In 2027, two rock titans will join forces for a monumental Australian co-headline tour. Colliding the sonic architects behind the GRAMMY Award-winning rock ballad Runaway Train, SOUL ASYLUM, together with record-breaking California collective UGLY KID JOE, next March not only marks the first joint run between these two prominent alternative trailblazers; it also will mark the first time SOUL ASYLUM has performed on our shores since the mid 1990s.

SOUL ASYLUM and UGLY KID JOE will bring their high-octane sets across the country next year, kicking off on Monday 15 March next year in Perth, before heading through Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, and concluding proceedings on Sunday 21 March in Brisbane.

From underground beginnings into multi-platinum acclaim, SOUL ASYLUM have spent over four decades establishing a reputation as one of the most inspiring and hardworking bands in the rock realms. Now in command of 13 studio albums, SOUL ASYLUM began life in the early 1980s in Minneapolis, Minnesota, evolving from punk and indie leanings into iconic alternative rock fare capable of commanding commercial appeal and enduring success. The band's double-platinum 1992 album, Grave Dancers Union, would ultimately change their trajectory forever, securing mainstream attention and also introducing the world to their legendary rock ballad Runaway Train, which hit #5 on the US Billboard Hot 11 and took home the GRAMMY Award for Best Rock Song in 1994.

Fronted with enduring raw energy by Dave Pirner, SOUL ASYLUM followed on from their breakout success to release their platinum-certified album Let Your Light Shine in 1995; an album that would also sync up with the last time SOUL ASYLUM would grace Australian stages ahead of their return in 2027. Most recently releasing their 2024 album Slowly But Shirely, SOUL ASYLUM was praised by New Noise Magazine for the band delving "back to their roots capturing raw gritty rock 'n' roll for the soul" and that it was a "testament of creativity and dedication for four decades of music". And between the acoustic-driven charm of their runaway hit Runaway Train, as well as other fan-favourites like Somebody to Shove, Black Gold and Misery, SOUL ASYLUM's extensive back catalogue has also seen them tapped to feature on the soundtracks of cult classic Kevin Smith films Chasing Amy and Clerks. But this is not a band hell-bent on nostalgia, with the seasoned veterans relentlessly retaining the enthusiasm and ambition of an artist just starting their creative journey for the first time.

SOUL ASYLUM have previously shared stages with a horde of heavy hitters a the rock'n'roll realms, including Guns N' Roses, Stone Temple Pilots, The Cure, Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead and many more. And while it may have been decades since the band were last in Australia, more recent reviews of SOUL ASYLUM's live show centre around the group's evergreen energy that can go from zero to 100 in the blink of an eye.

Merging humour with hard rock, UGLY KID JOE's journey has ultimately led them to conquering the mainstream charts and so much more since forming in California in the late 80s. In 1991 the group would make history via their debut EP As Ugly As They Wanna Be, going on to be certified double platinum, and also marking the first time in history that a short-form release (EP) was certified multi-platinum by the RIAA.

In 1992, the band's debut full-length America's Least Wanted would catapult them further, spearheaded by a cover of Harry Chapin's Cat's in the Cradle, and also going on to ingrain themselves in pop culture courtesy of singles like Everything About You, which peaked at #3 on the UK singles chart, made the US Billboard Top 10, and was also featured on the soundtrack for the 1992 flick Wayne's World. Announcing their reunion in 2010 after previously disbanding in 1997, UGLY KID JOE most recently released their 2022 fifth studio album, Rad Wings of Destiny, which saw the band lean into more traditional rock and metal, and also showcased the band's multi-generational appeal that has adhered to them for decades.

Upon reuniting, UGLY KID JOE also resumed touring the globe, adding to their staggering history of sharing stages with everyone from Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper through to Skid Row, Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard, Motorhead and countless other major acts in the scene. Most recently touring Australia in 2017, commemorating the 25th anniversary of America's Least Wanted, UGLY KID JOE drew acclaim from The Rockpit, declaring "the band seemed to be in top shape both mentally, physically and musically as they played out one of the best live shows of the year"; a sentiment that was echoed by Louder Than War of a more recent 2025 performance, praising "Ugly Kid Joe aren't a band to be outdone...socially aware, intelligent and slightly subversive, and, above all a whole lot of fun, it's hard to not love everything about them."

Primed to release their, as yet unannounced, follow up to Rad Wings of Destiny, UGLY KID JOE's guitarist and producer Dave Fortman confirmed earlier this year that the new material is "back to metal...some are straight badass old metal". And if their history is anything to go by, we're in for some hard-hitting delights from UGLY KID JOE in the not too distant future, both musically and yet again in a live setting for Aussie fans next year.

Would You Like To Be There when this Runaway Train of rock and roll rapture rolls through Australia next March? Don't miss your chance to catch two of the greats side by side in 2027 when SOUL ASYLUM and UGLY KID JOE roll through a town near you. 

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