More than a decade after it helped turn Violent Soho into one of Australia’s defining rock bands, Hungry Ghost has officially gone Platinum.
The Brisbane band’s breakthrough 2013 album has achieved ARIA Platinum status, with Violent Soho presented with plaques backstage at their sold-out warm-up show at Mansfield Tavern last week.
For the occasion, the band’s local was temporarily rebadged “Mansfield Rock Arena”, with tickets available exclusively in person through two Brisbane record stores. Fans queued for the chance to catch the one-off show ahead of Violent Soho’s six-date sold-out Australian headline run.
“We recorded Hungry Ghost with our mate Bryce Moorhead in a Brisbane shed with no expectations back in 2013,” the band said in a statement.
“To see the love it’s received over the last thirteen years has been very humbling. We never imagined people would keep connecting with it and we’re so grateful for the community behind it.”
Released in September 2013, Hungry Ghost debuted at No. 6 on the ARIA Albums Chart and remained inside the Top 50 for more than a year. It went on to win Album of the Year and Best Rock Album at the 2014 AIR Awards, and has now accumulated more than 120 million streams.
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The album also produced two of Violent Soho’s most enduring tracks, with “Covered in Chrome” certified double Platinum and “Saramona Said” certified Gold.
“Covered in Chrome” has remained a fixture in the Australian alternative canon since its release, later landing at No. 4 in triple j’s Hottest 100 of the Decade and No. 40 in the stations Hottest 100 of Australian Songs.
The new certification arrives as Violent Soho prepare to begin their sold-out headline tour in Sydney this week.
They’ll play two nights at the Enmore Theatre on September 11th and 12th, followed by two shows at Melbourne’s Forum on September 18th and 19th. The tour finishes on home turf with back-to-back dates at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall on September 25th and 26th.
