We had a quick catch up with Dave Larkin from Dallas Crane before their punchy, rockin’ performance in the Fender Experience room at the 2025 Melbourne Guitar Show. Dallas Crane have always been one of Australia’s hardest working bands and eternally give their heart and show to every performance, as they did in the Fender Experience room playing a spirited version of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Rock n Roll’, as well as their latest single ‘Sycamore Street’. Dave told us about the band’s relationship with Fender and his funky new home studio and plans to record a new album. Photos by Jason Rosewarne
MORE ABOUT DALLAS CRANE
Dallas Crane formed in 1996 in Melbourne by Chris Brodie on bass guitar, Dave Larkin on lead vocals and guitar, Pete Satchell on guitar and vocals and Shan Vanderwert on drums. Satchell and Larkin were former school mates and Brodie and Vanderwert joined soon after. They rehearsed material for their debut album, Lent (1998), in a Port Melbourne oil shed on the property of Dallas Crane Transport. The local trucking company was owned by friends: their rehearsals were paid for in beer, and the group were renamed, Dallas Crane.
Dallas Crane are a triple ARIA Award nominated Australian alternative rock band from Melbourne. Their self-titled third album was released on 10 July 2004, which peaked in the ARIA Albums Chart top 50. Its nominations at the ARIA Music Awards of 2004, included Best Rock Album. Its lead single, “Dirty Hearts” (June 2004), debuted in the related ARIA Singles Chart top 50.
Dallas Crane’s fourth album, Factory Girls (16 September 2006), peaked in the top 30. Their highest charting single, “Sit on My Knee” – a duet with Jimmy Barnes – reached No. 14 in July 2005.
In 2009 they featured as a support act for The Who on a national stadium tour. After re-grouping following a short hiatus in 2012 Dallas Crane’s began work on their 5th studio album “Scoundrels” featuring Chris Brodie on bass guitar, Dave Larkin on vocals and guitar, Steve Pinkerton on drums and Pete Satchell on guitar and vocals.
In November 2015 they provided their fifth studio album, Scoundrels, which was produced by Harnath. Andrew McMillen of The Australian rated it 4.5 stars claiming, “It’s a towering achievement that sees Dallas Crane exhibiting that key-in-lock feel sought by every rock band. These four players are masters of their craft. The band’s time off has been well-spent, as every idea here hits the mark. If anything, it’s an embarrassment of riches”
Rolling Stone‘s Jaymz Clements rated it as four out of five, and felt that “Dallas Crane have grown into a smarter, better band is no surprise. That they’ve given themselves a masterful Don Walker-ish overhaul certainly is. Scoundrels is intelligent, bluesy, mature and unpredictable…”
From late December 2015 and into April 2016 the group undertook a national headline tour promoting the album. In October 2016, the band released the single “Cheyenne” (digital only) also recorded by Jez Giddings and Craig Harnath at Melbourne’s Hothouse Audio. As with all artists, covid put a dent in Dallas Crane’s plans but soon after they were back on the road touring with international acts and headlining their own shows. They’ve just released a new single ’Sycamore Street’ and are planning to record a new album soon at Dave Larkin’s home studio.
