OLD MERVS – FORUM THEATRE – MELBOURNE – 09.10.2026
Review: Craig Eriksson. Photos: Sam Brumby
On Friday night, Western Australian indie-rock duo Old Mervs played one of their biggest Australian shows at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre, on Wurundjeri Country, as part of their Carparks Aus + NZ Tour 2026. The performance showed why the duo are building a solid following and attracting growing attention both in Australia and internationally.
Recently, Australian Musician caught up with Old Mervs to discuss the making and evolution of their second album, Carparks, their recent US tour and their upcoming Australian and New Zealand tour. Watch it here
It’s been a huge year for Old Mervs. Having recently returned from touring the US and UK, where they played a mix of intimate headline shows and large festivals, the duo are now back in Australia promoting their second album, Carparks, released on 2 October 2026. Old Mervs are childhood mates Dave House (guitar and vocals) and Henry Carrington-Jones (drums and backing vocals), who hail from the rural town of Kojonup in Western Australia. They have known each other since they were five and began jamming in a makeshift space inside a converted stable before deciding to form a band in 2016. They broke through in 2020 with their single Cellphone and have since released a steady stream of music, culminating in their self-titled debut album in 2025. The album reached number one on the ARIA Australian Albums Chart. The band’s name doesn’t refer to Australian cricket larrikin Merv Hughes as some think; it comes from Henry’s childhood pet dog, Mervin.
LUCKY — Hailing from the regional Victorian town of Staghorn Flat, Lucky (Chelsea Knight) opened the show. The emerging Melbourne-based, singer-songwriter and guitarist delivered catchy, high-energy hooks, nostalgic jangly ’90s guitar textures and dreamy, emotive vocals. Lucky has received regular airplay on Triple J, helping her secure strong support slots, including one with Garbage. She released her debut album, Biting Heels, in April 2026 and performed eight songs from it, with HOUSTON, PERFECT PAIN, ADORED and CLOVER standing out.
THE PRETTY LITTLES — The second support act was Melbourne-based, indie-rock band The Pretty Littles, who released a new album, Mulga Wire, in June 2026. I’ve seen the band several times, and they always deliver. Their tight performance combined heavy, guitar-driven pub-rock bangers with several powerful, melodic political tracks. They ripped through an explosive set, driven by fierce guitar riffs and pounding drums.. They opened with fan favourite SKELETON RUN, then gave us a taste of new material with GOOD SLEEPS, MATHEMATICIAN, THIS NEXT YEAR and TERRACOTTA. The standout moment came when frontman Jack Parsons delivered the raw AUSTRALIAN DREAM. The song explores the ugly truths and darker side of the traditionally idyllic Australian lifestyle, leaving the crowd mesmerised. They closed their 10-song set by belting out FORCE and DON DALE.
OLD MERVS — As AC/DC’s Thunderstruck blared through the speakers and revved up the crowd, Old Mervs took to the stage and opened with HEAVY IN THE MORNING from Carparks. Fans were hooked from the get-go, singing along to the chorus: “We’re going, we’re going home, and when you fall asleep, it’s everyone you know that gets you home”. The catchy SWEETHEART followed, featuring a laid-back, guitar-driven indie surf-rock sound.Old Mervs delivered a 19-song set in just over an hour, featuring tracks from Carparks including ADELINE, STACKED UP, OLD FRIEND, ONCE MORE, SHE SAID, TETHER and ABBEY’S WINE. The fresh material showcased the duo’s charismatic onstage chemistry: frontman and guitarist Dave’s laid-back, unpretentious vocals and energetic guitar riffs, paired seamlessly with Henry’s monstrous, driving backbeat. Henry wore a broad grin throughout the show and kept the crowd entertained with humorous banter between songs.
While plugging the band’s merch, Henry received a playful jab from Dave, who joked that if Henry were a car salesman, he’d sell “shit Mazdas”! Henry also claimed there were as many people in the room as in their hometown. Dave simply shook his head and laughed, telling him he’d never been good at maths. There’s plenty to love about these lads: they project genuine, carefree positivity and country charm. It’s clear they love performing together, have fun onstage and share a strong connection with their fans.
Henry mentioned that they had played the Forum a few years earlier while supporting King Stingray. The set never lost momentum, with Old Mervs delivering anthemic indie-rock bangers and creating a festival-like atmosphere through their interaction with the crowd. Standout crowd-pleasers included HEY, BE THERE and PARCHED. During the slow-burning, guitar-driven indie anthem HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, Henry left the stage while Dave sang and played a solo on electric guitar, before Henry rejoined him towards the end.
Later in the set, fan favourites WAIT AROUND, CELLPHONE and WHAT YOU’VE LOST drew the biggest response, with the singalongs sounding phenomenal. As the lads left the stage, AC/DC’s TNT blared through the speakers. It was an incredible evening, and I can only see Old Mervs continuing to grow their audience with their laconic, indie surf-rock sound. They still have several Australian shows to come before heading to New Zealand, so go and check them out!
OLD MERVS — SET LIST:
HEAVY IN THE MORNING
SWEETHEART
ADELINE
OUT OF LUCK
WHERE I GO
STACKED UP
HEY
OLD FRIEND
ONCE MORE
SHE SAID
EVERYONE WILL SEE IT
BE THERE
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
TETHER
PARCHED
ABBEY’S WINE
WAIT AROUND
CELLPHONE
WHAT YOU’VE LOST
Australian Tour Dates
- Friday, October 16, 2026 – The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, QLD
- Friday, October 23, 2026 – Hindley St Music Hall, Adelaide, SA
- Saturday, October 24, 2026 – Odeon Theatre, Hobart, TAS
- Saturday, October 31, 2026 – Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle, WA
- Saturday, November 14, 2026 – Handpicked Festival, Lake Breeze, Langhorne Creek, SA
- Wednesday, December 30, 2026 – NYE on the Hill, The Farm, Kernot, VIC
New Zealand Tour Dates
- Thursday, November 5, 2026 – The Loons, Christchurch, NZ
- Friday, November 6, 2026 – San Fran, Wellington, NZ
- Saturday, November 7, 2026 – Double Whammy, Auckland, NZ