Get ready to rock Geelong with anniversary show

ALT-ROCK favourites Spin Doctors will return to Australia for the first time in more than three decades, with Geelong Arts Centre set to host the band’s anniversary tour on May 15.

The New York outfit is embarking on an 11-date run across Australia and New Zealand to celebrate 35 years since the release of their breakout 1991 debt album Pocket Full of Kryptonite.

The tour will see the band play the record in full, bringing their signature blend of funk, hooks and 90s swagger back to stages across the country, including key regional centres like Geelong.

Armed with era-defining singles Two Princes and Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong, the album became a global hit, reaching number one in Australia and New Zealand and achieving platinum and gold status respectively.

Frontman Chris Barron said the return to Australia had been a long time coming.

“I lived in Australia when I was a kid, and I’m friends with Dave Gleeson of Screaming Jets. It’s been something like 30 years since we played Australia … way too long! What have we been thinking?” he said.

“I’m beside myself with anticipation. I can’t wait to relive good memories, see old and new friends, and rock Pocket Full of Kryptonite.”

Fans can expect a setlist spanning the band’s catalogue, from their 90s hits through to the funk-driven material on their latest album, Face Full of Cake. The album, released this year, is the band’s first in 12 years.

Face Full of Cake has been described as both a bold leap forward and a return to the warm, funky sound long associated with the group.

The album emerged from a period of reconnection during the COVID-19 pandemic, when early writing sessions doubled as reunions after months apart.

A major catalyst for the new work was the addition of bassist, Jack Daley, who joined the band in 2021 and makes his studio debut on the new record. His arrival injected a renewed momentum into the group that helped shape the album’s playful, free-flowing feel.

With Face Full of Cake signalling a revitalised era for Spin Doctors, and their landmark debut, Pocket Full of Kryptonite, being performed in its entirety, the performance at Geelong Arts Centre promises both celebration and reinvention.

For tickets, head to geelongartscentre.org.au