Australia's most treasured musical storyteller, Paul Kelly, takes centre stage for Red Hot Summer Tour 2026, bringing four decades of songwriting mastery to outdoor stages across the country.
Red Hot Summer Tour returns in 2026 with Paul Kelly leading an iconic Australian lineup.
Kelly’s appearance marks a return to the festival circuit for the man whose compositions have become part of Australia’s cultural DNA.
Supporting acts include Missy Higgins, fresh from her ARIA Hall of Fame induction and chart-topping album The Second Act, alongside genre-blending legends The Cruel Sea. Cat Empire brings their revitalised lineup and recent album Bird in Paradise, while Kasey Chambers delivers her celebrated live performance style. Jess Hitchcock, known for her duet with Kelly on Every Day My Mother’s Voice, opens proceedings with her own band and new material.
Paul Kelly headlines Red Hot Summer Tour 2026
- Saturday, 17 January – Warrnambool Racecourse, Warrnambool VIC
- Saturday, 24 January – Speers Point Park, Lake Macquarie NSW
- Saturday, 31 January – Westport Park, Port Macquarie NSW
- Sunday, 1 February – Broadwater Parklands, Southport QLD
- Sunday, 8 February – Werribee Park, Werribee South VIC
- Saturday, 14 February – Berry Showground, Berry NSW
- Sunday, 15 February – Bella Vista Farm, Bella Vista NSW
- Saturday, 28 February – Gateway Lakes, Wodonga VIC
- Sunday, 8 March – Launceston Country Club, Launceston TAS
- Saturday, 14 March – Bendigo Racecourse, Bendigo VIC
- Saturday, 21 March – Kent Reserve, Victor Harbor SA
- Tickets: here
Check out our gig guide, our festival guide, our live music venue guide and our nightclub guide. Follow us on Instagram here.
Paul Kelly recently wrapped a sold-out arena tour where he premiered Rita Wrote A Letter, the sequel to his beloved Christmas classic How to Make Gravy. At 70, the Aussie icon continues creating new material, with his 2024 album Fever Longing Still proving his creative vitality remains undiminished.
Missy Higgins enters 2026 riding high from a transformative 2024 and equally successful 2025 that saw The Second Act top charts exactly 20 years after her debut The Sound Of White reached number one. Her recent ARIA win for Best Live Act and Hall of Fame induction caps a remarkable year that included two entries in triple j’s Hottest 100 of Australian Songs.
Cruel Sea marks their return to major touring after supporting Cold Chisel and releasing their first album of new material in 23 years, Straight Into The Sun. The band’s genre-blurring sound helped define Australian alternative rock in the 90s, with The Honeymoon Is Over becoming a truly generational soundtrack.
Cat Empire continues their evolution with Felix Riebl and Ollie McGill leading a refreshed lineup. Their 2025 album Bird in Paradise reached number two on ARIA charts, showcasing a return to their organic, live-in-the-room recording approach after extensive worldwide touring.
Presales begin Wednesday, 24 September from 9am to 11:59pm local time, with general public sales starting Thursday, 25 September at 9am local time.
For more information, head here.
