Following the band’s announcement back in February of an Australia-wide reunion tour, beloved local rock pioneers Zoot have been forced to reschedule all dates.
After almost 50 years away, the Aussie rock icons who had their hey-day in the late sixties, early seventies will reform for a small run of shows. It just won’t be happening this year.
Beeb Birtles, Rick Springfield and Rick Brewer will be joined by their close friend and contemporary Russell Morris in October 2021 for a nation run taking in Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.
The tour is dedicated to the band’s lead singer, Darryl Cotton, who died of liver cancer in 2012.Though Zoot reunited in 2011 for the Rick Springfield and Friends cruise, Cotton passed away the following year, seemingly putting to rest any idea of further reunions.
But next October they’re set to hit the road for their first tour in almost 50 years.
Beeb Birtles said in a statement the reunion tour is also a farewell tour to fans:
“Hello ZOOT fans. Unfortunately during this time of uncertainty due to the Coronavirus, the ZOOT tour this November will be postponed until October 2021. We will celebrate 50 years since the break up of Zoot in 2021, so it will be a ‘farewell to fans tour’.”
Often referred to as “a supergroup in reverse” Zoot first formed as Down the Line back in Adelaide in the early sixties. The lineup of Beeb Birtles, Darryl Cotton, Teddy Higgins, and John D’Arcy changed their name to Zoot within a few years before moving to Melbourne in 1968.
By 1969, Rick Springfield had joined the group as lead guitarist, and in 1970, the band released their sole studio album, Just Zoot, which went on to reach #12 on the Kent Music Report that year.
Their biggest single – a cover of The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” – soon followed, before the group split in 1971, with members going on to greater things. Birtles would go on to form Mississippi (which itself would evolve into the Little River Band), Cotton would embark on a solo career, and Springfield eventually relocated to the US where he received a Grammy for his 1981 single “Jessie’s Girl”.
The tour will mark Rick Springfield’s first Australian appearances since 1971.
Zoot Australian Tour 2021
Friday October 8th
The Fortitude, Brisbane
Saturday October 9th
Enmore Theatre , Sydney
Wednesday October 13th
Astor Theatre, Perth
Friday October 15th
Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
Saturday October 16th
Palais Theatre, Melbourne
