chemical brothers tour 2024 australia

Chirag Tembhurne / August 30, 2023

The Chemical Brothers: 2024 Australian Tour Announced!

We are pumped to confirm one of the most acclaimed and innovative electronic duos in the world – THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS – will bring their world-renowned live show to a Day on the Green at Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong on Saturday 2 March 2024 and at Riverstage, Brisbane on Tuesday 27 February 2024.

Kickstarting the party will be special guest DJs: THE PRESETS DJ Set , ANNA LUNOE and JAMES HOLROYD . Tickets go on sale on Friday 8 September at 1.00pm local time via Ticketmaster, with AAMI members’ presale beginning Monday 4 September at 1.00pm local time.

Having just announced their tenth studio album, THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS – Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons – are reminding us of their legendary status in the electronic music scene.

The Chemical Brothers 2024 Australia Dates

• February 27, 2024, Riverstage, Brisbane QLD
• March 2, 2024, Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong VIC

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday 8 September @ 1.00pm local time.

Find tickets

For three decades, THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS have defined the cutting edge of electronic dance music, both on their multi-platinum records, and with their hugely lauded hallucinogenic live shows, which have played to millions at festivals and arenas all over the world. With huge global hits, Hey Boy Hey Girl, Galvanize, Go, and Block Rockin’ Beats, these are instantly recognisable tracks that make THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS a household name worldwide.

Last in Australia in 2019, performing sold-out headline shows across the East Coast, THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS have been busy touring the world. Embarking on headline tours and festivals sets across the UK & Europe, the duo is only building further anticipation for their dedicated Australian fans when they grace our shores in 2024. Don’t miss THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS’ world-renowned, mind-bending live shows next in February & March.

General public tickets for Friday 8 September @ 1.00pm local time. via  Ticketmaster.com.au.

FAQ’s

When do tickets go on sale?

General Public tickets will go on sale from Friday 8 September, 1pm local time.

Are there ticket limits in place?

Presales – maximum 4 tickets per transaction.

GP Onsale – maximum 8 tickets per transaction.

Where are The Chemical Brothers Performing?

Mt. Duneed Estate, VIC. Saturday 2 March 2024 Riverstage, QLD. Tuesday 27 February, 2024

Are collector tickets available?

Yes! Collector Tickets will be available for The Chemical Brothers a day on the green event, Mt Duneed Estate VIC.

Want a memento to remember your night? When selecting your tickets make sure you choose the Collector Ticket option to receive your The Chemical Brothers specific souvenir. Collector tickets will be dispatched approximately one month prior to the event.

Will there be VIP packages available?

There will be no VIP packages available for this event.

How do I purchase Accessible Seating tickets?

Accessible seats (including Companion Cards) can be purchased by calling our Customer Service team on the Accessible Bookings line Monday – Sunday 9am – 5pm AEST: 1300 446 925. This phone number is reserved for patrons with accessibility requirements and companion cardholders and cannot process any other ticketing requests. Accessible seating, both during presales and the general public sale period, can also be requested via our Submit a request – Ticketmaster Help. Please be sure to include your relevant presale code with your request if wanting to make a booking during the presale period.

Do I need a Ticketmaster account to access tickets?

Yes. Ticketholders need a My Ticketmaster account to access tickets. Sign up or sign in here.  All tickets are digital and can only be accessed via the Ticketmaster App or Ticketmaster.com.au on a mobile browser – there will be no printed tickets, with the exception of Collector Tickets.  Only purchase through Ticketmaster to guarantee you have a valid ticket for entry

Who’s supporting The Chemical Brothers?

Kickstarting the party will be special guest DJs: THE PRESETS – DJ Set* ANNA LUNOE JAMES HOLROYD *VIC show only

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The Chemical Brothers Australia 2024

One of the most acclaimed and innovative electronic duos in the world - The Chemical Brothers – will bring their world-renowned live shows to Australia in February – March 2024.  With show direction by the iconic Smith & Lyall , these mind-bending shows mark their first visit to our shores since 2019!

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The Chemical Brothers are a multi award winning electronic dance music duo hailing from Manchester, England, consisting of Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands.

The successful double act, often grouped with other dance music stars of the 90’s such as Fatboy Slim and The Progidy, are considered innovators of the Big Beat sound and have achieved commercial and critical success.

Simons and Rowlands were both born in London and were childhood friends attending the same school. The pair shared similar music tastes growing up, with a mutual fondness for late 80’s hip-hop such as Eric B and Public Enemy.

The duo ended up at the University of Manchester together in 1989, where they began DJing at Hip-Hop and Techno nights under the name “The Dust Brothers.” They claim that they only decided to start producing tracks when they had “ran out” of music to play at clubs.

The Dust Brothers found moderate success, with their initial tracks being played by various DJ’s around the country. But they started to gain recognition upon the release of their debut EP, “Fourteenth Century Sky”, with the standout track “Chemical Beats”, announcing their trademark “Big Beat” sound onto the world.

They eventually ended up playing at celebrity hangouts in London during the 90’s and remixed the likes of The Charlatans and Manic Street Preachers, however as they grew, they were forced to change their name for legal reasons, and thus The Chemical Brothers were born.

In 1995 the Chemical Brothers signed to Virgin Records released their successful debut album “Exit Planet Dust”, which launched them as bona fide dance music stars. Since then they have regularly released popular and much played anthems, such as the massive “Hey Boy, Hey Girl” and the robot inspired single “Push The Button.”

The Chemical Brothers have become known for their epic, arena style live shows, whatever the venue. They have played around the world from Ibiza and the USA, to festivals such as Glastonbury and Reading and Leeds.

Live reviews

Chemical Brothers is up there on my list of favorite live performances. They were the headliners of Coachella 2010 and I could not be more excited. I waited for what felt like more than 30 minutes for the group to arrive on stage. They were having technical difficulties as one of the segments on the giant screen was not working properly. Even though they were not able to get it going, it did not make a difference at all. I have never felt so much joy watching a live performance with seemingly thousands of my best friends. There were indeed tears of love and delight. They are always one of the first artists I go to when I am going on a long road trip. Each of their albums follows a feeling of cohesiveness and brilliant flow in its entirety. They manage to tell a story with minimal lyrics. They also tell / assist in telling stories with some of the films they appear in. They released a documentary not too long ago which followed a night at one of their shows in Japan. I saw it in theaters and without a doubt I felt like I was thousands of miles away in that very crowd. The next best thing was for us to dance in the theater isles, and that we did. The score for the 2010 film Hana was also composed by them, it turned out to be one of my favorite movies. This of course had a lot to do with the Chem Bros.

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Where to begin... They have been around for a long long time and this shows on their ability to put out great music and great shows. They understand music composition and what it is all about, a great experience! I have seen them live a few times and every time they have been able to blow my mind. Not only is their music great, their visuals are in sync with the music to the point that you get sucked into them and they take you on a little adventure. They play everything from "Lost in the K Hole" to "Swoon," mixing them very smoothly.

The atmosphere has always been great when I have seen them as they tend to attract an older crowd in their late 20s / early thirties. Overall this is an experience I recommend to everyone that has appreciation for electronic music and is looking to get their mind blown. I must point out that I do not take any substances other than cold brews to enjoy my music. If you do, any bass is good for you so please keep your zombie self away from the Chemical Brothers. If you enhance feelings with substances and are functional, I am sure you will have your mind blown by them.

The Chemical Brothers, otherwise known as Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons were a driving force in the UK garage and electro movement of the 90's releasing an innovative take on traditional dance music. Scoring a string of number one albums from 1997 to 2007, the duo have a huge amount of material to wow crowds with during their immersive and surreal live show.

Alongside their experimental music, the pair were known for experimenting with their live show. Innovators of their time, the visual elements now amaze the crowds and help to emphasise classic tracks such as 'Galvanize' and 'Setting Sun'. A barrage of light illuminates the entire audience throughout the show and makes the fragmented dance beats of 'Out Of Control' even more trippy.

The oversized human shadows who frolic on the huge screens behind the duo's heads keep the vibe surreal before they delight the crowd with fan favourites such as 'Superflash'. The finale of 'Block Rockin' Beats' is amass of light, fire and music; a euphoric and hedonistic climax as the stage lights continues to pulse ominously long after the music fades away.

Absolutely amazing show. Well worth the money. Light show and graphics were mesmerising. The lasers are truly wonderful. I’ve never seen CB before and I would love to see them in an open air environment, you know....a summers evening, a bit pissed with a lot of like minded people. Love their ♫ and beat was an earth moving experience. Only disappointment was the venue. Birmingham Arena sucks ass..... Big time. I’m from Birmingham so it doesn’t make me happy to say that. But it is a crap venue. Food and beer too expensive. Bar staff are on downers or some kind of relax drug I’m sure. Toilets are too few and the queuing system to get in!!!!! Shoddy and disorganised. However CB are more than worth seeing again and again.

Incredible. The best.

The was unquestionably the best concert I've ever been to - despite how great The Prodigy and Justice were recently. I had high expectations but I was totally blown away. It was exactly what I was looking for as a high-energy dance catharsis. I knew all of their songs, the mix had seamless transitions and hyped the energy at all the right times. The lighting design had perfect synchronicity between colour, timing and effect for what the music represented. It was highly theatrical and entertaining. The audience was euphoric. It was unforgettable. I will attend wherever possible.

Bloody brilliant night out watching Chemical Brothers @ O2...

Awesome light show with a great set list. I've always regretted never seeing this duo before and I'm so glad I finally did.

In today's world, I normally find the larger venues have far too many people sitting down watching the event like they're at home watching TV and the atmosphere is lacking. Not with Tom & Ed, 99.9% of the pretty much packed auditorium were up & havin' it large! Kudos to The Chems...

For DJ's who've been banging it out since before the mid 90's, they've still got it...

Highly recommended.

Chemical Brothers volvían a España y con ellos la posibilidad de disfrutar de los DJ sets de Erol Alkan y 2 many djs. Ambos fallaron en su labor de entretener y calentar al publico que deseaba ver a el dúo de Manchester asumir el control de los decibelios.

Tom Rowlands y Ed Simons acompañados de un espectáculo visual infalible, nos mostraron todo su potencial y buena parte de su gran repertorio. si tienes la ocasión de verles no lo dudes, GO!

Ich bin Fan der beiden seit der ersten Single. Habe sie vor 15 Jahren in London erlebt. Gestern in der Festhalle in Frankfurt wiedergesehen. Die beiden haben nichts von ihrer Energie eingebüßt. Einmalig. 2 Stunden Super Videoshow und tolle Gadgets. Weiter so. Sehr zu empfehlen. 100 % Party von der ersten Minute an. Das Konzert war das Geld mehr als wert. Danke.

The show itself was great. Lights, sound, music were all fab. The venue (hydro, Glasgow) was a big disappointment though. We missed half the show due to the queues. The management there need a good shake. When you've got a busy night, hire more staff and let your paying customers get on with enjoying themselves instead of queueing for hours for entry and drinks!

super show, great atmosphere. loved the visuals, the music, the people. Another proof that music brings us together regardless of where we come from and who we are. I am not a huge fan of electro but the feeling you get when you see so many happy people is awesome, and they know how to prep the show!

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Time Out says

The legendary British electronic duo are bringing their epic live show to Sydney

Hey boy, hey girl – brace yourself, they’re gonna ‘Do It Again’. British electronic duo the Chemical Brothers have confirmed an Australian tour in early 2024.

One of the most acclaimed and innovative electronic acts in the world, the Chemical Brothers (Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons) will bring their world-renowned live shows to the East Coast in February and March. These mind-bending shows, exploding with lights and epic visual displays – their first visit to our shores since 2019 – will hit Brisbane, Sydney and Geelong. 

Australia’s own legendary electronic duo the Presets will kick off the party with a DJ set (Sydney and Geelong only), with Anna Lunoe and James Holroyd also hitting the decks at all shows.

