Upon the release of their fifth studio album Ultra Dundee, Bad//Dreems have announced their indefinite hiatus.

With gratitude and pride, the Adelaide band are leaving a legacy of ushering literate pub rock out of the back bar and onto the main stage.

“It seems only yesterday that we started Bad//Dreems in Sharpies warehouse in an Adelaide heatwave. We feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to do things beyond our wildest dreams,” said guitarist and songwriter Alex Cameron.

“In particular we feel very privileged that people have taken an interest in what we do, turned up to shows and bought our records. For now, we’re putting the band on ice to percolate on all that we’ve achieved, and to give us all chance to dedicated more time to our families, jobs and other projects.”

Bad//Dreems were never in it for the glitter or the gold, they said. More than anything, they have endeavoured to remain true to their humble beginnings – just a group of mates making music who were lucky enough to share their passion for music and storytelling with the world.

That passion is ever present on Ultra Dundee, out today via Gutto Records, which serves as an extension of the vision that began with their seminal debut Dogs at Bay. 

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“Ultra Dundee is a man, but he is also the road that made him, shaped by distance, heat, work and self-inflicted consequences. He is philosophical, lucid and quietly mad. He is not chasing redemption. He is living with awareness and the horror of seeing himself clearly and choosing to stay anyway,” singer Ben Marwe explained.

“Ultra Dundee didn’t lose himself to the wilderness; he lives inside it. He’s your primary school teacher. He’s the stockbroker. The clock man. Your brother’s drinking buddy. The real estate agent on ketamine. The man on the barbecue at the local RSL. Ultra Dundee is me. Ultra Dundee is you.”

To celebrate the album’s release – and bid farewell – the band are heading off for a final round of high energy, sweaty shows. They’ll kick off at Adelaide’s UniBar to headline Gather Sounds on April 10th and 11th, a brand new two-day music festival curated by the band themselves.

There, Bad//Dreems will perform alongside their mates Beddy Rays, Phil Jamieson, West Thebarton, Caitlin Harnett & The Pony Boys, Dr. Piffle & The Burlap Band, The Empty Threats, Jack Griffith, Don’t Thank Me Spank Me, and more.

Then they’ll head to Melbourne’s Thornbury Theatre on April 18th, before playing Sydney’s Marrickville Bowlo on April 30th (new show) and May 1st (sold out), and Brisbane’s Brightside Outdoors on May 2nd. See here for details.

The new shows follow a massive 2025 tour schedule, where Bad//Dreems celebrated Dogs at Bay‘s tenth anniversary, as well as Grinspoon on their national ’30th Birthday Bonanza’.

Revered as one of the most vital guitar acts in the country, Bad//Dreems came a long way from their humble origins in an Adelaide whitegoods warehouse in 2012.

Produced by Mark Opitz (AC/DC, INXS, Cold Chisel, The Angels, Divinyls), their debut album Dogs At Bay picked up nominations for an AIR Award (2015), National Live Music Award (2015), SA Music Awards’ Best Live Act (2015), SA Music Awards’ Best Release and Best Group (2016) and was included as an honourable mention in Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s Greatest Australian Albums of All Time list in 2021.

They drew plaudits from such diverse luminaries as The Avalanches and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (At the Drive In), both of whom chose the band as their Australian support act. Robert Forster of The Go-Betweens declared their song “My Only Friend” “a masterpiece of Australian rock”.

The band followed this up with critically acclaimed albums, Gutful, Doomsday Ballet, and Hoo Ha!, the latter of which garnered a nominated for ARIA’s Best Rock Album, placed at No. 2 on Double J’s 50 Best Albums of the Year and earned them a nomination for Double J Artist of the Year.

Bad//Dreems’ Ultra Dundee is out now. For complete tour and ticket information, see here. 

BAD//DREEMS FINAL AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2026

Friday, April 10th – Saturday, April 11th
Gather Sounds, UniBar Adelaide, SA

Saturday, April 18th
Thornbury Theatre, Melbourne VIC

Thursday, April 30th (NEW SHOW)
Marrickville Bowlo, Sydney NSW

Friday, May 1st (SOLD OUT)
Marrickville Bowlo, Sydney NSW

Saturday, May 2nd
Brightside Outdoors, Brisbane QLD