Aunty brings the family Album

ALL- CONQUERING comedy collective Aunty Donna are ready to rock Hobart this weekend, as they tour to launch their debut music album.

On a mission to spread their absurd brand of surreal sketch comedy across all mediums, Aunty Donna formed in 2011 after its members — performers Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane and their behindthe-scenes crew Sam Lingham, Max Miller and Tom Armstrong — met at the University of Ballarat.

The group exploded on to the Melbourne comedy scene in 2012 when their debut live show, Aunty

Donna in Pantsuits, was nominated for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s coveted Golden Gibbo Award, and their follow-up, Aunty Donna and the Fax Machine

Shop, won the People’s Choice Award at the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

As word got around, Aunty Donna began to establish a massive online presence — their YouTube channel now has more than 190,000 subscribers, and their videos have been watched more than 32 million times.

They have also made TV series pilots for ABC iView, Comedy Central and Stan, and have also taken their talents beyond Australia, including four visits to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

In the first six months of this year Aunty Donna managed to tour the US and Canada twice; take their latest live show, Glennridge Secondary College, to festivals across Australia; and launch their first album of music, simply titled

The Album, which was released to rave reviews (and a spot in the ARIA top 30) in April.

Now they’re touring Australia once more to promote The Album, performing its 16 original songs live in rock venues across the country. Aunty Donna bring The Album

Tour to Tasmania this weekend, for shows at the Republic Bar in North Hobart from 9pm on Saturday and Sunday. Sunday’s show has already sold out, but Saturday tickets are $35 pre-sale from www.moshtix.com.au