The Chemical Brothers will be playing songs from their forthcoming tenth studio album For That Beautiful Feeling (which drops on September 8) as well as classic hits like ‘Hey Boy Hey Girl’, ‘Go’, ‘Galvanize’, ‘Block Rockin’ Beats’, ‘Star Guitar’, ‘All of a Sudden’, ‘Do It Again’ and ‘Got To Keep On’.

The tour hits Sydney Showground on Thursday, February 29, 2024. Frontier Members pre-sale commences Wednesday, September 6 from 2pm local before the general public on sale kicks off Friday, September 8 from 1pm local over here .

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The Chemical Brothers Set To Tour Australia In Early 2024

Big beat EDM maestros, The Chemical Brothers, are set to tour Australia for the first time since 2019 with a full live show and support from beloved Aussie acts The Presets and Anna Lunoe.

Announcing three massive shows this morning, the duo comprised of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons will perform from late February to early March 2024 in Brisbane, Sydney, as well as Geelong.

RELATED: Eric Prydz Is Bringing His HOLO Tour To Australia In December 2023

Brisbane is the first stop on the limited Australian tour, where The Chemical Brothers will set up their latest show at Riverstage on Tuesday, February 27th; Sydney follows with another big one at Sydney Showground on Thursday, February 29th (yes, it’s a leap year); before the tour wraps up at the aforementioned A Day On The Green on Saturday, March 2nd.

The Chemical Brothers have a long history of crafting some truly memorable live shows, reiterating their role in taking EDM from the club to the stadium during the 90s with tracks like ‘Hey Boy, Hey Girl,’ ‘Galvanize,’ ‘Block Rockin’ Beats,’ ‘Setting Sun,’ as well as ‘Star Guitar.’

The Chemical Brothers Australia Tour (2024)

Tuesday, February 27th — Riverstage (Brisbane) Thursday, February 29th — Sydney Showground (Sydney) Saturday, March 2nd — Mt Duneed Estate (Geelong)

The Frontier Touring presale kicks off at 2 PM (AEST) on Wednesday, September 6th for Sydney and Brisbane shows; while an AAMI members’ presale for the Geelong show opens at 1 PM on Monday, September 4th.

A general sale for all dates begins at 1 PM (AEST) on Friday, September 8th.

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Chemical Brothers Announce Australian Tour with The Presets and Anna Lunoe

The Chemical Brothers have announced they’ll be returning to Australia in 2024 for a three-date east coast tour. It hasn’t come entirely out of the blue: on Monday we reported that a ‘Hold Tight’ landing page had appeared on Frontier Touring, signalling that headline dates for Sydney and Brisbane were coming down the pipeline.

Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons will play a headline show in each of those cities at the end of February, followed by A Day on the Green set at Mt Duneed Estate in Geelong. The duo will be joined on the road by dance export Anna Lunoe , veterans The Presets (just Sydney and Brisbane), and perennial Chemical Brothers opener James Holroyd . See all the dates and details below.

The Chemical Brothers: ‘Got To Keep On’

The shows will in be support of the band’s forthcoming album For That Beautiful Feeling . It’s the band’s 10th studio record, and the follow-up to 2019’s acclaimed No Geography. We’ve heard a few of the tracks from the album: ‘ No Reason ‘, ‘The Darkness That You Fear’, and ‘Live Again’, featuring Halo Maud.

“Each track on  For That Beautiful Feeling  was born out of a desire to find that point of vision in the studio, a point that could then be refracted back onto the dancefloor through the music,” a statement about the album reads.

“As a result, it’s a collection of music that’s vividly colourful and confident and deeply psychedelic; impossible beauty carved from noise and chaos and endless fluid rhythm.”

For That Beautiful Feeling will be released on Friday, 8th September.

The Chemical Brothers 2024 Australian Tour Dates

Tuesday 27 February – Riverstage, Brisbane, QLD

Thursday 29 February – Sydney Showground, Sydney, NSW

Saturday 2 March – Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong, VIC (A Day on the Green)

Sign up for pre-sale on Frontier Touring. General tickets go on sale Wednesday, 6th September.

Further Reading

The Chemical Brothers Look Set to Announce Sydney and Brisbane Headline Shows

The Chemical Brothers Release New Track, ‘All Of A Sudden’

The Chemical Brothers Release New Single ‘No Reason’, Working on a Follow-Up to ‘No Geography’

The post Chemical Brothers Announce Australian Tour with The Presets and Anna Lunoe appeared first on Music Feeds .

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The Chemical Brothers Gear Up for Spectacular Return to Australia in 2024

Iconic electronic music duo, The Chemical Brothers , are making their triumphant return to Australia in February and March next year, marking their first visit since 2019. Their electrifying live show will hit three major cities: Brisbane, Sydney, and Geelong!

The English duo, consisting of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, are all set to make this tour unforgettable by bringing along special Australian guest DJs – The Presets and Anna Lunoe.

The tour comes hot on the heels of their upcoming tenth studio album, “For That Beautiful Feeling,” which is slated for release on September 8 th . Check out the album teaser on Spotify and ticket information below.

The Chemical Brothers Australian Tour:

Pre-sale starts on Wednesday 6 September at Frontier Touring (signup required) then general sale from Friday 8 September. For more details/tickets visit Ticketmaster .

• Tuesday 27 th February @ Riverstage Brisbane, QLD (18+)
• Thursday 29 th February , Sydney Showground, NSW (18+)
• Saturday 2 nd March @ Mt Duneed Estate Geelong, VIC (all ages)

Check out other upcoming electronic music events in Australia via this feed . Image credits: The Chemical Brothers.

• tags: Events in Australia , Events in Brisbane , Events in Sydney , Events in VIC , The Chemical Brothers

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Hey boy, hey girl: the iconic electronic greats are bringing their block rockin' beats back Down Under.

Don't hold back: one of the biggest acts in electronic music for the past three decades is returning to Brisbane. Superstar DJs The Chemical Brothers dropped their tenth studio album For That Beautiful Feeling in September 2023, and will hit the River City in February 2024 to unleash their latest round of block rockin' beats live.

Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons will play the Riverstage on Tuesday, February 27, with Anna Lunoe and James Holroyd in support.

It isn't just their astonishing 2023 Coachella set that proves The Chemical Brothers are a must-see live act. Every tour — including their last stint Down Under back in 2019 — always matches a spectacle of mindbending visuals to the duo's iconic tunes.

Accordingly, expect recent singles 'No Reason', 'Live Again' (featuring Halo Maud) and 'Skipping Like a Stone' (reteaming The Chemical Brothers with Beck after 2016's 'Wide Open') — and also a wealth of songs from a back catalogue that spans back to 1989. No, it wouldn't be a Chemical Brothers gig without 'Hey Boy, Hey Girl', 'Block Rockin' Beats' and 'Galvanise' getting a whirl.

The pair's current setlist also includes everything from 'Go', 'Swoon' and 'Star Guitar' to 'Setting Sun', 'Chemical Beats' and 'Escape Velocity'.

Holroyd joining Rowlands and Simons on the tour is always a given, as The Chemical Brothers' long-standing opening DJ.

Images: Ray Baseley.

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The Chemical Brothers' live show is a terrifying and euphoric explosion of light and sound

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It takes a team of 18 people to bring The Chemical Brothers ' show to Australia. Only two of those people are on stage, which should go some way to explaining of the scale of the production the acclaimed British big beat duo bring to the table.

"It's a big show," the band's Ed Simons tells Double J's Dylan Lewis . "We were here not too long ago in 2019, but even since then it's bigger and better. It's definitely different."

It might be different but, in their tour opener in Brisbane on Tuesday night, they prove it still packs all the elements that make this duo one of the most captivating live electronic music acts on the planet.

There's no time wasted as they kick off with 'Go' from 2015's Born In The Echoes, its staccato bass and Q-Tip's sleek rhymes jolting every single body in the packed Brisbane Riverstage into action. The amphitheatre erupts into a heaving dancefloor that barely lets up across the two-hour set.

It's a deftly woven tapestry of banging electro beats and warped soundscapes that never stops being captivating. There's an undulating energy that sees the Brothers build and relieve tension with ease, bringing moments of euphoria, moments of minor terror, and just about every emotion in between.

'MAH', for instance, is menacing thanks to the heady combination of its tense, spooky bassline and barked vocals. Beloved 1999 hit 'Hey Boy, Hey Girl', on the other hand, feels celebratory and comforting, it's like an old friend that has ignited many a dance party in across our lives.

The visuals

The Manchester duo's seamless, explosive musical display is matched with an unparalleled visual show that adds an extra transcendent quality to proceedings.

Show directors Adam Smith and Marcus Lyall clearly have an ambition as grandiose as the musicians for whom they're constructed this show, bashing us over the head with a range of stark and stunning visuals.

There are dancers in incomprehensibly wild costumes, adorable animated robots, and wonderfully warped splashes of colour and imagery that truly add a new dimension to the show.

Seeing Aurora deliver a straight-faced vocal for 'Eve Of Destruction' on the massive screen while it sounds like the world is melting down is just one example of the many strangely thrilling experiences they serve up.

Sometimes it's like watching a horror movie. At others, it's a slapstick comedy. It's always hard to look away.

If the visuals don't grab you, the lights definitely will. A rig that would fill a small supermarket is deployed to ensure there's always a blast of colour to make the beats come further to life, and always a laser to reach for when we need it.

"It can be quite intense," Tom Rowlands tells Dylan Lewis about being in the middle of this beautiful madness. "You feel like you're in the middle of the maelstrom a bit.

"It's fun to create these kinds of intense moments and hopefully it's a transformative, transporting kind of spectacular. We aim for the multi sensory. Life is multi sensory."

They nail their aim tonight: we hear them, we see them, we even feel them thanks to the bottom end that cuts through us in songs like 'Block Rockin Beats' and the screaming blasts of noise in 'Setting Sun'.

The genius of it all

There's a moment part way through tonight's show when I find myself pondering a simple question: if all the bells and whistles were removed and these guys were just two fellas playing in a club without the heft of this production, would it still be incredible?

The answer is so obviously yes. This music and the way it's been crafted for the live arena is as good as you'll experience from anyone. Hell, catching this is a small, sweaty club might even be more profound.

But The Chemical Brothers are a big deal, they play in big spaces, and they need to supersize the show in order for it to work. That they're able to do that without losing the powerful weirdness that lies at the core of so much of their work is truly beautiful.

It's Tuesday night in Brisbane, and none of us are as young as we used to be, but this show is a warm reminder that The Chemical Brothers and their fans can (and will) party with the best of them, any day of the week.

The group's fans will be immensely satisfied with this latest tour, but honestly this is a spectacle fitting for anyone who wants to experience a world class psychedelic explosion of colour and sound.

The Chemical Brothers play Sydney on Thursday and Geelong on Saturday, presented by Double J. Get all the details here .

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“It’s pure creative expression”: behind the Chemical Brothers’ awe-inspiring live show with longtime show director Adam Smith

Ahead of the UK dance duo’s 2024 Australia tour, we interview one of their longtime show directors about the science behind the spectacle

In partnership with Frontier Touring

The Chemical Brothers have built their reputation on an awe-inspiring live show – a visual extravaganza that has helped them become the UK’s premier electronic band.

• READ MORE: The enduring relevance of The Chemical Brothers

As they ready a 2024 Australia tour in support of their tenth album ‘For That Beautiful Feeling’ , we speak to Adam Smith, one of the Chemical Brothers’ two longtime show directors alongside Marcus Lyall (together known as Smith and Lyall) – who has worked with the Chemical Brothers since their second gig.

Smith and the duo of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons began working together nearly three decades ago. Then, their light show was dependent on 35mm slide projectors and 16mm film projectors, and family members helping out by starring in the incorporated videos. Today, the immersive performance includes 96 Solaris LED Flares, 80 MegaPointe lights and 9,000 lighting and VFX cues. The two teams have created an ever-evolving show that builds on the twin prongs of a stream of successful albums and immersive visuals and exceeds the Chemical Brothers faithful’s expectations for continued excellence and innovation.

