As previously rumoured, Ontario’s beloved hardcaore act, Alexisonfire began a doomsday clock in conjunction with a short video that recently popped up on YouTube from the band’s official account – with a countdown timer that lead to… something.
Now, we can confirm what that something is – namely what the countdown clock and video originally hinted at with their simple message of ‘Alexisonfire Farewell Tour’.
As their website now reveals, with just as much succinct detail, is the news that the band will be reuniting to deliver a global farewell tour, and yes, Australia is included.
Playing only dates through the month of December, starting in London, then Brazil and finishing with five shows in their native Canada, Alexisonfire have squeezed in a pair of solitary Australian shows on the 11th December, at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion and the following night at Melbourne’s Festival Hall. Pretty good Christmas present, ey?
Other details are scarce, but you considering it’s the last opportunity for the band to say goodbye to their fans in the live setting, we can expect a meaty setlist of hits, fan favourites, obscurities and otherwise.
Alexisonfire called it quits in August of last year when, according to vocalist George Petit, guitarists Dallas Green and Wade MacNeil had essentially left the band ahead of the official announcement of their split. Green, to focus on his successful solo project, City And Colour, and former bandmate MacNeil helped come to the rescue as the new frontman for English hardcore punk band Gallows; but the two can’t seem to quite escape the legacy of the band they were originally in together.
A post on the band’s website at the time of their decision to split, explained the difficulties of balancing band members’ extracurricular activities with managing their musical day-job:
Our last show in St Catharines, Ontario on December 19, 2010 was poised to be the last ever Alexisonfire concert with a line-up as we knew it. In the meantime, the rest of us discussed the future of the band. After much deliberation, we decided to continue and attempt the difficult task of replacing Dallas, but time got the best of us. Over the last six months, we all dealt with a litany of personal issues, which pulled us further and further from Alexisonfire.”
Ever since that final show in 2010, fans have been cloying for a proper farewell tour. Now, fans are going to get their due.
Full ticketing and events details are still coming, but you can head over to the Alexisonfire Farewell Tour website and just ogle those Australian tour dates some more if you like.
