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
Gnarls Barkley Announce 2026 ‘To Whom It Still Concerns’ Tour
Today, multi-GRAMMY-winning duo Gnarls Barkley announce their 2026 ‘To Whom It Still Concerns’ Tour, a nine-city North American headline run marking their first tour in 18 years.
Promoted by Live Nation, the tour kicks off Thursday, November 5 at The Masonic in San Francisco. The run will make stops in Atlanta, Boston, Toronto and more before wrapping Saturday, November 28 at House of Blues in Chicago.
The announcement follows the release of Atlanta, the duo’s third and final album and their first project in 18 years. Known for their boundary-defying blend of soul, hip-hop, rock, psychedelia and pop, Gnarls Barkley achieved global success with their chart-topping 2006 single, “Crazy.”
“The Gnarls Barkley ‘To Whom It Still Concerns’ Tour operates like an open book, exploring the universal matters of life, death and everything in between,” says CeeLo Green. “These songs are the silver lining to an otherwise sad story. Come, and let’s celebrate together the beautiful madness of it all.”
TICKETS: Tickets will be available starting with a Citi and Spotify presale (details below) beginning on Monday, September 21 followed by the artist presale on Wednesday, September 23. General onsale begins on Thursday, September 24 at 10am local time at LiveNation.com
PRESALE: To participate in the Gnarls Barkeley Artist Presale on Wednesday, September 23 at 10am local, you must sign up at https://signup.livenation.com by Sunday, September 20 at 10pm ET. No codes are needed – access is tied to your account, and anyone who signs up can join the sale. Working in partnership with Ticketmaster, extra protections will be in place to help block bad actors from signing up for the Artist Presale. Some fans may be asked to complete a quick selfie check, or in rare cases, provide an ID via Persona to sign up. Find out more about security checks here.
CITI: Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Monday, September 23 at 10am local time to Tuesday, September 22 at 10pm local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com.
SPOTIFY RESERVED: Introducing Reserved, brought to you by Spotify. For the first time, eligible Spotify Premium top fans will have tickets to their favorite artist’s show set aside for them to purchase before they go on sale to the general public. Reserved is a Spotify Premium benefit that turns real fandom into first access. Visit Spotify.com/Reserved to learn more.
Gnarls Barkley’s Reserved by Spotify tickets may be available to eligible US Spotify Premium subscribers through Ticketmaster. Eligible fans will be notified by Spotify via email and app notification, and will have the opportunity to purchase up to two tickets before the general on-sale.
TO WHOM IT STILL CONCERNS 2026 TOUR DATES:
Thu, Nov 5 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic
Sat, Nov 7 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
Tue, Nov 10 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
Fri, Nov 13 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit
Sun, Nov 15 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
Thu, Nov 19 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring
Sun, Nov 22 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
Tue, Nov 24 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
Sat, Nov 28 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues
Music News
Nick Cannon Brings Wild ’N Out Live: The Next Generation To Arenas This Fall
Multi-hyphenate entertainer Nick Cannon announced today the return of Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ’N Out Live: The Next Generation, bringing a new era of the iconic comedy and music franchise to arenas across North America this fall for its biggest tour yet.
Promoted by Live Nation, the 20-city tour kicks off on November 10 at Oakland Arena in Oakland, CA, making stops in Inglewood, Las Vegas, San Diego, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Birmingham, Miami, Tampa, Atlanta, Charlotte, Atlantic City, Hartford, Newark, Baltimore, Toronto, Detroit, Indianapolis and more before wrapping up at United Center in Chicago, IL on December 17.
For more than two decades, Wild ‘N Out has remained one of television’s most influential comedy franchises, seamlessly blending improv comedy, hip-hop, celebrity guests and audience participation into a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience. Now entering its 22nd season, the franchise has become a cultural phenomenon, helping launch the careers of comedians including Kevin Hart, Pete Davidson, Katt Williams, DC Young Fly and Mikey Day, while welcoming hundreds of celebrity guests spanning music, sports, television and film.
Now, fans will have the chance to experience that same energy live as Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ’N Out Live: The Next Generation takes over arenas across North America. Each stop will feature the signature games, freestyle battles, special celebrity guests, live performances and audience interaction that have become synonymous with the Wild ‘N Outexperience, bringing the show’s signature energy from the screen to the stage.
TICKETS: Tickets will be available starting with an Artist presale (details below) beginning on Tuesday, September 22 at 10am local time. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on sale beginning on Thursday, September 24 at 10am local time at LiveNation.com.
PRESALE: To participate in the Wild ‘N Out Artist Presale on Thursday, September 17 at 12 pm PT you must sign up at https://signup.livenation.com/wildnout by Sunday, September 20 at 11:59 pm PT. No codes are needed – access is tied to your account, and anyone who signs up can join the sale. Working in partnership with Ticketmaster, extra protections will be in place to help block bad actors from signing up for the Artist Presale. Some fans may be asked to complete a quick selfie check, or in rare cases, provide an ID via Persona to sign up. Find out more about security checks here.
WILD ‘N OUT LIVE NEW GENERATION TOUR DATES:
Tue, Nov. 10 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena
Thu, Nov. 12 – Inglewood, CA – Intuit Dome
Sat, Nov. 14 – Las Vegas, NV – Michelob ULTRA Arena
Sun, Nov. 15 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena
Tue, Nov. 17 – Phoenix, AZ – Mortgage Matchup Center
Thu, Nov. 19 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Sat, Nov. 21 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Tue, Nov. 24 – Birmingham, AL – Legacy Arena at the BJCC
Sat, Nov. 28 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center
Mon, Nov. 30 – Tampa, FL – Benchmark International Arena
Tue, Dec. 1 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
Wed, Dec. 2 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
Fri, Dec. 4 – Atlantic City, NJ – Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall
Sat, Dec. 5 – Hartford, CT – PeoplesBank Arena
Tue, Dec. 8 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
Wed, Dec. 9 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
Fri, Dec. 11 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Sun, Dec. 13 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Tue, Dec. 15 – Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Thu, Dec. 17 – Chicago, IL – United Center