28 Days will take their 30th anniversary celebrations across regional Australia in October 2026, while their chart-topping album Upstyledown is set for its first ever vinyl release.
by Paul Cashmere
Australian punk rock veterans 28 Days have expanded their 30th anniversary celebrations with a new run of regional dates across Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania, following strong demand for their previously announced capital city shows. The tour coincides with the first vinyl pressing of their breakthrough album Upstyledown, which debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart in 2000 and went on to achieve platinum sales.
The additional shows will take the Frankston band back to many of the communities that helped establish their audience during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Stops include Cairns, Townsville, Airlie Beach, Perth and Dunsborough, as well as a hometown performance in Frankston.
The anniversary campaign also revisits one of the most commercially successful periods in Australian punk. Released in July 2000, Upstyledown became one of the defining Australian rock records of its era. The album’s singles, including Rip It Up, Goodbye and Song For Jasmine, helped propel 28 Days from Melbourne’s underground punk scene into mainstream success.
The album’s achievements extended beyond commercial sales. Upstyledown earned a nomination for Breakthrough Artist, Album at the 2001 ARIA Awards and established the band as a major presence during an era shaped by festivals including Big Day Out and Homebake and by the influence of youth broadcaster Channel V.
Formed in Frankston in 1997 by vocalist Jay Dunne, guitarist Simon Hepburn and bassist Damian Gardiner, 28 Days emerged from Melbourne’s skate and hardcore communities. Their self-titled debut album arrived independently in 1998 before the band signed with Festival Mushroom Records’ Sputnik imprint.
Momentum built quickly. The Kid Indestructible EP reached the ARIA Top 70 in 1999, while the Here We Go EP entered the Top 30 the following year. Rip It Up became the band’s highest-charting single, peaking at No. 12 and later achieving gold accreditation.
The group maintained their profile with the release of Stealing Chairs in 2002, which reached No. 6 on the ARIA Albums Chart and earned gold certification. Subsequent releases did not match the commercial performance of their early records, and after issuing the compilation 10 Years Of Cheap Fame in 2007, the band went on hiatus.
A reunion followed in 2009 when 28 Days returned to support longtime friends Bodyjar on their farewell tour. Since then the band has continued to perform live intermittently despite releasing no new music since the standalone single Unmarked Graves in 2015.
The band’s history has also included tragedy and controversy. Drummer Scott Murray died in November 2001 after being struck by a car while walking home from band practice. He was 22 years old. The loss occurred at a pivotal moment in the band’s rise and remains one of the most significant events in the group’s history.
In 2003, the band was drawn into public controversy following accusations surrounding alleged damage at a Sydney concert and criticism directed at comments attributed to vocalist Jay Dunne. No charges were laid, and Dunne denied allegations that he was homophobic.
Thirty years after their formation, 28 Days remain one of Australia’s longest-running punk acts. Their continued ability to attract audiences speaks to the enduring place their music occupies within Australian rock culture. For longtime fans, the anniversary tour offers a chance to revisit songs that became fixtures of the Australian alternative scene. For younger audiences, the first vinyl edition of Upstyledown provides an opportunity to experience one of the country’s landmark punk records in a new format.
Dates:
Friday, October 2, Torquay Hotel, Torquay
Saturday, October 3, Pelly Bar, Frankston
Thursday, October 8, Edge Hill Tavern, Cairns
Friday, October 9, The Warehouse, Townsville
Saturday, October 10, Magnums, Airlie Beach
Thursday, October 15, The Carine, Duncraig
Friday, October 16, Amplifier Bar, Perth
Saturday, October 17, Dunsborough Tavern, Dunsborough
Friday, October 23, Forth Pub, Forth
Pre-sale: Wednesday, July 8 at 10am local time
General public onsale: Thursday, July 9 at 10am local time
Tickets via www.teamwrktouring.com
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