Created In Partnership With the Australian Bureau of Statistics
Winter doesn’t have to mean quiet. Despite the shorter days and colder nights, headline acts and indie favourites are still hitting stages across Australia, and we’ve rounded up the gigs worth locking in this winter.
Between all the tours and ticket drops, there’s one important date worth circling too: Census night. Held every five years, the Census helps shape the funding, infrastructure and public services that support everything from transport and nightlife precincts to education and community programs.
On Tuesday, August 11th, the Australian Bureau of Statistics will count every person and household in the country, taking a snapshot of how Australia is growing and changing. Instructions for completing the Census will arrive before Tuesday, August 11th, and households can complete the Census early if they know who will be home on Census night. The data collected helps to inform decisions for communities and planning for services and cultural spaces. Don’t miss your chance to contribute to the future of your city. Every answer matters.
Ahead of August, these are the acts worth adding to your calendar and stepping out into the cold for this winter.
Ninajirachi
After a whirlwind 2026 (that included a much-hyped Coachella performance), one of Australia’s most exciting electronic exports, Ninajirachi, is performing a handful of shows this July. Ninajirachi will be joined by local artists Lucy Bedroque and daine on the tour. Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney will get to witness the highly anticipated Dark Crystal V tour and be a part of Ninajirachi’s homecoming celebrations after the global success of her debut album, I Love My Computer.
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South Summit
Perth five-piece, South Summit, will be touring their WA-inspired music across the country this winter. Known for their blend of indie rock, reggae and hip-hop, the band has earned a reputation as one of the West Coast’s most exciting exports. Catch tracks from their recently released album RUN IT BACK from Friday, July 10th when the band hits Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Fremantle on their national tour.
Vacations
Fresh off a world tour, indie-pop favourites Vacations return home this July for a run of Australian shows. Known for their hazy guitars, melancholic hooks and cult-like global fanbase, the Newcastle band are entering a new era with their forthcoming album, Pursuit of Anything, out Friday, October 2nd. Catch the band in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth or Melbourne from Saturday, July 11th.
Hiatus Kaiyote
Melbourne jazz/funk band, Hiatus Kaiyote, are touring their 2024 album Love Heart Cheat Code this winter. Kicking off in Brisbane on Friday, July 10th at The Tivoli, the band will also be performing their genre-bending music at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday, July 12th, followed by The Forum in Melbourne on Saturday, July 18th. After the small run of shows in July, Hiatus Kaiyote will take to the stage at Darwin Festival 2026 on Sunday, August 23rd — a perfect way to wrap up your cultural winter hit list. For Aotearoa New Zealand fans, Hiatus Kaiyote are crossing the ditch in September to celebrate their 15th anniversary with performances in Wellington and Auckland.
Brad Cox
Country music is having a moment in 2026, and Brad Cox is capturing lightning in a bottle with his Australian country-rock. The Golden Guitar-winning artist from Jindabyne is touring the country with his fourth studio album, Endemic Intelligence in Multiple Dimensions, this winter alongside The Vanns and Max Jackson. Get ready for big choruses and sing-along beer-in-the-air energy when his shows begin on Friday, July 17th.
Geordie Greep
Experimental British rock artist, Geordie Greep (of Black Midi fame), is headlining a handful of shows this winter in his first-ever solo Australian tour. Kicking off from Friday, July 31st at the Northcote Theatre in Melbourne, Geordie will also be performing his chaotically cool 2024 album, The New Sound, in Brisbane, Sydney, and Perth. Don’t miss it.
Laufey
There are very few artists right now bridging jazz and orchestral pop quite like Laufey. Her Australian shows have become some of the most anticipated of the year, as the Icelandic artist returns with her A Matter of Time arena tour, complete with a cinematic live set. Laufey’s local tour starts in Perth on Saturday, July 25th, before shows in Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, and Auckland.
Alex Warren
After a breakout run online transformed into chart success and a Grammy nomination, Alex Warren’s first Australian arena dates could be one of the biggest pop events of the year. The American singer has already added more dates to his Australian and New Zealand shows, marking a hunger for the ballad-singing former-TikTok star. The tour begins in Aotearoa, New Zealand, on Friday, August 21st.
For more information on the 2026 Census, visit census.abs.gov.au
