things apart and rebuilding them. “We can usually just kind of feel when it’s done.”

And after this Australian tour that’s exactly what they’ll be back to doing, new music. “We’ll be taking a break around Christmas time to be with our families, and recording new music early next year.”

As for what they’re most excited for this time around in Australia? Easy. “Delicious seafood and beautiful weather. Also Mjolnir, the Viking restaurant. We’ve gone both times we’ve been here so we’re making it a tradition.”

Australia, prepare yourselves - The Dead South are flying back in, funnier than ever and eager to bring their signature style straight to our stages.