New live EP ‘Live Nights in Venice… Vol. 1’ out now — and a world tour is on the horizon.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t some nostalgia cash-in or a tribute act running on fumes. This is The Saints ’73–’78 — the real-deal legends — tearing it up with fire, volume, and a lineup that’s both historic and electrifying.
After a three-night stand at Brisbane’s Princess Theatre in October 2024, the band dropped ‘Live Nights in Venice… Vol. 1,’ a digital-only EP featuring four scorching live tracks from night two. Longtime Kuepper collaborator Derek Bovill captured the shows, with Branko Cosic of 4ZZZ handling the mix. What you get is a raw, high-energy slice of rock history, delivered with the urgency and chaos that made the Saints so vital in the first place.
As music writer Sean Sennett put it: “This wasn’t a tribute to the Saints … it was something else. It was eight guys on stage reaching for magic, devoted to the moment and delivering one of the greatest final furlongs I’ve seen in four decades of watching live music.”
The lineup is stacked with serious pedigree:
- Ed Kuepper (original guitarist, songwriter, sonic architect)
- Ivor Hay (original drummer, rhythmic backbone)
- Peter Oxley (bass legend from The Sunnyboys)
- Mick Harvey (ex-Bad Seeds, multi-instrumental master)
- Mark Arm (Mudhoney frontman and longtime Saints disciple)
- Plus a powerhouse brass section: Eamon Dilworth, Julian Wilson, and Mark Spencer
‘Live Nights in Venice… Vol. 1’ features:
- Nights In Venice
- No Time
- (I’m) Misunderstood
- Know Your Product
Backseat Mafia called the band “a band on fire,” and Uncut chimed in with praise for Kuepper’s “molten and unrelenting” guitar work. This EP isn’t just a teaser — it’s a mission statement.
And here’s the kicker: this lineup is hitting the road.
The Saints ’73–’78 Are Touring the World in 2025
In November, The Saints ’73–’78 are set to tour New Zealand, North America, the UK, Sweden, and Berlin. For fans in the U.S., this is big — huge, even — because it’s the first time ever that material from the band’s original era will be performed live on North American soil.
Mark Arm put it best: “The Saints’ first three albums rank among the best records ever made… Their influence looms large in Mudhoney world. I am stoked, stunned, and humbled that I get to join in on this Rock ‘n’ Roll Reality Camp with Ed, Ivor, Peter and Mick.”
A Crash Course in Saints History (and Why You Should Care)
The Saints didn’t wait for punk to become a thing — they preceded it. Self-releasing their feral debut single (I’m) Stranded in 1976, they beat the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Damned — all of them — to the punch.
By the time they released their debut album of the same name in early 1977, they had already relocated to Sydney, then London, opening for the Ramones and recording not one but three seminal records:
- (I’m) Stranded (1977)
- Eternally Yours (1978)
- Prehistoric Sounds (1978)
After the original lineup split, Ed Kuepper returned to Australia, started Laughing Clowns (a major influence on the post-punk scene), released 15+ solo records, scored films, joined Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds for a stretch, and basically built one of the most respected careers in Australian music.
Chris Bailey, the band’s original vocalist, kept The Saints name going for decades, shifting toward folk, R&B, and even scoring a Springsteen cover when The Boss recorded “(Just Like) Fire Would” in 2014.
Ivor Hay, the Saints’ original drummer, left the music industry for a time and — fun fact — wrote the first manual for the Fairlight CMI.
In 2001, Bailey, Kuepper, and Hay reunited for their Australian Music Hall of Fame induction, and in 2007, headlined the now-legendary Pig City concert in Brisbane. Their last run together came in 2009, thanks to an invitation from Mick Harvey and Nick Cave for the All Tomorrow’s Parties festivals across Australia.
Bailey passed away in 2022, and while no one could replace him, the current lineup was carefully assembled to honor the legacy, not recreate it. With Mark Arm on vocals and Mick Harvey rounding out the sonic depth, they’ve found a way to bring the original spirit roaring back to life.
The Box Set That Rekindled It All
In 2023, ‘The Saints (I’m) Stranded’ box set was released on In The Red Records. It’s a four-LP treasure trove:
- Remastered debut album
- A never-before-heard 1976 mix
- A 1977 Sydney show
- A 1977 Hope & Anchor set from London
- All singles and EPs from that explosive early era
It reminded everyone — fans, critics, musicians — just how ahead of the curve The Saints were.
‘(I’m) Stranded’ box set available on vinyl and CD through In The Red Records
What the Legends Are Saying
“They got there first. The Saints had it all down.” – Nick Cave
“Of all the places for one of the best bands to come from, it’s Brisbane, Australia. Sort of like the Australian version of the Ramones.” – Jim Reid (The Jesus & Mary Chain)
“One of the best punk albums of all time.” – Spectrum Culture
“Rock music in the ’70s was changed by three bands – the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, and the Saints.” – Sir Bob Geldof
“(I’m) Stranded isn’t only essential punk history — it’s one of the best rock & roll albums, period.” – AllMusic
Tour dates
New Zealand
October 31 – Auckland – Powerstation
November 1 – Wellington – MeowNui
North America
November 5 – Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom
November 6 & 7 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
November 8 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
November 9 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
November 11 – Chicago, IL – Cabaret Metro
November 13 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
November 14 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
November 15 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
November 16 – Washington, D.C. – Union Stage
UK
November 21 – Bristol – Trinity
November 22 – Leeds – Project House
November 23 – Glasgow – Garage
November 24 – Manchester – Academy 2
November 26 – London – Electric Ballroom
Europe
November 28 – Stockholm – Debaser Strand
November 29 – Malmö – Plan B
November 30 – Berlin – Astra
Whether you’ve been riding with The Saints since the ‘70s or you’re just discovering their fire now, this tour and this EP are musts. This isn’t some faded memory of punk rock’s past — it’s a full-force resurrection, with the amps cranked up and the blood still boiling.
‘Live Nights in Venice… Vol. 1’ is just the beginning. The Saints ’73–’78 are back, and they sound more urgent than ever.
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