Avant-garde, post-punk, death oompah band and cult cabaret geniuses, The Tiger Lillies, are making their long-awaited return to Australia to showcase their new album, Serenade from the Sewer, celebrating the weird, the macabre and those that society has abandoned.
Kicking off in Hobart on February 21, the tour takes in Perth Festival, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Brunswick Heads and will visit our very own Castlemaine Theatre Royal on March 7, before concluding as part of Adelaide Festival.
Olivier award-winning and Grammy nominated, The Tiger Lillies, have toured the world for over 35 years and released scores of critically acclaimed albums.
They have starred in many unforgettable theatre productions from their West End smash hit Shockheaded Peter to 2025’s A Macbeth Song, which ran for three months in Barcelona and is now touring worldwide.
With Martyn Jaques on vocals, accordion, piano and guitar; Adrian Stout on double bass, musical saw, theremin and vocals; and Budi Butenop on drums, they never cease to surprise, shock and entertain with their inimitable musical style, conjuring up the macabre magic of pre-war Berlin and fusing it with the savage edge of punk.
The Mail chatted with, Martyn Jacques, in between shows in Santiago Chile, South America, before they jetted back to Europe for a couple of shows in Majorca, Spain ahead of the Australian tour.
Martyn said they last visited Australia in 2019 and look forward to returning to our shores.
“I remember drinking Castlemaine XXXX in London in the 70s. Australian larger was very fashionable at the time. Is that still a thing?” Martyn queried.
Our journo advised Martyn the beer was now Queensland based, but he’d have to sample our local brews at Shedshaker and the Love Shack during his visit!
Martyn feels the historic theatre will really set the backdrop for the show.
Inspired by the seedy underbelly of London’s Soho district in the 1980s, Serenade from the Sewer is a melancholic yet ironic reflection of life on the margins of society; a grotesquely beautiful tale framed by the band’s signature fusion of chanson, dark cabaret and operatic punk.
Martyn said the show takes audiences on a trip back in time to the dark, pre-gentrified Soho where he lived in his 20s.
“It was a very poor area at that time. I really enjoyed my time there. The songs tell the stories of those who lived there and is a real snapshot of that period.
“I’ve gone from being a young man in my 20s immersed in that life to an old codger in my mid 60s relaying stories of people I knew then.
“It was a special time, lots of characters, interesting tales. We’ve been getting some wonderful audience response. Hopefully it will be well received by Australian audiences.
“We may also throw in a few of the old songs towards the end of the show. We have a small but dedicated fan base there who may have some requests,” he said.
To get your ticket to this unmissable show visit www.tigerlillies.com/tour