The Living End have today unveiled “Strange Place,” a punchy three-minute firecracker that captures the chaos, confusion and collapse of the modern world — and they’re marking the occasion with a one-off immersive fan event in Melbourne this weekend.
Set to take place upstairs at The Tote Hotel on Saturday, June 28th, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., the “Strange Place” pop-up will be far from your average single launch. The band — Chris Cheney, Scott Owen and Andy Strachan — will be in attendance, signing and giving away hand-screened, limited-edition posters created especially for the occasion.
The upstairs room at The Tote will be transformed into a bunker-style installation space designed by renowned Melbourne multimedia artist Callum Preston, whose immersive works have appeared at institutions such as the Immigration Museum. For the launch, he’s created a “prepper’s lab”-style escape — a physical reflection of the anxieties and themes explored in the new track.
“Strange Place” is the second taste of The Living End’s forthcoming ninth studio album, and sees the band return to the punchy, anthemic energy of their earliest work. With pounding drums and defiant guitars, the track echoes the spirit of “Prisoner of Society” but updates it for a world drowning in digital noise, economic pressure and collective uncertainty.
“News flash! It’s getting crazy out there,” frontman Chris Cheney said. “I look around and I see a lot of people that just can’t make sense of where this world is heading. It’s become a ‘Strange Place’; a giant asylum full of fragile, disconnected and disillusioned people that aren’t coping.”
Touching on themes of mental health, youth crime, social media toxicity and the disconnection of an overstimulated world, the single is a commentary on our current moment — loud, urgent and unfiltered.
The fan event at The Tote comes on the heels of recent surprise pop-up shows in Melbourne and Sydney, where the band played to packed crowds who queued for hours. With more details about the album still to come, “Strange Place” is a bold, blunt signal that The Living End aren’t pulling any punches.
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The Living End – Strange Place Fan Event
Saturday, June 28th
The Tote Hotel (Upstairs), Melbourne VIC
3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Band in attendance, limited posters available
Free entry, first come, first served
