You may know the artists from their respective bands Pavement, Bonnie Prince Billy, Ty Segall and Dirty Three, but together you've not witnessed The Hard Quartet.
Stephen Malkmus, Matt Sweeney, Emmett Kelly and Jim White are The Hard Quartet. Individually covering musical ground as members of Pavement, Bonnie Prince Billy, Ty Segall, Dirty Three and more, but collectively producing rock ’n’ roll that is familiar but new, warm but icy, melodic but Sphinx-like in its seductive and subtle riddles The Hard Quartet are ready to make some noise.
To kick off their launch, following three showcase performances across New York, Los Angeles and London, The Hard Quartet will make international touring debut with Australia as their first stop, as well as offering up a debut album. The Australian tour will see The Hard Quartet make their way through Brisbane, Sydney, Fremantle, Adelaide, Castlemaine and Melbourne
THE HARD QUARTET – AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2025
- Friday 17 January | The Princess Theatre | Brisbane, QLD
- Saturday 18 January | Metro Theatre | Sydney, NSW
- Tuesday 21 January | Fremantle Arts Centre | Fremantle, WA
- Thursday 23 January | The Gov | Adelaide, SA
- Friday 24 January | Theatre Royal | Castlemaine, VIC
- Saturday 25 January | Northcote Theatre | Melbourne, VIC
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Their eponymous debut album, a double, brings together years of collective influence, inspiration and inhibition but more than anything it harnesses the intuitive nature of these musicians to get inside the song and bring out its best side. As a first effort it’s an instant classic.
“Emmett Kelly, Stephen Malkmus, Matt Sweeney and Jim White formed The Hard Quartet in May 2023. They recorded a 15 song album in NYC and Malibu California without telling anyone except their families and friends – ideal times spent in idyllic locales. The Hard Quartet starts touring in October and will play in Australia, USA, Europe and everywhere else possible through 2025 and beyond. It’s a full-on rocking band. All four band members write, sing, play musical instruments and produce The Hard Quartet’s songs. The band is the natural result of decades of friendship and playing music in each other’s presence.”
In July, The Hard Quartet released the band’s first single, ‘Earth Hater’, and an accompanying video directed by EYEDRESS. In August, the group formally announced their debut album and posted the Sweeney-led ‘Rio’s Song’. A third song, ‘Our Hometown Boy’, fronted by Kelly, followed. Last week, the band released A Tender Look at the Hard Quartet, a 12-minute documentary introducing the band. The Hard Quartet – The Hard Quartet is out now via Matador Records / Remote Control Records.
Tickets to witness these tracks live on their Australian leg are on sale Tuesday 8 October, with presale on sale now. Sign up at Feel Presents for Presale Access
