Pioneers of the Madchester sound, Happy Mondays are heading back to Australia and New Zealand to mark 35 years of Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches, a record that helped redraw the boundaries of British guitar music at the turn of the 90s.
Released in 1990, the album fused funk, psychedelia, rock and house with the pulse of the UK rave scene, pushing the band from cult status into the mainstream. It spent more than six months on the UK Albums Chart and remains one of the era’s defining releases, soundtracking a moment when clubs, charts and counterculture collided.
Fronted by Shaun Ryder and joined by long-time collaborators Bez, Mark Day, Gary Whelan, Mikey Shine, Dan Broad and Firouzeh Berry, the band will perform highlights from Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches, including ‘Step On’, ‘Kinky Afro’ and ‘Loose Fit’, alongside staples such as ‘24 Hour Party People’, ‘Hallelujah’ and ‘W.F.L.’
Happy Mondays’ influence on British music was formally recognised in 2016 with the Ivor Novello Inspiration Award, acknowledging a legacy that continues to echo through alternative dance and guitar music today.
The tour also stands as a reflection on the band’s history, celebrating a catalogue that still carries weight decades on.
HAPPY MONDAYS September 2026 Australian and New Zealand Tour Dates
Wednesday 2nd September PERTH, Astor Theatre
Friday 4th September MELBOURNE, Forum
Saturday 5th September SYDNEY, Enmore Theatre
Sunday 6th September ADELAIDE, The Gov
Wednesday 9th September BRISBANE, Fortitude Music Hall
Friday 11th September AUCKLAND, Powerstation
Saturday 12th September WELLINGTON, Meow Nui
Early bird presale: Wednesday 28th January 9:00am local time
General Public on sale: Friday 30th January 9:00am local time
Sign Up For Tickets: www.destroyalllines.com/tours/happymondays
