90’s low rock trailblazers, Vapors Of Morphine kick off their Australian tour in late April at the Gumball Festival in the Hunter Valley. They then take their hypnotic show to venues up and down the east coast with Melbourne based guitarist, singer-songwriter Jeb Cardwell as special guest on all shows.
Local openers for these headline shows have just been announced.
In Sydney, Morton Choppers will bring a heady mix of gothic Australiana type folk, spoken word landscapes & gospel blues ditties to the Crowbar.
www.facebook.com/mortonchoppers
On the Melbourne and Castlemaine shows, Salt & Steel will deliver a raw, earthy rock experience, blending psychedelic elements with the grounded essence of rock roots and blues. The couple live full time in their van and have performed at festivals including Woodford Folk Festival, Party In the Paddock, Airlie Beach Festival of Music, Byron Bay Bluesfest and recently opened for Wheatus on their acoustic tour in January.
saltandsteelmusic.com
For the Gold Coast and Brisbane shows, Dan Bud Wiser from the punk band “One Bud Wiser” who are known for their energetic performances filled with humour and captivating lyrics brings more of the same but much older and Wiser with only an acoustic guitar in hand. Brandishing a folk sound with the old familiar punk rock attitude.
www.facebook.com/danbudwiser
TOUR DATES
April / May 2025
Sun, April 27: Gumball Fest, Hunter Valley
Wed, April 30: Crowbar, Sydney
Thurs, May 1: Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Fri, May 2: Theatre Royal, Castlemaine Vic
Sat, May 3: Vinnies Dive Bar, Gold Coast
Sun, May 4: Crowbar, Brisbane
Tickets available from
www.bigapachee.com.au/batours
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Some legacies are too powerful to fade. The music of pioneering ’90s “Low Rock” trio Morphine, was as hypnotic as it was groundbreaking. Fusing baritone saxophone, 2-string slide bass, and drums into a sound that was sultry, raw, and entirely their own. But when frontman Mark Sandman died suddenly on stage in 1999, Morphine’s story seemed to end.
Yet from those ashes, a new sound emerged. Vapors of Morphine isn’t just a tribute; it’s a continuation, an evolution. Formed in the late 2000’s by Morphine saxophonist Dana Colley and multi-instrumentalist Jeremy Lyons, the band continued to evolve and their latest album, 2021’s Fear & Fantasy (Schnitzel Records, UK), represents a new era, blending fresh material with the signature Morphine sound.
The story of Vapors of Morphine is as serendipitous as it is poetic. Years before they met, Colley unknowingly captured a photo of Lyons and his street band in New Orleans, pasting it into his tour journal with a note about their evocative blues sound. A decade later, after Hurricane Katrina forced Lyons to relocate to Boston, the two musicians were introduced, only to discover they had matching halves of the same Polaroid, a moment of fate that sparked their collaboration.
Since then, Vapors of Morphine has grown beyond nostalgia, carving new sonic landscapes while staying true to the moody, intoxicating essence of their predecessor.
Their live performances are a hypnotic blend of Morphine originals, deep blues, African rhythms, and psychedelic rock that pushes boundaries while honouring the experimental spirit that Sandman championed.
With Fear & Fantasy, Vapors of Morphine embraces both the past and the future. Featuring both Deupree and Arey on drums, the album recalls Morphine’s final masterpiece, The Night, while incorporating lush new textures, electric baritone sax, and haunting two-string slide bass. It’s proof that while Morphine’s original chapter may have ended, the story is far from over.
Contrary to common belief, Morphine wasn’t named for the drug but for Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams. But Vapors of Morphine? Their music is the kind of intoxicating, transportive experience that lingers long after the last note, no prescription required.
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Joining Vapors Of Morphine on all shows (except Gumball Fest) is Melbourne based guitarist, singer-songwriter, Jeb Cardwell. Jeb plays guitar as part of Kasey Chambers’ band and as a solo act has opened for legendary icons Steve Earle and Tony Joe White.
Jeb’s ability to effortlessly blend laid-back vibes with raw authenticity, all while showcasing his mastery of the guitar is the perfect pairing with VoM. An enthralling sonic experience full of captivating and irresistibly catchy grooves.
Jeb’s 2022 debut solo album, My Friend Defiance, was described by Rhythms Magazine as “an album that carries with it the poise and assuredness that comes from two decades of playing, writing and singing with the best of them.”
In February, the above press release was sent to the Australian music press only for it to be missed by the majority of them.
One of the main factors is online filtering that is heavily controlled by AI. Not only have the band themselves been blocked on most social platforms but media sites have had their news items limited too.
IF you type in ‘Vapors of Morphine’ into Facebook, you are met with this response
“If you see the sale of drugs, please report it.
We remove content that doesn’t follow our Community Standards.
If you or someone you know struggle with substance misuse, free confidential treatment and information is available.”
Please also see a video for what happens on Instagram here
Which is understandable, but the band HAVE a Facebook page and the filter should recognise that and allow an extra line ‘do you mean the music group
https://www.facebook.com/vaporsofmorphine and at least allow the fans to look up the band.
With AI controlling so much of what we see online, how much are we NOT seeing? You dont know what you dont know. This is a greater problem then an act trying to reach their audience to promote their tour. The implications are far reaching and life affecting.
Please see this statement from the band regarding this issue:
“Statement from Vapors of M0rph1n3 about META blocking. For the past year or so, we have noticed that our band name is virtually unsearchable on meta platforms. A wall is triggered by the word “m0rph1n3” (spelled as so here to avoid the idiotic AI block) which directs one to a message about drug abuse. Our band is not named after the drug m0rph1n3, but rather it is named after Morpheus, an Ancient Greek god of dreams. We believe Meta is employing clumsy AI that allows the dissemination of sexual content, misleading fake images, and far right wing propaganda, but blocks common words that are used in medicine, psychiatry (the iconic hardcore band
Suicidal Tendencies has had similar issues) and other vital parts of our culture. It is time to call these morons out for what they are doing- suppressing free speech, which is the cornerstone of a free society.”
Food for thought, but until AI is able to understand more nuance, please enjoy Vapors of Morphine
