It seems like Melbourne super-natural-group Bleak Squad are here to stay. The new Melbourne four-piece comprised of true Australian art-rock royalty: Adalita (Magic Dirt), Mick Harvey (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, PJ Harvey, The Birthday Party), Mick Turner (Dirty Three, Mess Esque) and Marty Brown (Art of Fighting) – are today announcing a run of shows in February and March 2026
Adding to their already announced festival appearances at Perth International Festival, Golden Plains and Riverboats, will be their first headline shows in Brisbane, Sydneyand Canberra, as well as regional centres the Blue Mountains, Ballarat, Castlemaine, Eumundi and Murwillumbah.
Says Brown: “We looked at our calendars for next year and there were only a few weeks we were all in the country and available, so we’ve jam-packed as many shows into them as we could because god knows when the next opportunity to play live together will happen again”
Their debut album Strange Love has been a roaring, out-of-left-field success in 2025. Topping the AIR Chart, making a top 40 ARIA Chart debut, RRR and 3PBS Albums of the Week, and being shortlisted for The Australian Music Prize (to be announced on Thursday). Plus their first live shows that have left audiences mesmerised, including two shows at the Melbourne Recital Centre and a show in Sydney’s City Recital Hall with Ed Kuepper and Jim White.
Squad goals!