Smith speaks to NME about the science behind the spectacle, their decadeslong creative collaboration, and much more.

How did you first come to the attention of Ed and Tom?

“I can’t remember the exact moment as it was probably 30 years ago but we were going out to some of the same clubs that were DJing at and we had mutual friends. We were doing visuals at some of those clubs and working with a band called The Sandals who Ed and Tom (when they were called the Dust Brothers) did a remix for. This was when Noah Clark and I were working together making visuals as Vegetable Vision. Marcus and I have been working on the show together for the last 12 years.”

“We have never shown the Chemical Brothers storyboards. It’s an amazing privilege to have this trust and belief”

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Was there a particular point where it clicked and it was clear the relationship between the four of you had legs?

“I worked with them from the second ever live show they did. It was only 20 minutes long then and we were using analogue 35mm slide projectors and 16mm film projectors. Ed and Tom loved our visuals and we loved their music so it worked well. They wanted the live show to be an experience which involved visuals and music. Noah, Ed, Tom and I got on very well as well. We had a lot of laughs in the early touring days.”

What are some of the wildest ideas you have been able to bring to the show? Of what are you most proud?

“Looking back it was quite an odd one to get my dad in clown makeup to lip sync the vocal ‘ you are all my children now ’ [in ‘Superflash]. He hadn’t done any acting since he was at college but the visual seemed popular – some people even have it as a tattoo. My dad is very proud of that. My mum? Not so keen.

“I think Marcus and I are probably most proud when the combination of brilliant performance, incredible costumes plus a dynamic visual ‘look’ and amazing lighting interaction with the moving images really comes together. The new visuals for ‘No Reason’ sort of get this. But there’s always something you want to do better.”

Can you share any spectacular near-misses or ideas that you haven’t been able to bring to life? Any issues with people in found footage not wanting to be in the light show?

“We film all our footage and don’t use any found, stock or library footage so this hasn’t happened. We did film a whole sequence for ‘Star Guitar’ that never made it to the show but thankfully that’s the only time that has happened.”

How much input do Ed and Tom have in what you do? At what point in the process do you meet with them? How many meetings do you have, from initially showing them the storyboard to finished product?

“They send us the music way ahead of time. We present them with some loose ideas. Sometimes a few ideas, sometimes just one and we collectively decide which is best. There’s a great deal of trust and belief so there have been occasions where I have described an idea and they have said they don’t understand what it is but my enthusiasm and excitement for the idea is worth pursuing.

“They really understand the creative process and don’t micromanage. Sometimes we might only share the final piece at rehearsals after they have seen a very un-detailed presentation, other times we will show them work in progress. We have never shown them storyboards. It’s an amazing privilege to have this trust and belief. Very rare indeed, and I think the reason why the show has evolved the way it has. It’s a pure creative expression. An interpretation of the music. Always serving the music. And it’s only Ed, Tom, Marcus and myself that are involved in these creative discussions.”

At what point do you get to hear the material? Typically how long is your deadline to get your part of the show ready?

“It depends how radically the set has changed since the previous tour and how many new songs there are. From hearing the new music to first show can be 3-6 months.”

The Chemical Brothers have just released a new album. Have you made visuals for each track or do they choose ones they know will be in the set?

“They choose which new ones will be in the set. Often these are in the new set before the album comes out. It’s amazing to see the reaction to these new songs. Songs that audience have never heard get incredible reactions, because they are so good. It’s lovely to see.”

Do you redo the lights/visuals for particular songs – say really big hits – or when a new tour comes round?

“Sometimes. We made a new piece for ‘Hey Boy Hey Girl’ a few years ago with aerial performers and dancers in motion capture. Their movements are intrinsically linked with the movements of the lights.”

Do you have a sense if the audience expects a new visual or expects the familiar ‘greatest hits’ type visual?

“Sometimes you see people getting their phones ready when they think the 4-metre high robots (that fire lasers out of their eyes) are about to come on. We try and surprise the audience as much as possible but people also seem to like seeing the old visuals too.”

“It’s exciting and a real privilege to be part of something that gives people so much pleasure and joy”

What surprises you about your work with the Chemical Brothers?

“The music continues to inspire me. It evolves and changes. I suppose that surprises me sometimes. I like the creative surprises that come up when Marcus and I are coming up with ideas. When you feel as if an idea came through you rather than from you.”

And finally – why does the relationship work?

“Trust. Faith. Listening. Play. Freedom. I guess we all still love what each other do and we all still enjoy it. It’s exciting and a real privilege to be part of something that gives people so much pleasure and joy.”

The Chemical Brothers tour Australia in February-March 2024, performing one-night-only east-coast shows at Riverstage Brisbane (February 27), Sydney Showground (February 29) and A Day On The Green at Mt Duneed Estate Geelong (March 2). Find tickets and more info here

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• February 27, 2024 Setlist

The Chemical Brothers Setlist at Riverstage, Brisbane, Australia

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Tour: For That Beautiful Feeling Tour statistics Add setlist

• Come With Us ( (Spoken Intro) ) Play Video
• Go Play Video
• Do It Again / Get Yourself High Play Video
• MAH Play Video
• No Reason Play Video
• Hey Boy Hey Girl Play Video
• Eve of Destruction Play Video
• Feels Like I Am Dreaming Play Video
• Swoon Play Video
• Temptation / Star Guitar Play Video
• Live Again Play Video
• Got to Keep On Play Video
• Wide Open Play Video
• Escape Velocity / The Golden Path Play Video
• Dig Your Own Hole / Get Up on It Like This Play Video
• Saturate Play Video
• Goodbye Play Video
• Setting Sun / Elektrobank / Believe Play Video
• Chemical Beats Play Video
• Galvanize Play Video
• C-H-E-M-I-C-A-L Play Video
• Block Rockin' Beats Play Video
• No Geography Play Video
• The Darkness That You Fear Play Video
• The Private Psychedelic Reel Play Video

Edits and Comments

8 activities (last edit by Reddragondiscs , 3 Mar 2024, 06:16 Etc/UTC )

Songs on Albums

• Feels Like I Am Dreaming
• The Darkness That You Fear
• Eve of Destruction
• Got to Keep On
• No Geography
• Do It Again / Get Yourself High
• Escape Velocity / The Golden Path
• Temptation / Star Guitar
• C-H-E-M-I-C-A-L
• Dig Your Own Hole / Get Up on It Like This
• Setting Sun / Elektrobank / Believe
• Block Rockin' Beats
• The Private Psychedelic Reel
• Come With Us
• Chemical Beats
• Hey Boy Hey Girl

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The Chemical Brothers Gig Timeline

• Feb 03 2024 TOKYO GARDEN THEATER Tokyo, Japan Start time: 6:00 PM 6:00 PM
• Feb 24 2024 Electric Avenue 2024 Christchurch, New Zealand Start time: 9:15 PM 9:15 PM
• Feb 27 2024 Riverstage This Setlist Brisbane, Australia Start time: 8:00 PM 8:00 PM
• Feb 29 2024 Sydney Showground Sydney, Australia Add time Add time
• Mar 02 2024 A Day on the Green Geelong 2024 #1 Geelong, Australia Add time Add time

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The Chemical Brothers Look Set to Announce Sydney and Brisbane Headline Shows

By Jules LeFevre

It looks as if British duo The Chemical Brothers will soon be announcing headline dates in Sydney and Brisbane. A ‘Hold Tight’ landing page has appeared on Frontier Touring’s website; ‘Hold Tight London’ is a 2005 track from the band, and the dancing neon figure is taken from their recent videos for singles ‘ All Of A Sudden ‘ and ‘ No Reason ‘.

A countdown timer on the page indicates the shows will be announced on Wednesday morning AEST – you can sign up to the mailing list on the page . The duo – comprised of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons – last toured the country in 2019.

The Chemical Brothers: ‘Live Again’

The duo are currently gearing up to release their new album For That Beautiful Feeling, the highly anticipated follow-up to 2019’s No Geography. ‘No Reason’ and previously released track ‘The Darkness That You Fear’ will appear on the record, as will the just-released single ‘Live Again’, featuring Halo Maud. You can scope out the full tracklist below.

For That Beautiful Feeling , the band’s 10th album, is due to arrive on Friday, 8th September via EMI.

“Each track on For That Beautiful Feeling was born out of a desire to find that point of vision in the studio, a point that could then be refracted back onto the dancefloor through the music,” the press release states.

“As a result, it’s a collection of music that’s vividly colourful and confident and deeply psychedelic; impossible beauty carved from noise and chaos and endless fluid rhythm.”

For That Beautiful Feeling Tracklist

• ‘Live Again’ (feat. Halo Maud)
• ‘No Reason’
• ‘Fountains’
• ‘Magic Wand’
• ‘The Weight’
• ‘Skipping Like A Stone’ (feat. Beck)
• ‘The Darkness That You Fear’ (Harvest Mix)
• ‘Feels Like I’m Dreaming’
• ‘For That Beautiful Feeling’ (feat. Halo Maud)

Further Reading

The Chemical Brothers Release New Track, ‘All Of A Sudden’

The Chemical Brothers Release New Single ‘No Reason’, Working on a Follow-Up to ‘No Geography’

Love Letter To A Record: Tijuana Cartel’s Paul George On Chemical Brothers’ ‘Dig Your Own Hole’

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Listen now to the new Chris Lake remix of 'No Reason'

Greetings chemical brothers, sisters & siblings,

Happy New Year from Chemical HQ!  We're kicking off 2024 with a brand new remix of 'No Reason' from producer and DJ Chris Lake!

More news soon from Chemical HQ.

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Listen to the new 'goodbye' dj seinfeld remix, for that beautiful feeling - the new album everywhere now, new single 'skipping like a stone' featuring beck, paused in cosmic reflection: the definitive story of the chemical brothers., live again: new track online everywhere today, skipping like a stone (ft. beck).

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The Chemical Brothers: 'When It Sounds Good, People Will Respond In An Excited Manner'

This month, The Chemical Brothers are returning to Australia with their transportive audio-visual live show for the first time since 2019.

The Chemical Brothers (Source: Supplied)

The Chemical Brothers remain one of dance music's most enduring – and vital – acts. Three decades in, they are determined not to coast off nostalgia. The Brits are as popular as ever, but they're also progressing. The Chemicals may yet match Beyoncé Knowles as multiple Grammy winners.

In 2023, Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands headlined Coachella the same day as Bad Bunny , released the blockbuster album For That Beautiful Feeling , and published a milestone book, Paused In Cosmic Reflection . "We went through this thing together – the lockdowns and the COVID [pandemic] – and came out with a bang," the typically unassuming Simons swaggers. "So we were certainly back out amongst it."

Simons is likewise an expert in time management. Astonishingly, he currently leads a double life as a Chemical Brother and psychotherapist.

It's Monday morning in London and Simons has switched his Zoom video off. Joking about the indecently early start, the tired musician is croaky but cheerful. The following day, The Chemicals will fly to Japan for consecutive concerts in Tokyo – their first since Mexico in November. How does Simons cope?

"Well, it's the usual balance that I do," he shares. "I work as a psychotherapist a couple of days a week. I take some time out every now and again to go away, but the gigs are usually at the weekends." Fate has lately introduced another complication. "I've just added a newborn baby to the mix," Simons continues. Bonkers . "It is quite a lot," he acknowledges. "But I like the balance of the life. It's all me at the heart of it. I work with Tom and I have that relationship, and then I do something which is relating to other people and outside it. But I have agency within all that."

Pressed, Simons admits that, as a sleep-deprived parent at the end of last year, he did question his many commitments. "You get used to it. I've been doing that kind of dual life for quite a long time now – about 12 years, I think. So it makes sense to me. Other people sometimes find it a bit hard to kind of fathom… I mean, [being awake] at four in the morning when the baby was first born and then having some clients later that day was quite a lot."

