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
Luke Combs Announces 12 New Stadium Shows for 2027 ‘My Kinda Saturday Night Tour’
Luke Combs is extending his My Kinda Saturday Night Tour into 2027, announcing 12 new stadium shows across the United States.
The new dates continue the tour that Combs launched in 2026, though fans can expect a different lineup of opening acts. Treaty Oak Revival, Avery Anna, Shenandoah and Wyatt McCubbin will join Combs at various stops throughout the 2027 run.
The tour takes its name from “My Kinda Saturday Night,” a song from Combs’ latest album, The Way I Am. The singer recently wrapped the 2026 leg with three sold-out performances at London’s Wembley Stadium.
For now, the 12 newly announced stadium concerts are the only dates listed on Combs’ official tour calendar. Tickets for all 12 shows go on sale August 21.
The announcement had been teased throughout the week, with several venues revealing details before Combs officially announced the dates on Thursday morning.
The limited schedule reflects a shift in how Combs is approaching life on the road. With three young children — ages four, nearly three and six months — the singer has spoken about putting more time aside for his family. The days of spending most of the week away from home may be becoming less common for the country star.
That does not mean Combs is stepping away from the stage. Every 2027 date announced so far is scheduled at a football stadium with a capacity of at least 60,000 people.
The strategy is similar to one adopted by several major country artists in recent years, including Morgan Wallen: fewer shows in much larger venues. Rather than spending months on the road playing arenas and smaller venues, Combs can reach a large audience with a limited number of performances.
For fans, that makes each stop a bigger event. For Combs, it offers a way to keep touring while spending more time at home with his family.
Tickets go on sale August 21.
Tour Dates for Luke Combs 2027 ‘My Kinda Saturday Night Tour’:
April 3 — Arlington, Texas @ AT&T Stadium
April 10 — Minneapolis, Minn. @ U.S. Bank Stadium
April 17 — Detroit, Mich. @ Ford Field
April 24 — Philadelphia, Pa. @ Lincoln Financial Field
May 1 — Foxborough, Mass. @ Gillette Stadium
May 8 — Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Acrisure Stadium
May 15 — Kansas City, Mo. @ Arrowhead Stadium
May 29 — Edmonton, Alb. Canada @ Commonwealth Stadium
June 5 — Vancouver, B.C. Canada @ BC Place
June 12 — Boise, Idaho @ Albertsons Stadium
June 19 — Denver, Colo. @ Empower Field at Mile High
June 26 — San Diego, Calif. @ Petco Park
Music News
Steve Lacy Announces 27-Date Fall Tour Behind Oh Yeah?
Steve Lacy is hitting the road this fall with a 27-date tour in support of his upcoming album, Oh Yeah?
The tour kicks off September 27 in Minneapolis and will take Lacy across North America, with stops planned in Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and New York. The run will wrap up in Vancouver.
Oh Yeah? marks Lacy’s first album since 2022’s Gemini Rights, the record that helped further establish him as one of R&B and alternative music’s most distinctive voices. The new album features appearances from SZA, Erykah Badu and Cecile Believe.
The upcoming tour will be Lacy’s first major run since the 2022 Give You the World Tour, which supported Gemini Rights. Four years later, he is set to return to the stage with new material and a string of dates across North America.
Steve Lacy Oh Yeah? Tour Dates:
09-27 Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
09-30 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom
10-03 Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
10-05 Toronto, Ontario – Coca-Cola Coliseum
10-06 Laval, Quebec – Place Bell
10-10 New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
10-13 Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
10-15 Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
10-18 Washington, DC – The Anthem
10-20 Virginia Beach, VA – The Dome by Rutter Mills
10-22 Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
10-23 Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater
10-26 Miami, FL – FPL Solar Amphitheatre
10-28 Tampa, FL – Yuengling Center
10-30 Atlanta, GA – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park
11-02 Nashville, TN – Nashville Municipal Auditorium
11-05 Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
11-07 Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park
11-08 Houston, TX – Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
11-11 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
11-13 Las Vegas, NV – The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
11-17 Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
11-19 San Diego, CA – Gallagher Square at Petco Park
11-21 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
11-24 San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
11-28 Seattle, WA – WAMU Theater
11-30 Vancouver, British Columbia – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre