Music News
Modern Country Festival Strummingbird Announces Huge 2026 Lineup

Australia’s largest touring country festival Strummingbird returns with another crackin’ lineup for 2026, and Grammy-nominated, genre-defying megastar Post Malone is leading the charge. Rolling into Victoria Park Ballarat, Newcastle Foreshore and Sunshine Coast’s Kawana Sports Precinct this October, the stacked lineup spans international heavyweights, alt-country stars, country legends and homegrown favourites worth road-tripping for. If Post Malone’s last visit down under is anything to go by, these tickets won’t last long. Fans wanting to experience Strummingbird 2026 should act now and sign up for the presale for the best chance at tickets.

Three years on from his sold-out Spilt Milk run, Post Malone returns to Australia, and this time, he’s bringing country with him. Malone has spent over a decade racking up record-breaking hits, five American Music Awards and a fanbase that spans every corner of the globe. His star-studded Nashville-style record F-1 Trillion earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album and united legends like Dolly Parton, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson and Strummingbird’s alumni Jelly Roll on a single project. That’s without mentioning a back catalogue packed with undeniable solo hits like “Sunflower”, “Rockstar” and “Circles”.
Joining Post Malone is multi-platinum American country artist Bailey Zimmerman – one of the genre’s fastest rising stars. Known for his chart-topping hits and gritty sound, his breakout debut Religiously. The Album. went viral on the back of hits like “Fall In Love”, “Rock and a Hard Place”, “Religiously” and “Where It Ends” before 2025’s Different Night Same Rodeo – featuring a standout collaboration with Luke Combs – cemented his place at the top table. Most recently, his cover of Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” at Stagecoach stopped the internet in its tracks.
Strummo fans can rev up for rowdy sing-alongs, fearless showmanship and all the unfiltered authenticity of North Carolina musician Cooper Alan. Since his beginnings in cover bands and Nashville honky-tonks, Alan has soared in popularity with his balance of reflective lyrics, witty humour and unique genre blends on anthems like “Plead The Fifth” and “Take Forever (Hally’s Song)”. Two acts currently climbing the Billboard Top 100 make the bill even harder to ignore. LA-based country superstar Stella Lefty is set to deliver a blissed-out performance with feel-good hits like “Boston” and “Thinking ‘bout You” in tow, while Texan outfit Dexter & The Moonrocks bring their self-coined Western Space Grunge to the bill, all DIY grit and rock-driven firepower.
Homegrown hero Brad Cox needs little introduction – from fan-favourite “Lake House”, to acclaimed single “Give Me Tonight” and his heartland rock pivot on Endemic Intelligence in Multiple Dimensions. Highly sought-after, Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER songwriter Cam brings her beautiful vocals and introspective blend of folk, country and pop, including Grammy-nominated album All Things Light, while US outfit Cigarettes @ Sunset are set to serve up their signature ‘Possum Rock’ – raw, soulful Americana with an Appalachian edge. CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2025 alumna Kaitlin Butts is ready to sling her soulful voice and theatrical storytelling and rising Californian Noah Rinker arrives with intimate, dusky acoustic anthems. Fresh off 750 million streams and global stages, Sydney’s Sons of the East will bring their beloved blend of blues, classic country, soul and folk back where it belongs. Brisbane native and 2026 Countrytown Breakthrough Artist of the Year nominee Briana Dinsdale joins the lineup, along with Central Queensland cattle station turned global sensation Mack Geiger. Back-to-back CMAA Female Artist of the Year Max Jackson is primed and ready to prove exactly why she’s taken the title twice, running with her electrifying live performance. The earthy presence of Sara Berki will transport crowds to serene outback plains, and bootscootin’ will be guaranteed when country DJ Willie Pake takes the stage.
Each stop on the Strummingbird run brings a local artist along for the ride – repping the country flavours of their own backyard. Ballarat scores the rising folk-country and modern pop infusions of Lewis Love, Newcastle is treated to Gamilaraay artist Loren Ryan and her powerful blend of traditional language and modern acoustic songwriting, while the Sunshine Coast rounds out the tour with Sammy White, whose voice is fast becoming one of the most talked-about in modern Australian country. Keeping boots moving between sets across all three stops, Strummo legend, renowned performer and instructor Maddison Glover is back to lead the line dancing sessions that had crowds kicking up dust last year.
Keen for the full Strummingbird experience? Camping at Sunshine Coast and Ballarat is your best bet. Prefer to leave the driving to someone else? Buses from Melbourne to Ballarat have you covered. Keep your eyes peeled – camping and bus tickets go on sale later in May.
Sign up at strummingbird.com.au to access presale for a shot at lowest-priced tickets, payment plans available. Or you can skip the stress and guarantee yourself a ticket from 12pm AEST Wednesday 6 May with Moshtix Ticket Request, find out more here.
STRUMMINGBIRD FESTIVAL 2026
Presented by Kicks Entertainment
Saturday 10 October – Victoria Park, Ballarat, VIC / Wadawurrung
Saturday 17 October – Newcastle Foreshore, Newcastle, NSW / Awabakal
Sunday 18 October – Kawana Sports Precinct – Sunshine Coast, QLD / Kabi Kabi
LINEUP
POST MALONE
BAILEY ZIMMERMAN
COOPER ALAN
STELLA LEFTY, DEXTER & THE MOONROCKS
(A-Z) BRAD COX, CAM, CIGARETTES @ SUNSET, KAITLIN BUTTS, NOAH RINKER, SONS OF THE EAST
(A-Z) BRIANA DINSDALE, MACK GEIGER, MAX JACKSON
SARA BERKI, LATE NIGHT RIOT WITH WILLIE PAKE
LEWIS LOVE*, LOREN RYAN^, SAMMY WHITE+
& LINE DANCING WITH MADDISON GLOVER
*Ballarat, ^Newcastle +Sunshine Coast
Strummingbird is an all-ages event.
TICKETS
Wednesday 13 May 2026
10am: Sunshine Coast
11am: Newcastle
12pm: Ballarat
Thursday 14 May 2026
10am: All locations
Or lock in your ticket from 12pm Wednesday 6 May with Moshtix Ticket Request
Payment plans available from Wednesday 13 May through PayPal and Afterpay
Sign up for presale & ticket info at strummingbird.com.au
Music News
Calvin Harris Returns To North America For First Headline Tour
Today, global superstar DJ and producer Calvin Harris announces his first headline tour across North America bringing his era-defining catalogue and landmark live show to arenas across the US and Canada in spring 2027.
Promoted by Live Nation, the 18-date tour kicks off Thursday, April 1 at TD Garden in Boston, with stops across Baltimore, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Toronto, Montreal, Houston, Chicago, Seattle, Vancouver, San Diego and more, before concluding Thursday, May 27 at Kia Forum in Los Angeles.
Tickets will be available starting with Reserved by Spotify on Monday, October 19th at 10AM local time, followed by an artist presale beginning Tuesday, October 20th at 12PM local time. Fans can register for artist presale access now at CalvinHarris.com.
The general on sale begins Thursday, October 22nd at 12PM local time at CalvinHarris.com.
Calvin Harris’ Reserved by Spotify tickets may be available to eligible US Spotify Premium subscribers through Ticketmaster. These fans will be notified by Spotify via email and app notification, and will have the opportunity to purchase up to two tickets during the Reserved presale.
The North American run follows an extraordinary year of live milestones for Harris. This summer, he performed to more than 100,000 fans across his two sold-out hometown shows at Glasgow’s Hampden Park, followed by three sold-out headline shows across Ireland, bringing his UK and Ireland total to more than 210,000 tickets. His recently announced Australian headline tour subsequently sold more than 330,000 tickets across 11 dates, making it the biggest headline tour by an electronic artist in the market.
Earlier this year, Harris also earned a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title following his February performance in São Paulo, Brazil, which drew an estimated 1.6 million people, setting the record for the largest attendance at a DJ set by a single artist.
The North American announcement follows Harris’ acclaimed performance at Head Trip Festival in Indio, California, with upcoming performances in Las Vegas and festival appearances in Mexico and Chile. He will also headline a sold-out show at Coliseo MedPlus in Bogotá, Colombia on Friday, November 13.
One of the defining artists in global dance music, Harris has spent more than a decade creating records that have become part of the fabric of contemporary pop and electronic music. With more than 56 billion global streams, two UK No. 1 albums, 11 UK No. 1 singles and 31 UK Top 10 singles, his catalogue has consistently crossed the boundaries between clubs, radio, festivals and stadiums.
His recent run of releases has continued that legacy, with “Blessings” featuring Clementine Douglas becoming one of the year’s biggest dance records, peaking at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart and marking his 31st UK Top 10 single. He followed with “Ocean” featuring Jessie Reyez and “Release the Pressure” with Kasabian as well as “Satisfy” with Jazzy, continuing his instinct for unexpected collaborations and genre-spanning dance music.
Harris returns to stages across North America with a show that reflects his extraordinary evolution as a live artist, bringing together a catalogue of global anthems, cutting-edge production and the communal energy that has made him one of the world’s most successful electronic artists.
Tour dates
Thu 04/01/27 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Fri 04/02/27 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
Thu 04/08/27 – Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
Fri 04/09/27 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Mon 04/12/27 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Fri 04/16/27 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
Sat 04/17/27 – Hamilton, ON – TD Coliseum
Fri 04/23/27 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Sat 04/24/27 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
Sun 04/25/27 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
Thu 04/29/27 – St. Paul, MN – Grand Casino Arena
Fri 04/30/27 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Wed 05/05/27 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center
Fri 05/07/27 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
Fri 05/14/27 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Sun 05/16/27 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
Fri 05/21/27 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena
Thu 05/27/27 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Music News
Matchbox Twenty Celebrate 30th Anniversary With Major North American Tour
Today, Matchbox Twenty announced their 30th Anniversary Tour, an extensive North American run celebrating three decades of music and milestones throughout the band’s three-decades-long career. Promoted by Live Nation, the 52-date tour kicks off on May 15 at Coca-Cola Amphitheater in Birmingham, AL and will bring Matchbox Twenty to amphitheaters and arenas across the U.S. and Canada, including Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO, the Hollywood Bowlin Los Angeles, Moody Center in Austin, TX, RBC Amphitheatre in Toronto, ON, and more.
The All-American Rejects, The Wallflowers, David Gray, O.A.R., Matt Nathanson, and The Lucky will join the band as special guests on select dates. The tour is the centerpiece of a yearlong anniversary celebration that began last night with an intimate, one-night-only performance at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, where the band played songs from their landmark debut Yourself or Someone Like You, alongside other fan favorites. The celebration continues tomorrow when Matchbox Twenty perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Just ahead of the tour, Matchbox Twenty will perform at Stagecoach Festival in Indio, CA on Sunday, April 25.
Matchbox Twenty’s Artist Presale starts Tuesday, October 20 at 5pm local time. All fans can sign up for access presale tickets on their tour dates page HERE.
Tickets will also be available starting with the Reserved by Spotify presale on Tuesday, October 20 at 10AM local time for eligible Spotify Premium top fans purchasing tickets in Ticketmaster venues. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on sale beginning Friday, October 23 at 10am local time at www.matchboxtwenty.com.
Released in 1996, Yourself or Someone Like You introduced Matchbox Twenty (Rob Thomas, Brian Yale, Paul Doucette and Kyle Cook) to the world and launched a career that has now spanned three decades. Featuring smash hit singles “3AM,” “Push,” “Real World,” “Back 2 Good,” “Long Day” and more, the diamond-certified, 12x-platinum album became one of the defining rock records of the era and established the band as a fixture of pop culture.
In the 30 years since, Matchbox Twenty have built a catalog of hits including “Bent,” “If You’re Gone,” “Unwell,” “How Far We’ve Come,” “She’s So Mean” and more. The band have sold more than 40 million records worldwide, topped charts, garnered multiple GRAMMY® Award nominations, and played to millions of fans across arenas, amphitheaters and stadiums on multiple continents.

Photo credit: Jen Rosenstein
MATCHBOX TWENTY 2027 TOUR DATES – Tickets on sale Friday, October 23
April 25 – Indio, CA – Stagecoach Festival # (on sale now)
May 15 – Birmingham, AL – Coca-Cola Amphitheater*
May 16 – Charlotte, NC – Truliant Amphitheater*
May 18 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena*
May 20 – Kansas City, MO – Morton Amphitheater*
May 22 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre+
May 26 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre+
May 27 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater+
May 29 – Spokane, WA – BECU Live at Northern Quest+
May 30 – Vancouver, BC – Freedom Mobile Arch+
June 2 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre+
June 4 – Ridgefield, WA – Cascades Amphitheater+
June 5 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater+
June 8 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre+>
June 9 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl+>
June 11 – Las Vegas, NV – The Colosseum at Caesars Palace+>
June 12 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre+
June 13 – Albuquerque, NM – First Financial Credit Union Amphitheater+
June 16 – Austin, TX – Moody Center+
June 18 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion+
June 19 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion+
June 20 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP+
June 23 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater+
June 25 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre+
June 26 – St. Augustine, FL – The St. Augustine Amphitheatre+
June 27 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre+
June 30 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live+
July 2 – Wilmington, NC – Live Oak Bank Pavilion+
July 3 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater+
July 7 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake=
July 8 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center=
July 10 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center=
July 11 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion=
July 13 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater=
July 14 – Richmond, VA – Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront=
July 16 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion=
July 17 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann=
July 18 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater=
July 20 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Albany Med Health System at SPAC=
July 21 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre=
July 23 – Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre=
July 24 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre=
July 27 – Cincinnati, OH – Venue TBA=
July 28 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center=
July 30 – Council Bluffs, IA – Harrah’s Stir Cove=
July 31 – Shakopee, MN – Mystic Lake Amphitheater=
August 1 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater=
August 4 – Brandon, MS – Brandon Amphitheater~
August 5 – Orange Beach, AL – The Wharf Amphitheater~
August 7 – Charleston, SC – Credit One Stadium~
August 8 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek~
August 11 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center^
August 12 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater^
*with The All-American Rejects
+with The Wallflowers
=with David Gray
~with O.A.R.
^with Matt Nathanson
>with The Lucky
# Non Live Nation Date
