Australian rock veterans The New Christs have been confirmed as special guests for The Damned’s Melbourne concert, adding one of Australia’s most enduring underground rock bands to the Australian leg of the British punk pioneers’ Final Damnation Tour.
by Paul Cashmere
Australian rock band The New Christs will support The Damned when the British punk legends perform at Melbourne’s Forum on 13 September 2026 as part of their Final Damnation Tour. The appearance pairs two influential acts whose histories stretch back to the formative years of punk and post-punk, bringing together artists who have each played significant roles in shaping alternative rock over the past four decades.
The Melbourne announcement adds another chapter to the long history of The New Christs, the band founded by former Radio Birdman frontman Rob Younger in the early 1980s. While the group has maintained a selective touring schedule throughout its career, it has continued to command a strong reputation within Australia’s rock community and among international audiences drawn to its uncompromising live performances.
The current line-up features Rob Younger on vocals alongside Dave Kettley on guitar, Brent Williams on guitar and keyboards, Jim Dickson on bass and Paul Larsen on drums. Across more than 40 years, the band has built its reputation through powerful live shows and a catalogue that has influenced generations of Australian rock musicians while also attracting audiences across Europe and beyond.
The support slot follows an active period for The New Christs. In 2025 the band returned to Europe for its first tour there in more than a decade, coinciding with the release of the career-spanning double LP The Burning of Rome: Selected Works. The performances marked a significant return to international stages and highlighted the continuing demand for the band’s music well into its fifth decade.
The Damned’s Australian and New Zealand visit forms part of the group’s Final Damnation Tour, bringing one of punk’s pioneering bands back to the region for what has been billed as a farewell run. Melbourne audiences will now see the British group joined by one of Australia’s most respected underground rock acts, creating a line-up that spans two influential strands of rock history.
For The New Christs, the Forum performance continues an Australian touring schedule that has followed last year’s overseas return. It also reunites the band with an audience that has continued to support its music through sporadic live appearances rather than an extensive touring calendar.
The pairing reflects the longstanding connections between Australia’s independent rock scene and the first wave of British punk, with both The New Christs and The Damned remaining active decades after their respective beginnings. While each band has followed a different path, both have maintained dedicated audiences through consistent live performances and enduring catalogues.
Tour Dates
8 September 2026, Auckland, Powerstation
10 September 2026, Sydney, Sydney Opera House
11 September 2026, Brisbane, The Tivoli
13 September 2026, Melbourne, The Forum
https://thephoenix.au/public-image-ltd-2027/
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