Tracks is once again turning up the dial and hitting the dancefloor for its annual party pilgrimage to Torquay where we will be turning the Surf Lifesaving Club into our own mini festival stage of punk and surf rock carnage. The last two years we’ve hosted parties alongside the WSL CT coming to town and each one has been a sell out, with punters literally climbing the walls to try and get a look in. 2026 will be no exception to the standard of shenanigans we set for ourselves and we encourage you to get tickets well before we kick things off on Friday 3 April.
The event will be headlined by Brissy rock band Beddy Rays. They will be supported by Tracks Party favourites and one of the most talked about Australian bands right now, Headsend. As well as Melbourne based grunge and punk outfit Mannequin Death Squad, Sargeant Baker and the legendary DJ Eddy.
Ahead of the event we caught up with Dan and Elly from Mannequin Death Squad to learn more about the multifaceted band who play ‘rock, grunge punk music and swap instruments live’. The pair both play drums, guitar and sing, swapping throughout their live sets to keep it ‘fun and fresh’. Check out the conversation below.
Tell us a little bit about the origins of the band?
A while ago Elly and I were playing in other bands and we met at a music business course, which we ended up wagging most of the time and going into the rehearsal rooms and just picking up instruments and jamming out haha. It ended up sounding pretty sick so we thought we would make a band out of it and we have been going ever since.
How would you describe your sound?
Fuzzed out riffs with catchy vocals.
Do you guys have any links to surfing?
I (Dan) grew up in St Andrews Beach on the Mornington Peninsula by the coast. Never surfed but I bodyboarded and swam heaps in that surf as a kid and teenager before leaving to Melbourne to play music. We’re always chasing the ocean around the world wherever we go.
What can people expect from a Mannequin Death Squad show?
Songs you can sing in the middle of a circle pit to.
Career highlights so far?
Headlining Ziro Festival in the Himalayas, India and touring with Suicidal Tendencies around Australia.
Your favourite Mannequin Death Squad song?
Blueberry Hill
Your heading to the Tracks Party for a loose night with friends, give us your top three tunes to get yourself pumped
Set fire to the face on fire – Blood Brothers. Coral Fang – Distillers. Like I Love you – Justin Timberlake.
If you could make a band out of professional surfers or any other famous people, who would be in it and what instrument would they play?
Tina Fey & Amy Poehler. Tina on a flying v guitar and Amy on an Accordion.
If you could play a festival with two other headliners of your choice, they can be dead or alive, who would you pick?
Led Zeppelin & Nirvana.
If songs to mosh pit too is your kind of thing then come and get down to Mannequin Death Squad at the Tracks Party in Torquay. Purchase tickets here.
