The The

More than four decades into their career, UK post-punk luminaries THE THE – the brainchild of mercurial singer-songwriter Matt Johnson – have lost none of their musical power or political urgency. Having reconvened for the first time in 16 years for their sold-out 2018 comeback shows, the band makes its long-awaited return to the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall for two career-spanning performances as part of their Ensouled world tour.

Conceived by a then-teenage Johnson in 1979, THE THE made their debut with 1980's spiky “Controversial Subject”, before issuing their first album, Burning Blue Soul – under the singer's name – in 1981. THE THE's official debut Soul Mining – with its dance-flavoured pop classics “This is the Day” and “Uncertain Smile” – followed in 1983, while the band's politically charged 1986 album Infected and1989's smoldering Mind Bomb (featuring The Smiths' Johnny Marr on guitar) cemented the band's status as post-punk greats. 1993's bleak, pared-back Dusk marked another artistic peak.

Since 2000, Johnson had largely focused on soundtrack work, but in 2017 he reformed the band for a series of triumphant comeback performances across 2018, including sold-out shows at the Sydney Opera House. With a storied career that runs the gamut from new wave and dance pop to social-political alt rock, country and existential blues, THE THE are post-punk royalty not to be missed.