Update - 19 January, 2026: Red Hot Summer Tour has added events in Mornington, Hervey Bay, Perth and Brisbane to the Paul Kelly and Missy Higgins dates. Scroll down for the details.
Red Hot Summer Tour is once again turning it up a few notches, getting set for another scorching, all-Australian line-up for the 2026 series.
The event is a massive, outdoor concert series held across Australia and starring major rock, pop and blues acts. The first leg of 2026 is an 11-event series between January-March commencing in Warrnambool before travelling to Hunter Valley, Port Macquarie, Gold Coast, Melbourne, South Coast, Western Sydney, Wodonga, Launceston, Bendigo and Victor Harbor.
Set to headline proceedings will be iconic, enduring singer-songwriter and master storyteller Paul Kelly, whose music is woven through the fabric of modern Australia. "The band and I have many great memories from our last Red Hot Summer tour. We're looking forward to making some new ones," Paul says.
Kelly recently collaborated with Meg Washington releasing the single 'Fine' from her new album 'Gem'. "'Fine' is a beautiful, uplifting song and it's always a pleasure singing with Meg," Paul says, whose career spans across 40 years and 30 albums. From 'To Her Door' to 'How To Make Gravy', Kelly's artistic vision extends beyond individual songs, encompassing the broader Australian story.
Next up is crowd favourite Missy Higgins – one of Australia's most beloved singer-songwriters. She's struck a deep, enduring chord with irresistible melodies, lyrics, live concerts, and classic tracks like 'Scar', 'The Special Two', and more.
Missy has blazed a trail for female singer-songwriters in Australia, marching to her own beat and scoring 26 ARIA Award nominations and 7 ARIA #1s.
Earlier this year Missy played Bluesfest, while last year she honoured the 20th anniversary of her debut album 'The Sound Of White' with a national tour – read our review of her Bowral A Day On The Green concert, which we described as: 'Higgins is simply remarkable as a songwriter and performer, and her show feels like a night with a close friend.'
The Cruel Sea – read our review of their 2024 Gold Coast concert – formed in 1987, carving out their place in the country's music history with a genre-blurring sound that fused rock, blues, roots, surf, soul and cinematic soundscapes.
Their album 'The Honeymoon Is Over' turned 30 in 2023, when the band were encouraged to return to touring, and earlier this year they released their first album of new, original material in 23 years.
"The Cruel Sea started as an instrumental band, then they added me on vocals," Tex Perkins told us recently. "The new record ['Straight Into The Sun'] feels like that early era. It's a bit looser, more atmospheric. Less 'kick the door in', more mood and vibe."
The Cat Empire kicked off 2023 with a bang, presenting a fresh new line-up of band members, with Felix Riebl and Ollie McGill continuing on the legacy while preserving the group's vibrant energy.
This year, the group has dropped their tenth studio album, 'Bird Of Paradise', which debuted at #2 on the ARIA Charts and marked a return to a more organic, 'live in the room' sound. "The main emphasis of this album for us was to write songs that felt musically natural and free flowing," band leader and co-founder of The Cat Empire, Felix Riebl told us recently.
"We performed these songs live in the studio, so when we play the songs live, it feels really great and when these new songs are put next to the classic songs, they fit really well in the set list." Read our review of their recent Gold Coast show.
An OG of Australian country music, Kasey Chambers is widely celebrated as one of Australia's most exceptional live performers, earning a devoted following through her raw, emotionally-charged stage presence and an unmistakable voice.
She's carved out a career over more than two decades, playing to festival audiences in Australia and overseas with heartfelt storytelling, and genre-defying music. Last year she released her 13th studio album, 'Backbone', which was nominated for Best Independent Country Album or EP at 2025 AIR Awards. Read our review of her recent Brisbane concert.
Last but not least, joining Red Hot Summer Tour 2026 is powerhouse vocalist Jess Hitchcock – an artist Paul Kelly has called his "secret weapon". Audiences will know her from their duet, 'Every Day My Mother's Voice', and this Red Hot Summer she's joining Paul's band again, but also bringing her own solo material to kick things off.
Tickets on sale from 9am (local time) on 25 September.
Red Hot Summer Tour 2026 Line-Up
Paul Kelly
Missy Higgins
The Cruel Sea
The Cat Empire
Kasey Chambers
Jess Hitchcock
Red Hot Summer Tour 2026 Tour Dates
Sat 17 Jan - Warrnambool Racecourse
Sat 24 Jan - Speers Point Park (Hunter Valley)
Sat 31 Jan - Westport Park (Port Macquarie)
Sun 1 Feb - Broadwater Parklands (Gold Coast)
Sun 8 Feb - Werribee Park (Melbourne)
Sat 14 Feb - Berry Showground (South Coast)
Sun 15 Feb - Bella Vista Farm (Western Sydney)
Sat 28 Feb - Gateway Lakes (Wodonga)
Sun 8 Mar - Launceston Country Club
Sat 14 Mar - Bendigo Racecourse
Sat 21 Mar - Kent Reserve (Victor Harbor)
Sat 11 Apr - Mornington Racecourse (Mornington)* new show
Sat 18 Apr - Seafront Oval (Hervey Bay)* new show
Sat 9 May - Whitfords Nodes Park (Perth)* new show
Sat 23 May - Sandstone Point Hotel (Brisbane)* new show
