Tooheys has announced its latest campaign ‘Tooheys on Tour’, with aims to support and celebrate live music at the heart of Australian pub culture. It will collaborate with ARIA-nominated band Dune Rats, who have added an additional three pub stops to its summer tour with the support of Tooheys.
Tooheys on Tour will kick off on 25 January at the Entrance Leagues Club in Bateau Bay, followed by Bondi’s Beach Road Hotel on 31 January and Mona Vale Hotel on 1 February.
Karen Sterling-Levis, Lion’s Brand Director of Core Beer says the campaign ensures live music remains an important part of the cultural foundations of Aussie pubs.
“We’ve always believed that pubs and live music are the beating heart of Australian culture. They bring people together, foster creativity, and create unforgettable moments. With ‘Tooheys on Tour,’ we’re proud to support the venues, artists, and communities that make this all possible. Partnering with the Dune Rats—true Tooheys fans who live and breathe Aussie music—allows us to celebrate this incredible legacy in a bold and exciting way. Together, we’re raising a glass to the pubs and music that unite us all,” she said.
Formed in Brisbane during 2011, Dune Rats are an Australian rock band, with an indie, surf punk sound. Their choice of instrumentation, fashion, stage presence and their interactive crowd etiquette, can be considered the epitome of what Australian live music is about.
A mutually beneficial relationship
Bondi’s Beach Road Hotel, one of the pitstops of the tour, have previously hosted Dune Rats at its venue before. Licensee Ben Pearce shared his excitement to have the band back and preforming at its venue during their world tour.
“The Beach Road has been synonymous with live music in Sydney for four decades. We have had so many bands on our stage over the years, some of whom have gone on to huge careers in the entertainment industry. We are proud to have supported these acts in their infancy.
“We were lucky enough to have hosted the Dune Rats on a couple of occasions, the first time as the young, break-out Brissy band in 2012 and again after they had their first wave of success in 2016,” Pearce said.
The tour will also stop at The Mona Vale Hotel in NSW Northern Beaches. Owner Ben Hanson shared what being involved in the Tooheys on Tour event means for the Mona Vale pub and surrounding community.
“It is very exciting to be hosting a great act like The Dune Rats at The Mona. We are proud to be relaunching awesome live music. Bringing live music back was always in my sights when I purchased The Mona,” said Hanson.
“The Northern Beaches is screaming out for live music. As a local who used to come here to see terrific acts back in the nineties, I want to bring back good times and great nights to be reinvented for the next generation. The Mona Vale Hotel was always the home of live music, and it is once again.”
Pubs are important platforms for upcoming artists as they allow their music to reach wider audiences and demographics.
“Growing up playing in all sorts of bands it was crucial to have local pubs to play at. Without pubs, bands can’t hone their craft, work out the sort of act they want to be and be inspired by other acts,” says Dune Rats.
Having the support of suppliers creates opportunities for venues like The Mona Vale Hotel and Beach Road Hotel to put on live music. It helps venues bolster trading and ensure long-term community engagement.
“It isn’t cheap putting on live music. There are production costs, security costs, ticketing so supplier support is crucial to providing amazing music,” added Hanson. In addition, the Tooheys on Tour collaboration will be donating Dune Rats merchandise and a further $10,000 to Support Act, a crisis relief charity for music industry workers. It will also feature local bands as the support act at each show, picked by the Dune Rats.
