The Mess Hall

The Mess Hall

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	2001
Defunct	2011 (hiatus)
Fate	Hiatus, brief reunion in 2015
Headquarters	Sydney , Australia
Key people	Jed Kurzel, Cec Condon
Products	Studio albums, EPs, singles

The Mess Hall was a two-member band from Sydney, recognized for their gritty and intense blues rock sound. The group consisted primarily of Jed Kurzel (vocals and guitar) and Cec Condon (drums and backing vocals). Renowned for their dynamic live shows, they produced four studio albums before amicably parting ways in 2011, with a brief reunion for performances in 2015.

2001–2004: Formation and early period

Originally formed as a trio featuring Jed Kurzel (vocals/guitar), his brother Justin (bass), and Anthony "AJ" Johnsen (drums/backing vocals), the band later continued as a duo following Justin's early exit. They quickly gained a reputation for powerful live performances and self-released a lo-fi eponymous album. In 2003, the group signed with Shock Records and issued the EP Feeling Sideways, produced by Matt Lovell and Chris Joannou, which earned an ARIA nomination for Best Independent Release. By early 2004, Johnsen was replaced by Cec Condon, who had previously played with The Tremors and Mexico City.

2005–2006: Release of Notes from a Ceiling

The Mess Hall’s sophomore album, Notes From A Ceiling, was released in 2005. Jed Kurzel recounted that during the recording sessions, drummer Cec Condon nearly caused a fire while barbecuing in the studio. Additionally, despite Kurzel experiencing vertigo, the attending physician seemed more concerned about the band’s upcoming Big Day Out tour than his health.

2007–2011: Devil's Elbow, For the Birds, and hiatus

In September 2007, The Mess Hall joined Ivy League Records and launched their third album, Devils Elbow. This release earned them the Australian Music Prize along with a $25,000 award. Riding this wave of success, they secured an opening act position on the Foo Fighters’ Australian tour.

Their fourth and final studio effort, For the Birds, debuted on 13 November 2009 in Australia, featuring "Bell" as its lead single. The duo’s last joint performance occurred in 2011 alongside Noah Taylor & The Sloppy Boys before Condon became part of The Cops and Kurzel transitioned into full-time film scoring.

2015: Brief reunion

In 2015, The Mess Hall briefly came back together to perform at Sydney’s Vic on the Park on New Year’s Day and at Wollongong’s Farmer & The Owl Festival before going inactive once more.

Tours

Throughout their career, The Mess Hall shared stages with notable artists such as Tenacious D, You Am I, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Strokes, Kings of Leon, and Jet. They appeared at prominent Australian festivals including Splendour in the Grass, Homebake, Falls, and Big Day Out. Their international touring included stops in Japan and the USA, notably performing at Austin’s SXSW. Their live shows frequently incorporated covers like Nirvana’s "Breed" and Mudhoney’s "Touch Me I'm Sick". In addition, they supported Australian rock outfit Wolfmother during the 2005 Dimensions tour.

Albums

Title	Album details
The Mess Hall	Released: 2001 Label: The Mess Hall Format: CD
Notes from a Ceiling	Released: June 2005 Label: Cayman Island Mafia Records (CIM0105) Format: CD, Digital
Devils Elbow	Released: October 2007 Label: Ivy League Records (IVY057) Format: CD, Digital
For the Birds	Released: November 2009 Label: Ivy League Records (IVY085) Format: CD, Digital

Extended Plays

Title	Album information
Feeling Sideways	Released: May 2003 Label: Cayman Island Mafia Records (CIM0103) Format: CD

Singles

Title	Year	Associated album
"Evelyn"	2005	non-album single
"Pills"		Notes from a Ceiling
"Metal and Hair"
"Keep Walking"	2007	Devils Elbow
"Pulse"
"Bell"	2009	For the Birds

ARIA Music Awards

Since 1987, the ARIA Music Awards, hosted by the Australian Recording Industry Association, have honored outstanding achievements and innovation within the Australian music industry.

! |- | 2003 | Feeling Sideways | Best Independent Release | | |- | rowspan="2"| 2005 | Matt Lovell for Notes from a Ceiling | Engineer of the Year | | rowspan="2"| |- | Chris Joannou & The Mess Hall for Notes from a Ceiling | Producer of the Year |

Australian Music Prize

Established in 2005, the Australian Music Prize annually grants $30,000 to an Australian artist in recognition of outstanding album quality.

! |- | 2005 |Notes from a Ceiling | Australian Music Prize | | rowspan="3"| |- | 2007 |Devils Elbow | Australian Music Prize | |- | 2009 |For the Birds | Australian Music Prize | |-

Jack Awards

• 2006 Jack Awards, Best Live Band
• 2006 Jack Awards, Best Lead Guitarist awarded to Jed Kurzel