ONEFOUR have taken Western Sydney drill around the world. In January, they’ll bring it back to Penrith, this time with a full string section in tow.
The Mount Druitt group will join forces with the Penrith Chamber Orchestra for a major new commission at The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, bringing two distinctly different musical worlds together on stage for the first time.
The collaboration is being billed as ONEFOUR’s biggest local show yet, and is among the highlights of Sydney Festival’s newly-announced 2027 program, running from January 7-25 across greater Sydney.
After their 2025 debut album Look At Me Now reached No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart, the performance marks yet another milestone for the group.
Elsewhere, the Pakistani-American singer Ali Sethi will make his Australian live debut at City Recital Hall, bringing his blend of South Asian melodies, Sufi poetry, and contemporary pop. British sibling duo Wasia Project will also appear at the venue, alongside an improvised collaboration between Paul Grabowsky, James Morrison, William Barton and Spiderbait’s Kram.
The festival’s First Nations-led Blak Out program will bring Blak & Blues to the Metro Theatre, with Budjerah interpreting Donny Hathaway across two nights, MO’JU exploring the songbook of Bill Withers, and SOLCHLD taking on Etta James.
Electronic artists Maggie Tra and CORIN will perform at Bankstown Arts Centre, while Marcus Whale premieres his doom-metal electronic opera Atopia at Campbelltown Arts Centre.
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Beyond music, the program features Hannah Gadsby’s return to Sydney, ILBIJERRI Theatre Company’s world premiere of THE LINE, and an international dance lineup including French collective (LA)HORDE and China’s TAO Dance Theatre.
The redeveloped Cutaway will become a major festival destination, hosting performances and a massive free late-night dance party, The Party, on January 8th.
Barangaroo Reserve will also welcome back an outdoor festival hub, with The Yard offering free entry, food, art and Harbourside gatherings from January 8-24.
“We’ve set out to make a Festival that feels unmistakably of Sydney and open to the world,” festival director Kris Nelson said. “We have major new First Nations shows, collaborations born in Western Sydney, and an international dance and theatre program on a scale the city deserves.”
More than 10,000 tickets priced at $49 or less will be available across the festival’s ticketed program, with limited prime seats offered at every performance.
Tickets go on sale Thursday, October 22nd. Ticketing information and the full Sydney Festival program can be found via sydneyfestival.org.au.
