Indie icons The Whitlams team up with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for special September show.
The Whitlams will join forces with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for a rare symphonic collaboration at Hamer Hall this September.
The beloved indie band was the first Australian group to perform with the country’s premier orchestras back in 2004, and their orchestral show has evolved significantly over the past two decades as various composers have contributed arrangements to accompany new album releases.
This retrospective performance will showcase The Whitlams’ entire career with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra sharing centre stage, performing across a diverse range of musical styles throughout the concert.
The Whitlams and MSO
- Where: Hamer Hall, Melbourne
- When: Saturday 6 September 2025
Check out our gig guide, our stage guide, our festival guide, our live music venue guide and our nightclub guide. Follow us on Instagram here.
The collaborative performance will feature string arrangements from Tim Freedman’s friend, the late Peter Sculthorpe, alongside full symphonic treatments provided by MSO Principal Conductor Benjamin Northey, Brett Dean, Iain Grandage, Daniel Denholm, Jamie Messenger, and the concert’s conductor Nicholas Buc.
Fans can expect to hear classic compositions including No Aphrodisiac and Blow Up the Pokies, alongside highlights from The Whitlams’ recent creative resurgence, featuring songs from their latest albums Sancho (2022) and the Americana-influenced Kookaburra (2024).
This Hamer Hall performance marks a significant change from the band’s recent Melbourne appearances, which included sold-out standing shows at The Forum, The Northcote Theatre, and a four-night run at The Corner Hotel. It represents their first seated concert since 2017.
Tim Freedman, frontman of The Whitlams, expressed his excitement about the upcoming performance: “Once every seven years we get to perform in the middle of the beautiful storm of an 80-piece orchestra. This time it’s with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in Australia’s best sounding room, Hamer Hall. I’m counting down the days to what will be a really memorable evening.”
Pre-sale tickets will be available from 11am on Tuesday 15 April 2025 through the band’s website, with general public tickets going on sale at 12pm on Thursday 17 April 2025 via the Arts Centre Melbourne website.