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This month, The Chemicals are returning to Australia with their transportive audio-visual live show for the first time since touring behind 2019's triumphant comeback, No Geography . They'll play three East Coast dates, culminating in the Victorian winery event A Day On The Green , supported by renowned UK club DJ James Holroyd .

In the early 2000s, the long haulers routinely joined Antipodean super-festivals like Big Day Out (in the Boiler Room) and Future Music – Simons conceding that it's proven "an adjustment" headlining their own venues here, bringing extra pressure. "We really hope to see everyone out there," he says. "Who knows? Let's have a good time while we still can."

The prep for the live spectacular is intensive – Simons refers to it as a "travelling circus." The Chemicals assemble "a vague setlist" before they "spend a lot of time doing some programming and experimenting," as their design cohorts Adam Smith and Marcus Lyall create the imagery – "a long process." Finally, the outfit have a production rehearsal and discuss the logistics with a road crew. "We go to a big warehouse in Birmingham for a couple of weeks and figure it all out."

Simons and Rowlands crossed paths in the late '80s as history students at The University Of Manchester, both outsiders revelling in the city's club culture. "If you look in [ Paused In Cosmic Reflection] , there were lots of photos of us – and we'll look at a photo when we're students together, just all in our mid-20s, and it's starting to look like those sepia-tinted pictures of the past," Simons observes.

Rowlands, then a member of the underground group Ariel , formed a new DJ partnership with Simons – the two unwisely borrowing the handle 'Dust Brothers' from the Californian beatmakers associated with the Beastie Boys until legalities prompted a rethink. In the meantime, the duo's plunderphonics track Song To The Siren (inspired by This Mortal Coil 's dream-pop cover of Tim Buckley 's folk number) impressed tastemaker DJ Andrew Weatherall .

Rebranding as The Chemical Brothers, the DJ/producers pioneered big beat – a hybrid of house, hip-hop and indie-rock – at London's fabled Heavenly Sunday Social Club. They'd go mainstream with 1995's irreverently titled debut Exit Planet Dust – The Charlatans ' frontman Tim Burgess and Beth Orton cameo-ing.

Signed to Virgin , The Chemicals spearheaded a British electronica invasion Stateside alongside The Prodigy and Fatboy Slim . They won their inaugural Grammy for the Schoolly D -sampling Block Rockin' Beats (for Best Rock Instrumental Performance) off Dig Your Own Hole .

The Chemicals ushered in ever more psychedelic – and exploratory – sonics, the pair liaising with lionised guest vocalists: Oasis ' Noel Gallagher (a clubber at The Haçienda) on the UK chart-topping classic Setting Sun , Mazzy Star 's elusive Hope Sandoval and A Tribe Called Quest 's MC Q-Tip . The 2007 novelty The Salmon Dance , with The Pharcyde 's Fatlip , is an Aussie fave.

Alas, The Chemicals initially found the US EDM boom alienating with its braggadocio. The combo's activity slowed after they completed 2015's ambitious Born In The Echoes , home to their first collab with Beck when Simons announced that he was quitting the fold as a live performer due to mystery "academic pursuits" – subsequently revealed to be a Masters in Psychotherapy. Instead, Rowlands would be accompanied by Smith at Glastonbury. Happily, Simons and Rowlands reunited ahead of No Geography (a showcase for eccentric Norwegian AURORA), winning two more Grammys.

Ironically, The Chemicals unleashed a collection of modish dance bangers, For That Beautiful Feeling, in tandem with a lavish retrospective tome – "a strange mix of the new and the old," Simons notes. But the roll-out was surprising for an unrelated reason.

On stage, The Chemicals strive to be inconspicuous – and they're reluctant celebrities. "We've kind of kept ourselves to ourselves," he says. Because of that, Paused In Cosmic Reflection , described as The Chemical Brothers' "definitive story", felt "exposing". The duo, conducting virtual interviews with author Robin Turner , "ended up probably speaking more about ourselves than we have done in 30-odd years," Simons offers. They then had to promote the enterprise. "It wasn't hard, but it was different for us."

The Chemicals prefer to face forward – or, at least, the present – than reminisce. Coincidentally, Exit Planet Dust will turn 30 in 2025, and Simons is unsure how the two will celebrate it. He paraphrases Liam Gallagher, who dismissed the trend for LP reissues in an interview with The Guardian : "We don't wanna be that band who keeps putting their records back in cellophane."

"I suppose we've done more looking back than we have done before," Simons ponders. "I guess we will probably mark it. It's a confused anniversary because we recorded Exit Planet Dust in one year, and then we had to wait a year to put it out because we had to change our name… The anniversary is always a bit blurry."

Unprepared to be dad ravers, The Chemicals cut a mega techno album in For That Beautiful Feeling , led by an alternative version of 2021's pandemic anthem The Darkness That You Fear . Any vocals are sparing, with Beck singing Skipping Like A Stone and French art-popster Halo Maud heard on three songs. 

"We're putting out new music, and we don't feel like we've become a heritage band," Simons reaffirms. "When we come and play live [this] month in Australia, we'll play a lot of the new material. And we feel it's every bit as exciting for people as hearing, I don't know if it's 'nostalgia', but having those memories of songs that meant a lot to you in the '90s or the early part of the 21st Century even."

Simons and Rowlands are tuned into contemporary dance. Indeed, they occasionally DJ – notably rocking Amnesia in Ibiza. The Chemicals will "scour" Bandcamp and Beatport for tunes. "We don't follow every twist and turn of every new genre. But we're still really excited about the power of a good bass drum in a club with people in an elevated state and ready to party."

Essentially, Simons is a bedroom DJ. "I've got a little DJ set-up in my house – and I still like to go down there and let off a bit of steam, get a mix on, get a friend round, and play some records. I think if I lost that, that would be a lot to lose."

The Chemicals have commissioned elite remixes of For That Beautiful Feeling's singles – Australia's HAAi transforming The Darkness That You Fear into steamy disco . Mind, the buzziest might be Chris Lake 's prog house take on No Reason . "It's kind of everything like we do, but a bit more upfront – and [it] grabs those big dancefloors with the flashing lights and confetti-type dancefloors, which we need to reach."

