Youth Group to Release Album ‘Big Whoop’, Share Single and Tour Dates
Youth Group is gearing up to release their sixth studio album, titled Big Whoop, following their 2019 album, Australian Halloween. The new album is scheduled for release on Friday, October 10th through Impressed Recordings and will be accompanied by a national tour across Australia. The band collaborated with producer Wayne Connolly on this album, reuniting after working together on their previous albums Urban And Eastern in 2000 and Skeleton Jar in 2004. The album features the single ‘Siberia’, released in July 2024, as well as the newly unveiled single ‘The Joke’.
The announcement of the forthcoming album, Big Whoop, comes after a setback earlier in 2025 when the band had to cancel their appearance at the Lookout Festival due to unforeseen circumstances. The festival was set to take place in February and March 2025, with Youth Group scheduled alongside popular acts like Jet, Grinspoon, The Veronicas, and more. The band expressed their disappointment at having to cancel but assured fans that they would reschedule their tour for later in the year to coincide with the release of their new album.
The upcoming Big Whoop tour will feature The S_ft F_cus, the side project of drummer Danny Lee Allen, as support on all dates. Additional acts joining them on various tour stops include a reunited 78 Saab and Lisa Caruso in Sydney, Greg Brady And The Anchors in Brisbane, Jae Laffer of The Panics in Perth, and singer-songwriter Hannah Cameron in Melbourne. The Sydney show is scheduled for Halloween night, adding a spooky twist to the concert lineup.
Recently, Youth Group made an appearance on the supplementary Hottest 200 Of Australian Songs list, with their cover of Alphaville’s ‘Forever Young’ ranking at number 126. This cover was one of four inclusions in the list, along with covers by Shannon Noll, Christine Anu, and Natalie Imbruglia. The band’s rendition of ‘Forever Young’ from 2005 proved to be a fan favorite, securing a spot on the prestigious list.
In anticipation of the upcoming tour, Youth Group’s frontman Toby Martin will be performing a three-night residency at Sydney’s Church Street Studios. The solo sets will span three decades of his career, with each night focusing on a different era: night one covering 1995 to 2004, night two covering 2005 to 2014, and night three covering 2015 to the present day. Tickets for the first night are set to go on sale shortly.
Overall, fans of Youth Group have a lot to look forward to with the release of Big Whoop and the exciting national tour that will follow. The band’s reunion with producer Wayne Connolly promises a memorable album, while their upcoming performances are sure to captivate audiences across Australia. Stay tuned for more updates and details on Youth Group’s latest musical endeavors.