Dune Rats

Dune Rats have long embodied the do-it-yourself ethos of punk rock — a tradition deeply rooted in Brisbane’s music scene. From the early days of bands like The Purple Hearts and The Saints, Brisbane has been a breeding ground for rebellious, high-energy music, and Dune Rats are no exception.

Since their formation, the trio — Danny Beus (vocals, guitar), BC Michaels (drums), and Brett Jansch (bass) — have made a name for themselves with their infectious, carefree attitude and their knack for creating raucous, feel-good punk anthems that somehow manage to sound both reckless and refined.

The journey began when Danny, a beach-loving skater from Coffs Harbour, moved to Brisbane and met BC at a local band competition. While neither of their bands won that day, the friendship and musical partnership that followed became the core of one of Australia’s most beloved punk acts. “At first, there weren’t any bands writing for kids like us,” Danny recalls, “so we just started putting on our own shows.” That grassroots approach became their DNA — fostering a DIY scene that helped lift up a wave of Brisbane artists including DZ Deathrays and Violent Soho.

As their community grew, so did their ambitions. Their self-titled debut album in 2014 introduced the world to Dune Rats’ riotous charm, but it was their 2017 album The Kids Will Know It’s Bullshit that exploded them onto the national stage — debuting at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart and cementing their reputation as one of Australia’s leading punk rock bands. Singles like “Bullshit” and “Scott Green” became instant anthems, earning the band widespread critical acclaim and main-stage billing at festivals like Splendour in the Grass, Laneway, and Groovin The Moo.

Their 2022 record Real Rare Whale continued that momentum, earning an ARIA nomination for Best Hard Rock Album and delivering crowd favourites like “UP”. The album fueled a relentless run of international touring through 2023 — with sold-out rooms across the US, Canada, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, France, South Africa, Ireland, and over 20 shows in the UK, where they toured twice in twelve months.

Back home, Dune Rats capped off the run with a massive Australian summer of headline and festival performances — including a huge set at Splendour In The Grass featuring their viral Triple J Like A Version cover of The Angels’ “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again”.

Following those whirlwind years, Dune Rats returned to Australia with a renewed sense of purpose and creativity. Their 2024 album If It Sucks, Turn It Up captured that spirit — a sharper, hookier, and more self-aware version of the chaos that made them who they are. Blending the carefree charm of their early records with the polish of seasoned performers, songs like “Cheapskate” and “Solar Eyes” cemented their reputation for writing music that hits just as hard in headphones as it does on stage.

To celebrate the album’s release, Dune Rats embarked on a massive national co-headline tour with U.S. punk legends FIDLAR, alongside New Zealand’s DARTZ and Aussie ragers The Pingers, selling out venues across Australia and reigniting the country’s live punk scene.

2025 marks a new chapter for the band — and a celebration of how far they’ve come. With over 15 years together, multiple ARIA nominations, and hundreds of shows around the world, Dune Rats continue to fly the flag for Australian punk rock with the same energy that fueled their first gig.

2026 opens at full throttle, with Dune Rats hitting the road as main support on YUNGBLUD’s Australian tour before circling back to where it all began. They’ll follow with the OLD MATES Tour — a run of intimate underplay shows through the pubs, coastal towns and sweat-box rooms that shaped the band’s early years. The tour lands alongside the release of OLD MATES, an album collecting tracks from the band’s first three EPs alongside the brand-new single “Sharks” — celebrating the foundations of Dune Rats while proving they’re still moving forward, louder than ever.

As Danny puts it: “We’ve been around for over a decade now, and the secret’s pretty simple — we love what we do, and we love each other. Every year we push ourselves to go harder, play better, and have more fun. ”