Melbourne’s next big garage-beat export, The Gnomes, from Frankston, will celebrate the arrival of their long-awaited debut album with a Brunswick Ballroom launch party on Friday 14 November.
The album, self-titled but cheekily presented on the cover as Introducing The Gnomes, arrives a week earlier on 7 November via cult imprint Dog Meat Records. The 12-track collection has been recorded at Frankston’s Singing Bird Studios, produced by the band’s frontman Jay Millar, and captures the raw, irresistible energy that has seen them sell out venues across Melbourne in record time.
The Brunswick Ballroom launch promises to be a high-voltage night, with support from Melbourne favourites Loose Lips, The Pearlies and Riviera. It also marks The Gnomes’ first headline show since packing out the Curtin earlier this year.
The story of The Gnomes is as much about DIY spirit as it is about the music. Originally conceived as a solo project by teenage singer, songwriter and guitarist Jay Millar, the band evolved from a series of self-released recordings under the name Gnome. Jay’s early Bandcamp uploads gained unexpected traction overseas, particularly the I Like It EP, which channelled pure Kinks-style riffage and clocked over 50,000 YouTube views after being picked up by a Spanish garage-punk channel.
Realising the songs needed a band to bring them to life on stage, Jay recruited guitarist Ned Capp, bassist Olly Katsianis and drummer Ethan Robins. The four quickly gelled into a formidable live outfit, cutting their teeth in Frankston before earning support slots alongside Skegss, Split System, Hockey Dad, Cosmic Psychos, Guitar Wolf, Drunk Mums, and Japan’s 5.6.7.8’s.
The debut album The Gnomes is a twelve-track barrage of beat-pop, reverb-drenched psych, R&B swagger and Cavern Club swing. From the jangle of “Time Will Tell” to the stomping riffs of “Play With You” and the sparkling energy of singles “I’ll Be There” and “I’m Not The One”, it’s an album designed to leap off the turntable. A re-recorded version of fan favourite “I Like It” makes the cut, paying tribute to the band’s roots while looking firmly forward.
The Ballroom show is only the beginning. The Gnomes’ live calendar is already stacked:
2 & 3 October – support for Jon Spencer at Stay Gold (Melbourne) and Theatre Royal (Castlemaine)
2 November – Croxton 10th Anniversary Block Party alongside Spiderbait and Floodlights
22 November – support for Toody Cole (Dead Moon) at Theatre Royal (Castlemaine)
December – New Zealand debut at the inaugural Grrunk Festival, sharing the bill with Jenny Don’t & The Spurs, C.O.F.F.I.N, Hot Machine, The Eastern and more
International dates are expected to follow in 2026, marking The Gnomes’ transition from Melbourne underground to global stages.
The Gnomes will be available on standard black vinyl, CD, cassette and a strictly limited run of 300 off-white vinyl pressings, all packaged with a lyric poster insert. Distribution is handled by Tweak Distro in Australia, FMD in Europe and Japan, and Revolver in the US. Pre-orders are live via Sound Merch and the band’s Bandcamp page.
With their retro-modern sound, teenage spirit and a debut album ready to shake things up, Frankston’s Fab Four are primed to take their Bayside beat to the world. The Brunswick Ballroom is just the beginning.
The Gnomes – Album Launch
With Loose Lips, The Pearlies, Riviera
Friday 14 November, Brunswick Ballroom
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