Rufus Wainwright has announced he will return to Australia for a series of headlining shows across the opening weeks of 2025. The five-date tour will see the veteran Canadian-American singer-songwriter performing in capital cities across the country, which will include a Sydney Opera House show as part of next year’s to-be-announced Sydney Festival program. The full list of tour dates, as well as ticketing information, can be found below.
In a press statement, Wainwright noted that he has “always loved playing Australia.” “I love the country, the culture, nature and the people,” he said. “There is an appreciation and enthusiasm for music which is hard to find anywhere in the world. I am sorry I cannot be there more often, so hopefully this time around we can really have a wonderful time together.”
Rufus Wainwright – ‘Going To A Town’
Wainwright was last in Australia in February 2020, just weeks before the COVID-19 global shutdown. He performed just two shows while in the continent, playing at Perth’s Concert Hall as part of Perth Festival and at Hobart’s Odeon Theatre. Prior to that, Wainwright toured Australia in February 2019 as part of his All These Poses world tour, which saw him celebrate 20 years in the industry and also perform his acclaimed second album Poses in its entirety.
The 2025 tour comes in support of Wainwright’s 10th solo album, Folkocracy. Relesed in June 2023, the project saw Wainwright collaborate with a variety of artists on a series of covers – including David Byrne, John Legend, Sheryl Crow, former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and his two sisters, Martha and Lucy. The album also featured a re-recording of his 2007 single ‘Going To A Town’, here reworked as a duet with long-time friend and collaborator Anohni.
Rufus Wainwright 2025 Tour
- Saturday, January 4th – Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle WA
- Wednesday, January 8th – Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney NSW
- Friday, January 10th – Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne VIC
- Sunday, January 12th – Odeon Theatre, Hobart TAS
- Tuesday, January 14th – The Tivoli, Brisbane QLD
A pre-sale for all shows except Fremantle and Sydney will take place from Thursday, September 12th at 1pm local time. Tickets for all shows go on general sale at 1pm local time on Monday, September 16th. All ticketing information can be accessed via Frontier Touring.
Further Reading
Rufus Wainwright – Taronga Zoo, Sydney 07/03/15
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Announce 2025 Australian Shows
