In partnership with Wanstock
The Animals will play their last-ever Australian show at the one-dayer Wanstock in Doncaster, Victoria this March – accompanied by Dragon, Ted Mulry Gang and more.
The British band, famed for their 1964 hit ‘House of the Rising Sun’, embark on their farewell tour of Australia later this month. The eight-date tour will conclude at one-day Aussie rock festival Wanstock on Saturday March 2 – their only show in Melbourne on this run.
Drummer John Steel wrote in a statement: “Hello you guys at WANSTOCK! I just wanted to tell you that we are so looking forward to seeing you on our 60th anniversary since The House of the Rising Sun made number one around the world. Every gig so far has sold out and closed with a standing ovation so we must be doing something right. Hoping for the same in Oz, best wishes from the band.”
Besides The Animals, the Shoppingtown Hotel will also host New Zealand-born, Sydney-based rock favourites Dragon, who return to Wanstock following a 2023 performance. Also on the bill are the Ted Mulry Gang (of ‘Jump In My Car’ fame), whose last appearance at Wanstock came in 2020, the day before Melbourne’s first Covid-19 lockdown. The Wanstock 2024 bill will be rounded out by Standing Room Only, Strait Shooters and Daydreamers.
Wanstock is an 18+ event. Tickets are priced at $55 and are now available via the festival’s official site.
Wanstock was founded by Geoff Wansborough, a lover of classic Australian rock and of the Woodstock Music Festival who had the idea of approaching his favourite bands to play for his birthday. The inaugural event was held in 2018 at the Burvale Hotel before moving to its current home of the Shoppingtown Hotel the following year. Artists who have played the festival include The Kevin Borich Express, Spectrum, Hush, The Black Sorrows and The Baby Animals.
“Each year, I try and make it bigger and better,” Wansborough said in a statement. “Now, it consists of a few components: to have two or three of the classic acts from back in the day, to give a some of the emerging talent a chance to play, and to have a cover band playing all our favorites to get everyone partying and dancing. Basically, I put it on to support our local music talent and so we can have a bit of fun while we still can. And this year is really something special with the legendary Animals playing their last ever show in Melbourne.”
