Original avant-garde folk heroes head back to tropics for two nightly shows The Waifs will be up all night

l EDGE HILL

| Nick Dalton

THE Waifs are returning to Cairns to play at the Tanks Art Centre in July.

The band is about to start an extensive Australian tour from June to September to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their seminal album ‘Up All Night’.

A spokeswoman said each show would involve the band playing the album in full and a sprinkling of fan favourites.

“They will be joined by special guests and great friends along the way who have each had their own impact on The Waifs’ career over the years, including multiple ARIA award winner Missy Higgins (Melbourne show only), who did her first national tour supporting the original Up All Night album tour in 2003,” she said.

The special guest for Cairns has yet to be confirmed.

“To mark this occasion, they will release ‘Up All Night’ on vinyl for the first time with a limited signed edition available as part of a VIP ticket package,” the spokeswoman said.

“From their inception in 1992 to 2002, The Waifs tra- versed Australia playing every small town with a local paper, a local radio station, a pub or hall that would host live music, and someone willing to listen, of which there were many.

“Constant touring laid a broad foundation, musical chemistry, and an approachable relatability through their lyrics solidified a lifelong, dedicated fan base. The original independent avant-garde folk heroes, they released three LPs, self-titled

The Waifs (1996), Shelter Me (1998) and Sink or Swim (2000) during that time with the unwavering support of community radio, ABC local and metro radio, street press and local papers.”

The spokeswoman said everything changed in July 2002 thanks to their breakthrough single ‘London Still’.

Their 2003 LP ‘Up All Night’ debuted at three on the ARIA charts and won four ARIA awards for best blues and roots album, best independent album, engineer of the year and producer of the year for Chris Thompson.

‘London Still’ was voted in at three3 on the triple J Hottest 100, and ‘Up All Night’ reached double platinum certification,” the spokeswoman said.

“2003 was an unforgettable year for the band comprising of sold-out international headline tours, being the first Australian band to play New Orleans Jazz Festival, touring with Bob Dylan in Australia and the USA and being named in Rolling Stone’s ‘Moments that Changed the History of Rock and Roll’ story, that citied their independence and mainstream success as a game changer for musicians in the future,” she said.

The Waifs will be at the Tanks on Saturday and Sunday, July 7 and 8. Visit: www.thewaifs.com