Motor Ace announce 20th anniversary reunion tour

Motor Ace are reuniting for five dates next year to mark the 20th anniversary of their first starting to play around Melbourne.

They signed to Festival Mushroom Records’ development label Sputnik, an initiative of A&R chief Michael Parisi, which also signed 28 Days, Machine Gun Fellatio and NoKTuRNL.

Due to their hard touring, Motor Ace’s debut album Five Star Laundry entered the ARIA Chart at #4, and went Gold after receiving across-the-board airplay from Triple M and triple j.

The track Death Defy was picked as the theme song for the TV series The Secret Life Of Us.

Follow up Shoot This (2002) led to international touring which led to exhaustion within the ranks.

When Animal failed to spark commercial sales or triple j support, they called it quits.

Singer Pat Robertson says, “It’s been 20 years since we were playing our first shows around Melbourne – at the Punters Club, Evelyn and Espy – and 13 years since the last Motor Ace show.  

“It feels pretty bizarre to be honest, but really looking forward to playing shows with the guys and most importantly seeing if we can still party!”

Drummer Damo Costin adds, “It feels absolutely surreal, the reason being that when I was 22, and young and earnest, I had no idea that 20 years later I was going to play these songs again!  

“I am most excited about enjoying those songs again in a live space, excited to play again with a sense of nostalgia and giving my all with the guys. We really wanna have some fun with it.”

Since the split, Robertson moved into film and TV composing, Costin set up 123 Agency, and Dave Ong (guitar) and Matt Balfe (bass) have continued to play in bands around Melbourne.

The Five Star Reunion Tour sees them play the Gov in Adelaide (March 29), Capitol, Perth (March 30), Factory Theatre, Sydney (April 1), The Triffid, Brisbane (April 6) and 170 Russell, Melbourne (April 6).