Irish punk pop trio Ash have just announced more dates to their upcoming Australian tour. A second and definitely final Melbourne show has been added at the Corner Hotel after selling out the first date in 10 days. Shows in Adelaide and Perth have been added, their first since 2001.

Venturing back to Australia with a blast from their past’s past, Ash will perform their iconic debut album, 1977, in its entirety along with a second set of greatest hits and b-sides. Released in 1996, the album’s title is a nod to the era in which the band members were born and the year Star Wars arrived in cinemas.

Although 1977 has sold over 2 million copies worldwide and is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, it was written, recorded and released when most of the band were just 19. 1977 is a cinematic punk-pop soundtrack to binge drinking, chasing girls, youth and frustrated pubescent idealism moulding elements of power pop, glam rock, post-grunge and britpop into a loud, melodic and exuberant sound. The album tapped into the hearts, minds and hormones of a generation of like-minded teens who lapped up the five hit singles from the record, “Kung Fu”, “Girl From Mars”, “Angel Interceptor”, “Gold finger” and “Oh Yeah” – each of them charting in the Top 20. Reflecting on the record, Kerrang remarked “‘1977’ beamed with boisterous world-beating confidence and frighteningly precocious songwriting. Hit after honey-topped hit drip from the stereo, full of bombastic, brash choruses that still sound as tasty today as ever.”

Ash previously performed 1977 in its entirety at the London Roundhouse in 2008, the show sold out in record time, leading to a second show being added to the famous, London Astoria, a venue the band held a five-night residency at when 1977 was first released. A review of the Roundhouse show in The Guardian observed “Still supple and mad for it, singer Tim Wheeler asked: “Do you feel like you’ve changed much since 1996? Because I don’t.” He hadn’t played some of these songs in a decade, he added. That was hard to believe… After such a joyous visit to the past, nothing more was necessary, but we got it anyway: they encored with a dozen random tracks, from ancient B-sides to Motown covers. It was rather too much of a good thing, but who could have begrudged them?”

2013 will be Australia’s first chance to hear 1977 performed in its entirety.

ASH

Performing ‘1977’ in its entirety

Australian Tour

August

Tues 20th Sydney – Metro Theatre

Wed 21st Brisbane – Hi Fi

Thu 22nd Melbourne – Corner Hotel **SOLD OUT

Tues 27Perth – Rosemount Hotel – ON SALE 9AM FRIDAY

Weds 28 Adelaide – The Gov – ON SALE 9AM FRIDAY

Thu 29 Melbourne – Corner Hotel *2^nd and Final Show

Tickets for all shows from metropolistouring.com and the venues