JEFF ROSENSTOCK // Playing Knifey Spooney Again

After over a decade in the music game, Long Island legend Jeff Rosenstock is finally returning to Australia.

Jeff will be hitting our shores in March, bringing Antarctigo Vespucci and Camp Cope along for the ride. With almost back-to-back shows in every state, this will be his first major tour in three years.

“I was there about a year and a half ago working on The Smith Street Band record and I got to play a few couple of acoustic shows with The Bennies or whatever,” explains Jeff, “but the last time I’d done a real tour was in 2013. I’m stoked, we haven’t done anything off the new record there so I’m just excited to come over and do this again!”

The last time Jeff was in Australia was when he was working on The Smith Street Band’s latest record. This time, he has put his producer duties aside to focus on his own music and performance. Jeff has taken to touring again with a tenacity to be admired as he plans to perform both as a solo act and as Antarctigo Vespucci, the collaborative project he shares with Chris Farren.

“I like playing music, that’s why I’m coming to Australia, you know what I mean? To play music. So playing two sets is fun. Maybe it doubles the pressure of possibly breaking guitar strings but other than that, nah. I’d rather do that than stand around the show and I don’t know, look at my cell phone for a while and then drink a bunch of beers that cost too much money. If it was just five straight hours of playing music I’d be like, ‘Fucking awesome. Let’s do this!’”

Taking that spirit and running with it, Jeff will be playing eleven shows in eleven days, all across the country.

“There’s a lot of back to back dates in Australia for sure. I was looking at a map the other day and was kind of like ‘Oh… this is going to be a bit crazy!’” he laughs.

“A lot of the time if I have a day off I’m kind of like ‘Well geez… I’m all the way over here, why not play a show?’ you know? You can sleep when you’re home.”

We Cool? is the second solo record from Jeff, released last year through SideOneDummy records. Nausea was released just before the album dropped, and its film clip (containing knife giveaways, streamer vomit, murder and tacos) was just a small taste of the eclectic, fun vibes this album brings.

“That concept actually came from Australia’s own Andy Johnson! I think we were just hanging out, trying to think of good video shoot ideas. He thought of the idea of the confetti vomit. I thought it would be funny if I ended up with a belly full of tacos. Also, I think every video concept I ever have has been like ‘Oh yeah and then everyone at the end murders me!’”

“I think it was like four in the morning when we were all just standing there and we went ‘We kind of made a real fucked up video, didn’t we?’” laughs Jeff.

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JEFF ROSENSTOCK AUSTRALIAN TOUR

with special guests Antarctigo Vespucci and Camp Cope

Wednesday 2 March – Club 54, Launceston w/ The Sleepy Heads

Thursday 3 March – Enigma Bar, Adelaide w/ Stabbitha & The Knifey Wifeys

Friday 4 March – The Reverence Hotel, Melbourne w/ Max Quinn’s Onomatopenis SELLING FAST

Saturday 5 March – Weekend at the Wonk w/ The Smith Street Band, The Hard Aches, The Sugarcanes & Worm SOLD OUT

Sunday 6 March – Sydney Road Street Party, Melbourne (AA) w/ Wil Wagner

Tuesday 7 March – Rad Bar, Wollongong

Wednesday 9 March – Factory Floor, Sydney w/ Sweater Season

Thursday 10 March – Black Wire Records, Sydney (AA) w/ Nothing Rhymes With David SELLING FAST

Friday 11 March – Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle w/ Introvert

Saturday 12 March – Crowbar, Brisbane w/ We Set Sail

Sunday 13 March – Foundry Records, Brisbane (AA) w/ Lifeboat

Tickets are on sale now from jackknife.com.au.