Massive Attack Announce 2024 Australian Tour & Release First New Music in Six Years
The British trip-hop pioneers will return to Australia for their first tour since 2010, while releasing a dark new single with Tom Waits.
Tour Announcement
Massive Attack, the iconic Bristol-based duo of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall, will perform in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney this August. This marks their fourth Australian tour and their first since 2010.
Presale begins 4 June, with general sale following on 5 June.
New Music: "Boots on the Ground"
The band has released their first new music in six years—a collaboration with the legendary Tom Waits titled "Boots on the Ground."
The Guardian's music critic Alexis Petridis awarded the track four stars, describing it as:
"dark, disturbing, ominous, with a distinct streak of WTF? running through it … music perfectly fitting for the times."
Background & Legacy
Formed in Bristol in 1988, Massive Attack pioneered the trip-hop genre. Their seminal albums include:
- Blue Lines (1991)
- Protection (1994)
- Mezzanine (1998)
- 100th Window (2003)
- Heligoland (2010)
They have sold over 13 million copies of their five studio albums. Their biggest hits include the timeless classics "Unfinished Sympathy" and "Teardrop."
Previous Visa Controversy (2003)
In 2003, the band was briefly prevented from entering Australia after Del Naja was arrested in a UK police investigation into child sexual abuse images. He was never charged, and the investigation was dropped due to lack of evidence.
Del Naja alleged that a British tabloid informed the Australian embassy, leading to the tour being postponed. Their visas were eventually reinstated.
The Banksy Speculation
Some internet sleuths have long speculated that Del Naja is actually the elusive street artist Banksy, pointing to overlaps between Massive Attack's tour dates and the appearance of Banksy murals.
A 2024 Reuters investigation suggested Del Naja may act as Banksy's location scout, adding fuel to the enduring mystery.
Political Activism
Massive Attack has a long history of political engagement:
- April 2024: Del Naja was among 500 people arrested in London at a protest against a ban on Palestine Action.
- September 2024: The band became the first major-label act to remove their entire catalog from Spotify, protesting founder Daniel Ek’s €600 million investment in military AI company Helsing.
- Since 1999: The band has boycotted performing in Israel. They joined the "No Music for Genocide" initiative, with over 400 artists blocking their music streaming in the country.
- 2024: They staged a one-day festival in Bristol powered entirely by renewable energy, named Act 1.5.