With a history stretching back 30 years, Faithless have long dominated the world of electronic music with tracks like “Insomnia”, “God Is A DJ” and “We Come 1”. Later this month, for the first time in 15 years, they’re coming Down Under.
Their Australian tour kicks off next Friday, March 13th at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion, before stops at Melbourne’s PICA and the Tivoli in Brisbane. Plus, they’re hitting up New Zealand’s Synthony festival on March 21st.
Few dance groups have managed to translate underground credibility into global, stage-filling success quite like Faithless. The pioneering electronic act have long blurred the line between club culture and arena spectacle, dazzling fans across the world with their live show.
Last year marked another milestone in the band’s remarkable story: the 30th anniversary of “Insomnia”, the restless, late-night anthem that helped reshape the sound and scale of electronic music in the mid ’90s. Still one of the most recognisable dance records ever made, its influence continues to ripple through generations of producers – most recently honoured with a tribute edit from Disclosure.
Faithless returned to the live arena in 2024 for their first shows in eight years, following the passing of frontman Maxi Jazz. The comeback run – which included sold-out performances at London’s Roundhouse and a third headline appearance at Glastonbury – honoured Jazz’s legacy while carrying the project forward. Around the same time, the band released their eighth studio album, Champion Sound, reaffirming their enduring presence in electronic music.
Ahead of their Australian tour, Faithless’ Sister Bliss speaks to Rolling Stone AU/NZ about returning to the stage, the enduring power of “Insomnia”, and what fans can expect from the band’s long-awaited comeback shows.
How are you feeling about your first Australian tour in 15 long years?
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Super excited! Really looking forward to seeing our Oz Faithless family once again, especially after losing Maxi – the show really is a celebration of his life, and contribution to music.
Do you remember much from that previous visit? Any standout memories?
I’ve been back a few times to DJ over the past few years, which has been just fantastic, but last time we were over with the band I remember the shows were off the hook. We hung out with the sadly departed legend that is George Michael, who came to every show we played, and chatted away to us backstage – utterly charming. But, the next day Maxi got roundly told off for smoking on Bondi Beach! I also recall we got a ride back to the hotel from the Good Vibrations welcome party in gorgeous Rose Bay in a white Bentley! Very classy.
How did you find Aussie crowds on your last tour? How did they compare to the crowds back home?
I think people don’t differ hugely from place to place – the vibe with Aussie crowds has always been incredibly positive, loving and vocal! I think people are very curious about what the show is now compared with the last time we were over, so I hope they’re as welcoming as ever.
What can fans expect from your setlist at these upcoming shows? Any surprises?
Well, if I told you it wouldn’t be a surprise… However, we do have eight studio albums worth of music to pick from which is a kind of crazy thing to be able to say! The show is also a really emotive love letter to dance music, and to Maxi – I hope fans enjoy and receive it that way.
Are you a big fan of any Australian artists?
I certainly am – there’s so much talent coming out of Oz at the moment – love Amyl and the Sniffers, Flight Facilities, KLP, Dom Dolla is smashing it… And of course established artists like PNAU, Tame Impala, Confidence Man… It’s a long list!
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And what about New Zealand – is it your first time playing there?
I’ve played quite a few times in NZ as a DJ and with Faithless, and I’ve been lucky enough to travel around and see some of the extraordinary landscapes – and climbed a (now melting) glacier – but we have never played Synthony before, which looks awesome!
New Zealand has such a rich history of electronic music. Any electronic acts from NZ you’re familiar with?
Not sure Lorde counts – but she has a rich electronic vibe in her music. And Ladyhawke. So I’ve got some catching up to do!
What’s one thing you want to do in Australia and New Zealand before you leave?
Have the perfect flat white coffee!
Tell us about 30 years of “Insomnia”. How did it feel to look back to that defining song?
It still blows my mind that this song became so globally successful, and remains so through the decades and excites different generations who weren’t even born when it was recorded. I am forever grateful we had a song like this that opened the doors to us having an audience for our first album Reverence – and a live audience, and then that allowed us to go on to make eight (hopefully adventurous) studio albums with a huge variety of musical genres across every record, and some wonderful collaborations with globally renowned artists: from Robert Smith (The Cure) to Cat Power, Jazzie B (Soul II Soul), Boy George, Bebe Rexha, Dido, and many more.
Some bands wait all their lives to have a song that connects in this way – and it wasn’t an overnight success at all – we had to release it twice before it really took off!
Do you remember when it first blew up?
In 1996 when Pete Tong (hugely influential Radio 1 DJ) campaigned to get it re-released – he told us people were coming up to him at every show requesting the song. Back then there was no Shazam!! So we thought he might be onto something, even though we were super happy it was a minor hit first time around (No. 27 in the UK charts).
What else is coming up for you this year?
We are playing festivals all over the UK and Europe for the summer – and also we’re very excited to release some brand new music right through 2026 – including some great mixes of songs from our most recent Champion Sound album – and some brand new club bangers!
I’ll be road testing them at our Faithless after show parties where I’ll be DJing – so come join me. After the live shows I’ll be at Sydney’s Home the Venue on March 13th, The Night Cat in Melbourne on March 14th, Byron Bay’s Arts Factory on March 19th, and a special pre-party for Synthony in New Zealand on March 20th!
For tour and ticket information, see here.
FAITHLESS AU/NZ TOUR 2026
Friday, March 13th
Hordern Pavilion, Sydney NSW
Saturday, March 14th
PICA, Melbourne VIC
Tuesday, March 17th (SOLD OUT)
The Tivoli, Brisbane QLD
Wednesday, March 18th (SOLD OUT)
The Tivoli, Brisbane QLD
Saturday, March 21st
Synthony Festival, Auckland Domain, Auckland NZ
