Sunny Coast punks The Chats are back in Australia and have rounded up their friends and labelmates for the Bargain Bin 2024 Tour. Hitting the east coast this February, The Chats will be joined by an all-star cast of special guests, featuring Mean Jeans (USA), The Prize, Ghoulies, The Unknowns and Boondall Boys. Tickets are on sale now.
The Chats created Bargain Bin Records in 2019 so they could release their own albums and give their mates a leg up along the way. In the years since, the label has grown and has released over 25 albums and rare 7-inches for top Australian bands like King Stingray, C.O.F.F.I.N, Dennis Cometti and more. To celebrate The Chats taking their Bargain Bin roster out on tour in February, the label will release some extra special 7-inch splits. More info on that coming soon, keep an eye out.
Everyone knows the story of The Chats by now, right? The trio are a once-in-a-generation punk band who reconnect popular music with its roots in ultra-raw rock ‘n’ roll, inject their own fresh perspective and have duly made an instantaneous connection with their youthful peers and rock’n’roll legends right across the globe. The Chats have released two albums, including last year’s banger GET F*CKED, which charted at #2 and broke mailchimp, and has kept the band lapping the globe ever since. At home, they’re the first pick to share massive stages with the likes of Guns N’ Roses, Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age. Catch ’em while you can before they duck off again.
Mean Jeans are an alliance of three punk rock goofballs who deliver fast, loud and hooky tunes and revel in the pleasures of pizza, space travel and getting wasted. Born in Portland circa 2007, the band have released a hefty discography of records on Dirtnap and Fat Wreck Chords and their specialty is straightforward no-frills punk with a dash of poppy tunefulness, raucous live shows and fierce commitment to the art of partying, a lot of the time with The Chats.
The Prize are Melbourne’s hottest new addition, a breath of fresh air and a shot in the arm for a city bouncing back from a bitter start to the decade. Formed in early 2021, The Prize stumbled across a blend of power pop and rock and roll that’s equal parts brains and bravado. Blending the hooks of The Nerves, twin rock ’n’ roll leads of Thin Lizzy and the pop sensibilities of the Divinyls, in their short time together, the band have supported everyone from Pavement to the Sunnyboys and recently wrapped up a European tour with King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard. Phew!
Hailing from Brissy, The Unknowns have been kicking about since late-2014. Featuring two-thirds of The Chats, Josh Hardy and Eamon Sandwith will forgo smoko and put in double time on the Bargain Bin 2024 tour (at selected shows). The Unknowns deal in a nostalgic blend of garage rock with power pop sensibilities and a big dose of heartfelt lyrics. The band have released two sentimental albums and toured across the country with The Meanies, Ed Kuepper (The Saints), Frenzal Rhomb, The Chats, Clowns, Pist Idiots and stacks more.
Brisbane’s legendary Boondall Boys have reemerged to inflict their dark, paint stripping sludge on a whole new generation. Featuring Mad Macka from the Onyas / Egos / Cosmic Psychos, Boondall Boys recently re-released their seminal 2008 record, Hard Rubbish, which previously had 200 copies in circulation, only 100 of them playable. Yep. Catch them on select dates.
WA’s Ghoulies round out one hell of an epic line up! Featuring members of Dennis Cometti, Aborted Tortoise and Kitchen People, the punk supergroup have built a reputation for fast, catchy, weird rock songs that has led them to playing with Thee Osees, Gee Tee, Ty Segall, Black Lips, Spread Joy and The Bronx as well as played a host of Euro festivals.
Tickets for the Bargain Bin 2024 tour are on sale now via thechatslovebeer.com. The east coast won’t know what hit it when this powerhouse line up arrives in February.
