The Animals to prowl on Aussie swansong tour

BRITISH rock legends The Animals are bringing their Final Curtain Tour to Ballarat in November, giving fans the opportunity to see them play all their hits one last time in this region.

A major force in the British Invasion of the 1960s with their own unique blend of blues, rhythm and blues, and rock, The Animals have inspired generations of music lovers.

Still on the prowl, The Animals are commanding respect internationally among their peers as well as from fans of all ages.

Their 17-date October-November tour will be the band’s last on Australian soil and will feature a best of The Animals, including We Gotta Get Out Of This Place, Boom Boom, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, It’s My Life and the number one worldwide, hit, House of The Rising Sun.

They will play at Her Majesty’s Theatre on Tuesday 11 November.

Founding member and original drummer John Steel said Australia had always felt like a second home for The Animals.

“The fans here have been amazing over the years, and we just had to come back to enjoy one more chapter of this amazing journey,” he said.

It might be a cliché, but The Animals are indeed back by popular demand.

A 2024 Australian tour was slated to be their last, but following a great reception, they are back for more.

Steel, the only remaining original member of the group, said he was constantly amazed at the families and vast age ranges who attended their shows.

“When we play, it’s a mixed audience,” he said. “We get people of our own generation – but there’s a lot of young people coming to see us and they’re really getting off on it.

“They know all of the songs and lyrics. I love to see them, they’re down the front and when we go out after the show and sign CDs and things like that we’re meeting these people.

“They weren’t even born when we were doing this stuff. I’m really enjoying meeting them.

“But we’re a real band, we’re a live band and there’s no backing tracks.

“It’s just us onstage with our instruments, playing and we love what we do and I think it comes across.

“We get a standing ovation every time, so we must be doing something right I guess.”

Reflecting on their legacy, Steel cannot help but feel proud of The Animals’ large arsenal of hits and enduring impact.

“We Gotta Get Out of this Place was chosen as the anthem for the US armed forces during the Vietnam War and is still sung by high school kids on the last day of school,” he said.

“They’re not pop songs, they’re not la la la songs. They’re songs about the dark side of life.”

For tickets, visit metropolistouring.com/the-animals-uk.