UNWOUND @ OAF
SEPT 19
OAF is elated to host the debut Australian appearance of groundbreaking post-hardcore darlings Unwound this coming September 19.
Born in 1991 in the Pacific Northwest as the Riot Grrrl and grunge musico-social movements took hold of underground pop culture, Unwound leveled their small corner of the ’90s punk scene with a scathing Future of What barrage in the brightest corners of the underground. One of the flagship bands of the Kill Rock Stars label, the band also released material on iconic labels such as Gravity, Troubleman Unlimited, and Matador over their initial 10 year run. A notoriously relentless touring act, Unwound temporarily ended their endless adventure on April 1st 2002 after a tumultuous year of societal and personal breakdowns and breakups.
In 2012, Unwound began an aggressive reissue campaign with The Numero Group, introducing the band’s extensive catalog to a new generation of listeners. While the new attention on the band inspired the members to consider a reunion, it never happened- however the idea didn’t disappear altogether. Still, after the devastating death of bass player Vern Rumsey in 2020 and as the world halted under the Covid pandemic, everything Unwound came to a stop. The passage of time and Vern’s absence only made the idea of circling back stronger. In April of 2022, Unwound held its first official practice. Jared Warren, arguably Vern’s original protege as a member of the legendary band Karp and later the Melvins and Big Business came on to take over bass duties. To round out the sound and take the “burden of three” away, Scott Seckington of Nocturnal Habits, Two Ton Boa, and Old Haunts was enlisted on guitar and keyboards. With the new line-up intact, in 2023 Unwound sold out shows across the US and the Primavera Festival in Spain and Portugal cementing their legacy and introducing a new generation of fans to their barrage of idiosyncratic noise rock. Their first ever tour to Australia is set for September 2024.