Hot Mulligan are heading back to Australia this month, and if their last run taught us anything, it’s that these shows don’t stay small for long.
With multiple dates already sold out and others close behind, the Michigan outfit are rolling in off the back of The Sound A Body Makes When It’s Still with momentum that hasn’t slowed.
Speaking with us ahead of the tour, the band’s roots still run deep, and not just in music, Detroit pride came up quickly (maybe with a little help from me asking).
Jonah Kramer didn’t hide it. “I’m a huge pistons fan.”
That connection even bled into the band’s world, with the Pistons’ media team linking up for a crossover moment. “we got some cool, like cross promo photos, and got the gear going. So that was really cool”
It’s the kind of crossover that feels random on paper but makes perfect sense when you realise how much of this band is still tied to where they came from.
Built far from the spotlight
Hot Mulligan didn’t come up in a thriving scene, if anything they had to build one themselves.
Ryan Malicsi puts it bluntly. “the up is, like, pretty culturally desolate”
But that absence shaped them, Jonah sees it from another angle. “because you and Chris came up in an area that was so devoid of like alternative rock culture, it kind of made you guys embrace what you could find on your own even more”
That push-pull between isolation and discovery still sits at the core of their sound.
The band itself is scattered, members come from Detroit, the Upper Peninsula, Philadelphia and beyond.
“we’re scattered by like, eight hour drives in any direction,” Ryan says.
From wrestling rings to remote songwriting
Their reach has stretched well beyond the usual scene lanes too, the band worked on an AEW theme tied to Australian wrestler Kyle Fletcher, a project that came together in a way that mirrors how Hot Mulligan operate.
Jonah explains the connection started through fandom. “Kyle Fletcher, world famous Australian, is a very big pop punk fan”
From there, it turned into a fully remote process. “we ended up writing it basically completely remotely from one another”
Parts were tracked across different cities and stitched together later, with each member handling their section before sending it off to be finalised, it’s a reminder that even as the band grows, they’re still doing things their own way.
Chaos, naked music videos and stretching the budget
If you’ve seen the video for ‘And A Big Load’, you already know Hot Mulligan don’t do things halfway, that clip, packed with absurd visuals and full nudity, was as chaotic behind the scenes as it looks.
Chris Freeman admits they were told no one else would see it. That wasn’t exactly true. “we learned after the fact that that was not true”
Still, the band leaned into it, the goal was simple. “stretch the budget like three times its worth,” Ryan says.
Australia’s next
The band are already counting down the days. “the fucking weather is awesome,” Ryan says.
With support from saturdays at your place and Forests on select dates, this run is set to be loud, packed and sweaty.
If you missed them last time, don’t expect second chances.
Hot Mulligan 2026 Australian Tour
Hot Mulligan 2026 Australian tour dates
- Tuesday, April 21st – Melbourne, 170 Russell
- Wednesday, April 22nd – Melbourne, The Forum
- Saturday, April 25th – Brisbane, Fortitude Music Hall
- Sunday, April 26th – Sydney, The Roundhouse
- Monday, April 27th – Adelaide, The Gov
- Wednesday, April 29th – Perth, Astor Theatre
Find out more and get your tickets here
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