5 Seconds of Summer to preview “new direction” third album at two Australian shows, world tour

It’s taken 5 Seconds of Summer three years to nail the new sound they’re showcasing on their third still untitled album.

In fact, they initially thought it would be ready this time last year, but decided it would have to wait.

Rather than come up with another pop/punk record, they’ve gone for something that guitarist Michael Clifford late last year described was a mix of modern and ‘90s grunge “that fits into the modern pop streaming market (alongside hip hop, electro and pop), but also but has something that we love and want to play for our fans.”

Clifford said, “I think we’ve found it” but added, “It’s really hard to explain what the sound is without actually hearing it.”

The first single in two years, ‘I Want You Back’, is a taster: treated piano chords, occasional falsetto voice on the chorus, atmospheric guitar, all driven along by relentless drums.

Given the strong bond 5SOS have with their fans, they’ve decided that the fans will be the first to hear the new songs.

There are two shows in Australia – Sydney’s Metro Theatre on May 24 and Melbourne’s 170 Russell St on May 29 – with tickets on sale Friday, March 2 at 1pm AEDT at livenation.com.au

There’s also a world tour which begins in Stockholm (full dates below).

Their last world tour Sounds Live Feels Live Tour, behind the Sounds Good Feels Good album between February 19 and October 5 2016 played 101 shows.

It played to 743,906 fans and made $39 million at the box office.

These included 11 in Asia, 40 in Europe, 46 in North America, and 4 in Oceania.

Now the band, in a message to fans, has stated, “After spending the last 5 years on the road since the age of 16, it was important we took time to reflect as individuals and now we’re coming back stronger and more unified than ever.  

“These songs mean the world to us and we have held nothing back in writing and recording this album.  

“We’ve been rehearsing a lot of the new songs live and can’t wait to get back out on tour to connect with our incredible fans.”

Emerging in 2011 out of Sydney and initially making their presence felt posting videos on YouTube, 5SOS then broke through opening on international dates opening for One Direction.

Rolling Stone hailed them as the “biggest new rock act in the world.”

They are the only band (not vocal group) to have their first two albums enter at #1 on the Billboard 100.

They are also the third Australian act to simultaneously top the Australian, UK and US album charts.

5SOS’s self-titled debut album has sold more than three million units worldwide, with 1.5 million albums and more than 4.5 million single tracks sold in the US alone.

After 18 months on the road in support of their No. 1 sophomore album Sounds Good Feels Good, the band has spent the last year living, writing and recording their new album in Los Angeles, set for release through Capitol Records/EMI later this year.  

5SOS3 TOUR DATES:

March

Tuesday 20      Stockholm, SE                Debaser Strand

Friday 23          Antwerp, BE                    Trix

Saturday 24      Cologne, DE                   Gloria

Monday 26       Amsterdam, NL             Melkweg

Thursday 29     Milan, IT                            Fabrique

April

Wednesday 4   Paris, FR                          Yoyo

Thursday 5       London, UK                     Heaven

Sunday 8          Boston, MA                      Paradise Rock Club

Monday 9         Philadelphia, PA           Theatre of Living Arts

Tuesday 10       Silver Spring, MD        The Fillmore Silver Spring

Thursday 12     New York, NY                Irving Plaza

Friday 13          Toronto, ON                     The Danforth Music Hall

Sunday 15        Minneapolis, MN          Varsity Theater

Monday 16       Chicago, IL                       House of Blues Chicago

Wednesday 18 Nashville, TN                Cannery Ballroom

Thursday 19     Dallas, TX                         House of Blues Dallas

Saturday 21      Houston, TX                   House of Blues Houston

Monday 23       Phoenix, AZ                     The Van Buren

Wednesday 25 Los Angeles, CA          The Belasco Theater

Thursday 26     San Diego, CA                House of Blues San Diego

Friday 27          San Francisco, CA           The Fillmore

May

Wednesday 2   Singapore, Singapore    Capitol Theatre

Thursday 24     Sydney, Australia            Metro

Tuesday 29       Melbourne, Australia   170 Russell

June

Monday 4         Mexico City, Mexico          Lunario Del Auditorio Nacional

Wednesday 6   Sao Paolo, Brazil                Cine Joia