Wanstock will deliver a genuine first in 2026, with Canadian hitmakers Loverboy confirmed to play their debut Australian shows when the festival returns to Sydney and Melbourne in March. The long-running rock event has grown steadily since its beginnings in 2018 and now stands as one of the most reliable gatherings for classic rock devotees, with next year’s line-up built around an unprecedented mix of Australian and international acts.
For Loverboy, the trip marks a milestone more than four decades in the making. Formed in Calgary in 1979, the group cut a fast path to international attention with their self-titled 1980 debut album, followed by the multi-million-selling Get Lucky. Songs such as Turn Me Loose and Working For The Weekend made them fixtures of rock radio across North America. Their live reputation grew rapidly in the early 1980s, driven by a relentless touring schedule and a run of platinum releases including Keep It Up and Lovin’ Every Minute Of It. Despite years of global touring, the band have never performed in Australia until now.
Loverboy’s arrival provides a rare opportunity to see a band whose early career defined arena rock across Canada and the United States. Their catalogue became a staple of the decade, with Hot Girls In Love, Queen Of The Broken Hearts and Heaven In Your Eyes securing their career longevity. The group overcame industry pushback early on, signing with Columbia Records in Canada after being rejected repeatedly by American labels. From that base they broke through internationally, eventually selling more than 15 million albums worldwide.
Over the years they have endured shifting trends, a brief late-1980s hiatus and the tragic loss of bassist Scott Smith in 2000. The band continued performing with long-time colleague Ken Sinnaeve stepping in on bass, and the catalogue remained active through reissues, compilations and new recordings including Just Getting Started, Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival and Unfinished Business. Loverboy were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame in 2009, confirming their influence on generations of North American rock fans.
Their presence at Wanstock marks the first time Australian audiences will see the group on local soil.
“We are excited to be coming to Australia for the first time in the band’s history next year,” the band said. “It is a dream come true, we are honoured to join the fantastic lineup for Wanstock in Melbourne, and play in the beautiful city of Sydney.”
Wanstock will again be staged across two nights at the Shoppingtown Hotel in Doncaster and for one night at Selina’s in Coogee, with a spread of Australian names filling out the bill. Melbourne’s Friday show will be headlined by 1927, one of the nation’s most successful groups of the late 1980s. Their debut album …Ish became the highest selling Australian first release of its era, producing six charting singles and spending 46 weeks in the Top 50. The Otherside repeated their success, making the group one of the defining acts of the period. With multiple platinum releases and their more recent Generation-i album, 1927 remain a cornerstone of the Australian catalogue and a consistent live draw.
Dragon will again take their place at the festival, continuing a history that began in New Zealand in the early 1970s before the band relocated to Australia. Their mix of progressive rock foundations and mainstream hits has locked them into the national songbook, with Are You Old Enough, April Sun In Cuba and Rain firmly embedded in Australian pop culture. The band last appeared at Wanstock before the pandemic years and return in 2026 with renewed enthusiasm.
Pseudo Echo, Bachelor Girl, Choirboys, Taxiride featuring Jason Singh and Ventura also feature across the line-ups, alongside emerging and local artists who reflect organiser Geoff Wansbrough’s commitment to supporting new talent while celebrating the golden age of Australian pub rock.
Wansbrough launched Wanstock after booking some of his favourite bands to play at his birthday. The idea expanded rapidly, shaped by his fondness for the Australian pub circuit of the 1980s and 1990s and his admiration for the Woodstock ethos. The event moved to the Shoppingtown Hotel in 2019 and has evolved into a two-night festival presenting heritage acts, contemporary names and rising performers sharing the same stage.
“For this next event, I am particularly proud to be bringing Loverboy to Australian shores for the first time,” Wansbrough said. “The line-up for both nights is stacked with talent, including hall of famers 1927, Dragon and Pseudo Echo, it is bound to have you rocking out all night.”
Concert Dates And Ticketing
Tickets for Wanstock Melbourne are available from wanstock.com.au and Sydney from selinas.com.au.
Fri 20 March | Selina’s, Coogee NSW | 18+
Loverboy, Choirboys, Taxiride featuring Jason Singh, Ventura
Fri 20 March | Shoppingtown Hotel, Doncaster Vic | 18+
1927, Dragon, Bachelor Girl, Stonetrip, Strait Shooters
Sat 21 March | Shoppingtown Hotel, Doncaster Vic | 18+
Loverboy, Pseudo Echo, Taxiride featuring Jason Singh, Standing Room Only, Daydreamers
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