Tickets for more than 20 new dates go on sale today as the singer prepares to play John Farnham on stage.
Michael Paynter will take The Great Australian Songbook Tour back on the road in 2027 with an expanded run of regional and capital city shows, responding to demand that turned his 2026 dates into one of the year’s quickest sell-outs.
Tickets go on sale today at 10am AEDT via michaelpaynter.com. The new itinerary reaches more than a dozen regional centres Paynter could not fit into the original schedule, while also covering every capital city from April 2027.
What started in early 2026 as seven shows grew to 30 dates and sold out. Paynter said the response left him determined to return.
“The messages I’ve received from people all over the country have been incredibly humbling,” he said. “When we launched this tour last year, I had no idea so many of you would respond the way you did. It was overwhelming. I ran out of days in the year to reach all the places I knew you wanted me to come, so next year, I’m fixing that, listening to your requests and coming to you!”
The show is stripped back to piano, guitar and Paynter’s voice. It draws on the songs that shaped his life and the broader Australian soundtrack, from Jimmy Barnes and Icehouse to John Farnham, Sia, Tina Arena and others. The intimate format has proved a strong draw, with audiences consistently filling venues.
The 2027 tour comes as Paynter’s profile continues to rise. In September he performed a cappella national anthem at the AFL Grand Final, watched by more than 6.5 million people. He remains a full-time member of Icehouse and will appear as a featured artist on the band’s 40th anniversary tour. He is also preparing to step into the lead role of John Farnham in the Sydney Theatre Company’s world premiere of Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical.
Paynter first came to wider attention with the 2010 single “Love the Fall”, featuring The Veronicas, which reached the ARIA top 20 and earned gold certification. He has released the albums Money on Your Tongue and Weary Stars, and has spent more than a decade performing with Icehouse and Jimmy Barnes. Theatre audiences know him for his award-winning performance as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, which earned him both a Sydney Theatre Award and a Melbourne Green Room Award for Best Leading Performance in a Musical.
The 2027 dates build directly on the success of the live EPs The Great Australian Songbook (Live) Vol. 1, 2 and 3 released earlier this year. Paynter’s ability to move between stadium anthems, intimate storytelling and major theatrical roles has made him one of Australia’s most versatile working performers.
The new shows give regional audiences the chance to experience the songbook treatment in their own towns while capital city fans get another opportunity to hear the set in larger rooms. With tickets opening today, the early demand that defined the 2026 run is expected to continue.
THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN SONGBOOK 2027 REGIONAL TOUR
Saturday, 3 April: The Play House – Geelong, VIC
Friday, 9 April: Civic Theatre – Newcastle, NSW
Saturday, 10 April: Anita’s Theatre – Thirroul, NSW
Sunday, 11 April: Avoca Beach Theatre – Avoca Beach, NSW
Thursday, 15 April: Frankston Arts Centre – Frankston, VIC
Friday, 16 April: West Gippsland Arts Centre – Warragul, VIC
Saturday, 17 April: Capital Theatre – Bendigo, VIC
Friday, 23 April: Wrest Point – Hobart, TAS
Saturday, 24 April: Country Club Tasmania – Launceston, TAS
Thursday, 27 May: Hayden Orpheum – Sydney, NSW
Friday, 28 May: Bankstown Sports Club – Bankstown, NSW
Saturday, 29 May: Evan Theatre – Penrith, NSW
Friday, 16 July: Frankston Arts Centre – Frankston, VIC
Saturday, 17 July: The Athenaeum Theatre – Melbourne, VIC
Thursday, 22 July: The Tivoli – Brisbane, QLD
Friday, 23 July: Twin Towns Showroom – Tweed Heads, NSW
Saturday, 24 July: The Kings Theatre – Caloundra, QLD
Saturday, 21 August: Thebarton Theatre – Adelaide, SA
Friday, 10 September: Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre – WA
Saturday, 11 September: Astor Theatre – Perth, WA
Saturday, 2 October: Clocktower Centre – Moonee Ponds, VIC
Tickets on sale Thursday 12 November at 10am AEDT via michaelpaynter.com
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