Messed!Up
Formed in Seattle in 1988 from the ashes of influential band Green River, Mudhoney became one of the defining forces behind the Pacific Northwest’s underground explosion. Alongside their Sub Pop labelmates, they helped lay the foundations for what would become known worldwide as grunge, but Mudhoney have always resisted being reduced to a genre or a particular era.
With Mark Arm’s snarling vocals, Steve Turner’s distorted guitar, Guy Maddison’s bass and Dan Peters’ pounding drums, the band developed a gloriously filthy mixture of garage rock, punk, psychedelia and heavy riffs. Their 1988 single “Touch Me I’m Sick” and Superfuzz Bigmuff EP remain landmark recordings, while later songs such as “Suck You Dry” demonstrated that Mudhoney could retain their abrasive edge without standing still.
More than three decades on, Mudhoney are still doing things their own way. Their 11th studio album, Plastic Eternity, arrived in 2023, confirming that the band’s raw energy and twisted sense of humour remain firmly intact. Their enduring connection with Australia also runs deep, with the band citing Australian punk and alternative pioneers such as The Saints, Radio Birdman and The Birthday Party among their influences.
Now Mudhoney return to Australia and New Zealand for an extensive 2026 tour, including their first substantial New Zealand run in more than a decade. Expect fuzzy guitars, pounding rhythms and the kind of uncompromising garage-punk intensity that helped make them underground legends in the first place.
The tour reaches Auckland on Sunday, 1 November, where Mudhoney will close the New Zealand leg with a show at Double Whammy. For anyone wanting to experience one of Seattle’s foundational bands in an intimate club setting, this is a date worth catching.
Mudhoney: Australia & New Zealand 2026
- 16 October at Thornbury Theatre, Melbourne VIC
- 17 October at Torquay Hotel, Torquay VIC
- 18 October at Theatre Royal, Castlemaine VIC
- 20 October at Volta, Ballarat VIC
- 21 October at Felons Barrel Room, Manly NSW
- 22 October at Factory Theatre, Sydney NSW
- 23 October at King Street, Newcastle NSW
- 24 October at ZED51, Brisbane QLD
- 25 October at The Northern, Byron Bay NSW
- 28 October at Blue Smoke, Christchurch NZ
- 29 October at Meow, Wellington NZ
- 30 October at Totara St, Tauranga NZ
- 31 October at Harbour View Hotel, Raglan NZ
- 1 November at Double Whammy, Auckland NZ
TICKETS, Double Whammy in Auckland