"The answer to that is we don't know really yet," he says. "I mean, 10 seems like a nice round number, but then five probably seemed like a nice round number at the time. If there's something else to say and we feel creatively excited again [we'll do it]. I think right now probably a bit of a gap is required. Tom's working on something separately maybe. But we'll see... We've got these tours. But, yeah, I don't know. Never say never."

Back in 2010, The Chemicals presented a neglected visual album, Further . The next year, they delivered their sole soundtrack, scoring Joe Wright 's thriller Hanna – the English director on the ascent with his silver screen adaptations of Pride & Prejudice and Atonement .

In fact, The Chemicals' involvement with Hanna resulted from a previous connection. "Joe Wright actually used to be part of the team that did our visuals [Smith's Vegetable Vision ]," Simons explains. "He's a really old friend and then went off and became this huge Hollywood director. [But] he was doing this kind of magic realist strange fairytale with lots of chase scenes and action. It was a perfect fit for us, really – and working with Joe sort of gave it a different energy."

Saoirse Ronan portrayed the titular child assassin, Hanna, opposite Australian stars Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett . Laughing, Simons mimics Blanchett's ruthless CIA operative: "Why now, Erik?" He can't recall attending a film premiere, though The Chemicals met Ronan. "We're not massively red carpet people. But, if asked, we'll put on a suit. We're not averse to traipsing the red carpet." Their score won a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award. On learning that Bana lives quietly in Melbourne, Simons enthuses, "Get him to come to the gig!"

The Chemicals were later attached as composers to a heist film – 2012's Now You See Me – but, Simons says, "We really haven't had something we'd wanna do since Hanna ." With Simons preoccupied, Rowlands made This Is Not A Game (featuring Miguel and Lorde ) for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 . And they're open to future film proposals. "Soundtracks are really exciting to us," Simons stresses. "So if something like [ Hanna ] came along again, it would definitely be something we'd be interested in." The Chemicals talk to Wright. "I think Tom is actually working with Joe on a project at the moment."

More than big beat, techno is inherently futuristic. However, some pundits maintain that even that sub-genre is reproductive rather than innovative – the music critic Simon Reynolds famously decrying ' retromania '. But, while The Chemicals resist stasis, Simons ultimately holds that it isn't necessary to reinvent electronic dance music, as it transcends generations. He personally gets a kick out of spotting friends' teenage offspring sporting tie-dye Chemical Brothers T-shirts backstage at shows.

"New groups of young kids get excited by the thing that we all got excited about; that shared excitement. And that can just be a really amazing loop of really funky great drum sounds – you know, there's [hi-] hats that scream at you…

"Sometimes it doesn't need more. [I don't agree with] the idea that things have to always evolve or become different. It's just kind of like that really primal thing about a really good beat and a really exciting sound and a room full of people, or a field full of people, who are just tuned into that same moment is always gonna be exciting.

"It's just different people doing it as we go along. My Instagram feed is full of huge raves and whole swathes of people just immersed in the power of electronic music. It doesn't matter so much what the actual style is; it's just that kind of primal response. When it sounds good, people will respond in an excited manner – hopefully."

The Chemical Brothers return to Australia in late February for three special shows. They’ll be joined by special guests The Presets, Anna Lunoe and James Holroyd.

THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS

2024 australian tour, with the presets + anna lunoe + james holroyd.

Tuesday 27 February – Meanjin/Brisbane, Riverstage*

Thursday 29 February – Eora/Sydney, Showgrounds

Saturday 2 March – Djilang/Geelong, Mt Duneed Estate

*The Presets not appearing

Tickets:  frontiertouring.com

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The Chemical Brothers Return To Australia

By jess gauci / music & tech , play / 4 september 2023.

By Jess Gauci

The chemical brothers return to three australian states in 2024 with the presets, anna lunoe & james holroyd in the mix.

Australia is set to receive a jolt of electricity in early 2024 as The Chemical Brothers, the legendary British electronic duo comprised of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, gear up to make a triumphant return. With their tour dates scheduled for February and March and a highly-anticipated album on the horizon, the music scene Down Under is bracing for an unforgettable experience.

The Chemical Brothers will be gracing the East Coast for one-night-only shows, beginning at Brisbane’s Riverstage on Tuesday, 27th February, before heading to the Sydney Showground on Thursday, 29th February. The tour will culminate with a performance at the Mt Duneed Estate in Geelong, Victoria, on Saturday, 2nd March, as part of “a day on the green.”

Chemical Brothers fans can expect a night filled with their classic hits, including ‘Hey Boy Hey Girl,’ ‘Go,’ ‘Galvanize,’ ‘Block Rockin’ Beats,’ ‘Star Guitar,’ ‘All of a Sudden,’ ‘Do It Again,’ and ‘Got To Keep On.’ These tracks have etched their names into the annals of electronic music history. Plus, the duo will release their tenth studio album, ‘For That Beautiful Feeling,’ on Friday, 8th September, just days before tickets go on sale.

Adding to the excitement, all three shows will feature special guest DJs including The Presets, Anna Lunoe, and James Holroyd. The Presets, consisting of Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes, are in the midst of their 20-Year Tour , Anna Lunoe has established herself as a versatile DJ, producer, and vocalist, while James Holroyd, a long-standing opening DJ for The Chemical Brothers, has been a presence in the music scene since 1991. His unique style, blending funk, house, disco, and hip-hop, secured him a resident DJ position in 1992. This dynamic lineup promises an electrifying night that will keep the crowd on its feet.

The Chemical Brothers, with a career spanning over three decades, have been pioneers in pushing the boundaries of electronic dance music. We can’t wait to have them in Australia alongside a star-stunned lineup!

As fans eagerly await the return of The Chemical Brothers and their high-voltage performances, tickets for Frontier Members will be available for presale on Wednesday, 6th September, at 2pm AEST, followed by general public ticket sales on Friday, 8th September, at 1pm AEST. Find out more here.

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