Icons of British post-punk, THE THE return to the Opera House

Sydney — Monday 11 December 2023

British post-punk icons THE THE will make a searing return to the Sydney Opera House in November 2024 for a two-night takeover of the acoustically transformed Concert Hall. After a sell-out Opera House debut in 2018, the ensemble will once again ignite the stage with their renowned catalogue of socio-politically charged synth-pop songs that continue to resonate.

Sydney Opera House Head of Music, Ben Marshall says: “When I was a teenager one of my closest friends sat me down and said, “given the music you like, I’m afraid you pretty much have to become a fan of The The”, and he was right, and I did. That friend died not long after introducing me to Matt Johnson’s evocative and emotional post-punk excursions, but rather than going on to avoid The The’s music, I went more deeply into his work, particularly Dusk – informed so much by Matt’s own loss - and his music was and remains a solace. In 2018 it was beyond a dream come true to present The The’s first Australian performances in nearly 30 years at Sydney Opera House – I had never seen them live before – and while I wish I could have seen it with my friend, I am so glad Matt is still mining his soul on stage for us all.”

Conceived in 1979 by singer-songwriter Matt Johnson, THE THE emerged through the grit and urgency of Britain's new wave post-punk scene to create groundbreaking albums like 1983’s Soul Mining, which featured haunting pop classics “This is the Day” and “Uncertain Smile”. Joined in the mid-80s by The Smiths’ Johnny Marr on guitar, the band released the politically charged Infected (1986) and the scorching Mind Bomb (1989), further solidifying their status as post-punk legends as their songs moved from the personal to the political landscape.

Over a 16-year hiatus from the early 2000s, Johnson fueled a long-held passion for film scoring before announcing the band’s return with the long-awaited Record Store Day (2017) and a sold-out world tour, The Comeback Special. 

Four decades on from their inception, one of the most revered bands in post-punk returns for a career-spanning set of distinctive, timeless and existential classics as part of their highly-anticipated 2024 Ensouled tour.