Acclaimed American singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III will tour Australia and New Zealand in February 2027, marking his first performances in the region in almost two decades.
by Paul Cashmere
Loudon Wainwright III will return to Australia and New Zealand in February 2027 for his first tour of the region in almost 20 years, with a seven-date run taking in Auckland, Wellington, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth. The veteran American songwriter, whose career spans more than five decades, is set to perform songs from one of contemporary folk music’s most enduring catalogues.
The tour marks a significant return for an artist whose work has long occupied a distinctive place in American songwriting. Combining autobiographical storytelling with humour, social observation and emotional candour, Wainwright has maintained a career that has remained influential across generations of performers. His music has been recorded by artists including Johnny Cash, Bonnie Raitt, Mose Allison and his son Rufus Wainwright, while his live performances continue to be recognised for their conversational style and sharp wit.
Wainwright first emerged at the start of the 1970s after signing with Atlantic Records. He later moved to Columbia Records, where he achieved his only major chart success with the 1972 single Dead Skunk, a Top 20 hit in the United States. Although that novelty song introduced him to a broad audience, it ultimately became only one chapter in a catalogue that would expand across more than 30 albums and establish him as one of America’s most respected singer-songwriters.
Among his best known compositions are The Swimming Song, Motel Blues, Daughter, Down Drinking at the Bar and Lullaby, songs that reflect the intensely personal writing style that has become his trademark. Throughout his career, Wainwright has often drawn directly from his own life, addressing family relationships, ageing, love, loss and personal failings with uncommon honesty.
His body of work received one of its highest honours with High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project, which won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album in 2010.
Away from music, Wainwright has built an extensive acting career that stretches across television and film. Australian audiences may remember his recurring role as Captain Calvin Spalding in MASH*, while later screen appearances included The Aviator, Big Fish, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Parks and Recreation and Undeclared. He also collaborated with producer Joe Henry on the soundtrack for Knocked Up, further extending his creative work beyond the recording studio.
His influence also extends through his musical family. Wainwright is the father of acclaimed singer-songwriters Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche, each of whom has established a successful career while maintaining artistic connections to their father’s work.
Across more than five decades, Wainwright has released a succession of studio albums beginning with his self-titled debut in 1970 and continuing through to Lifetime Achievement in 2022. His songwriting has remained rooted in acoustic folk traditions while continually evolving in subject matter and perspective, reflecting changing stages of his life without abandoning the intimate style that first distinguished his work.
For Australian and New Zealand audiences, the forthcoming tour represents a rare opportunity to see one of modern folk music’s most respected storytellers in an intimate theatre setting. While many of his contemporaries have reduced touring commitments, Wainwright has continued to perform internationally, presenting concerts that blend music with personal anecdotes and reflections drawn from an extensive career.
Tour Dates
Tuesday 2 February, Auckland, Hollywood Avondale
Thursday 4 February, Wellington, James Hay Theatre
Saturday 6 February, Sydney, Enmore Theatre
Tuesday 9 February, Adelaide, The Gov
Thursday 11 February, Brisbane, The Tivoli
Sunday 14 February, Melbourne, Recital Centre
Wednesday 17 February, Perth, Astor Theatre
Ticket Details
Presale: Wednesday 22 July, 11.00am local time
General Public On Sale: Friday 24 July, 11.00am local time
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