Death To Art

Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, NSW - 29/11/24

TISM’s Death to Art festival marks the triumphant return of one of Australia’s most irreverent and iconic bands, delivering chaos, satire, and nostalgia across their first headline tour in two decades. The masked Australian legends brought their trademark irreverence to Brisbane, Melbourne, and finally the Hordern Pavillion in Sydney, alongside a superb nostalgic lineup including Machine Gun Fellatio, Eskimo Joe, Ben Lee, and The Mavis’s. Rainy skies had no chance of deterring anyone who packed the Hordern with many travelling from all over Australia to see this final show.

Known for their biting humour and theatrical antics, TISM’s set featured new material from their latest album ‘Death To Art’ alongside cult classics like ‘Whatareya?’ and ‘I Drive a Truck’. Their performances incorporated absurdist stage setups, including live painters and choreographed mayhem. The audience revelled in the band’s self-aware chaos and biting commentary, solidifying their legacy as masters of musical performance art. Finally, and after the frenzied and packed Hordern Pavillion nearly became riotous, TISM returned onstage with a 4 song encore to finish up with ‘Defecate on My Face’.

Supporting acts enhanced the event’s nostalgic appeal, with Machine Gun Fellatio’s provocative theatrics and Eskimo Joe’s polished rock proving crowd-pleasers. The Death to Art tour was not just a concert but a chaotic celebration of Australian music, blending humour, nostalgia, and artistry. Let’s hope that we do not have to wait another two decades for a lineup like this one to hit the stage – thanks for the memories.

Death to Art wasn’t just a concert—it was an experience that left audiences exhilarated and questioning everything.

Thank you to Destroy All Lines, Morse Code PR and the Hordern Pavilion for having MFA along.

Review & Photos by @yourmusicpix for @musicfestivalsaustralia