The Superjesus are hitting the road again from August through to December, announcing a 15-date run across the country to promote their new single, Lights Out.
Both Lights Out – due for release on Friday, 16 June – and the tour are in honour of a longtime Superjesus fan who sadly passed away a few years ago.
Vocalist Sarah McLeod explains, “The Superjesus would like to dedicate this song to Rita Riman. Rita was a longtime fan – she was a member of the band’s very first fan club in the early 90s. A group of music lovers met through our message board called ‘Static’… before My Space was invented… this group became very familiar to us and attended all our shows for the next couple of decades.
“Rita struggled with mental health issues for many years but her saving grace was always music. Sadly a couple of years ago we lost her and it sent shock waves through all of us. So many people struggle with mental health issues in silence, we need to remember to ask each other if we’re ok. This song is for Rita and the fans who grew up with us.”
Paying tribute to Riman, The Superjesus will kick off the Lights Out Tour 2023 on 19 August at Sydney’s Oxford Arts Factory and play right across the country until 10 December, concluding at Albies Bar in Busselton, WA.
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Tickets are on sale now via the band’s website. You can find the date and venue details below.
Having enjoyed a preview listen to Lights Out, here’s what you need to know: it’s a top-tier song by The Superjesus.
It opens with bright, ringing guitars before McLeod’s voice comes in. She’s never sounded this desperate or grief-stricken, and that gritty, cracking vocal brings tears to the eyes when she’s anchored by her bandmates, bassist Stuart “Ruddy” Rudd, lead guitarist Cam Blokland and drummer Murray Sheridan, the latter of whom produced the track.
Even if you didn’t know the backstory, you’re likely to be moved by the sheer musical power of Lights Out.
The most powerful line on Lights Out is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it lyric: McLeod sings “You’ll never be there for me” in the middle of the song’s third chorus, and it’s a punch to the gut. You can pre-save Lights Out here.
SAT 19 AUG – OXFORD ARTS FACTORY – SYDNEY, NSW
SAT 26 AUG – WALLABY HOTEL – MUDGEERABE, QLD
SUN 27 AUG – THE ZOO – BRISBANE, QLD
FRI 15 SEP – CROXTON BANDROOM – THORNBURY, VIC
SAT 16 SEP – BARWON CLUB HOTEL – GEELONG, VIC
FRI 22 SEP – BRIDGWAY HOTEL – POORAKA, SA
FRI 6 OCT – CEX COFFS HARBOUR – COFFS HARBOUR, NSW
SAT 7 OCT – LAURIETON EX-SERVICES – LAURIETON, NSW
FRI 13 OCT – TILLY’S – WAGGA WAGGA, NSW
SAT 14 OCT – THE VICTORIA HOTEL – BATHURST, NSW
FRI 17 NOV – VOLTA – BALLARAT, VIC
SAT 18 NOV – GOLDEN VINE HOTEL – BENDIGO, VIC
FRI 8 DEC – PORT BEACH BREWERY – FREMANTLE, WA
SAT 9 DEC – RAVENSWOOD HOTEL – RAVENSWOOD, WA
SUN 10 DEC – ALBIES BAR – BUSSELTON, WA