John Butler is shedding old skins. The beloved guitarist and roots troubadour will hit the road this spring for an intimate run of capital city and regional dates across Australia, marking the release of his new album PRISM, and his first national band tour since 2019.
The tour kicks off September 5th in Bunbury, WA—the same day PRISM drops—and wraps a month later in Townsville on October 5th. The shows will see Butler perform in theatres and venues from Perth to Brisbane, with ARIA-nominated powerhouse Emma Donovan joining as special guest. Folk stalwarts The Waifs will also appear at the dates in Darwin and Cairns.
“This tour feels like a real homecoming,” Butler said in a statement. “I’m loving playing with Ian Peres, Michael Boase, and reuniting with Michael Barker on drums. We’ve been having such a great time bringing these new songs to life and the older songs are sounding BETTER THAN ever. Sorry, couldn’t help myself!”
The tour coincides with a significant shift in Butler’s musical journey. PRISM will be his first album released without the “Trio” moniker, signalling a move away from the name that helped catapult him to household status with hits like “Zebra” and “Better Than”. The album, described as “contemplative and explosive, joyous and free,” follows his recent experimental projects: the meditative Running River and instrumental Still Searching, both part of a four-season rollout.
So far, fans have had a taste of PRISM via the singles “Trippin on You” and “So Sorry”, showcasing the sonic range of a songwriter who has never stopped evolving.
Butler’s return to Australia comes after a two-month North American summer tour with Dispatch, Donavon Frankenreiter, and G. Love & Special Sauce.
Tickets for the tour go on sale Friday, June 20th at 12pm local time via johnbutlertrio.com.
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John Butler 2025 Australian Tour
Tickets on sale Friday, June 20th at 12pm local time from johnbutlertrio.com
*With The Waifs
**Emma Donovan not playing, special guests to be confirmed
Friday, September 5th
Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, Bunbury
Saturday, September 6th
Metropolis Fremantle, Perth
Wednesday, September 10th
Presented in association with The Adelaide Guitar Festival
Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide
Thursday, September 11th
Northcote Theatre, Melbourne
Friday, September 12th
Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo
Saturday, September 13th
Civic Hall, Ballarat
Tuesday, September 16th
Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul
Wednesday, September 17th
Metro Theatre, Sydney
Thursday, September 18th
The Station, Sunshine Coast
Friday, September 19th
Presented in association with The Brisbane Festival
Princess Theatre, Brisbane
Sunday, September 21st
The Empire Theatre, Toowoomba
Tuesday, September 30th
Moncrieff Theatre, Bundaberg**
Thursday, October 2nd
Darwin Ski Club, Darwin*
Saturday, October 4th
Munro Martin Parklands, Cairns*
Sunday, October 5th
Presented in association with Northern Australian Festival of Arts
Townsville Civic Theatre, Townsville**
