Osees will return to Australia in February 2027 with a tour built around the return of longtime collaborator Brigid Dawson, material from the band’s latest album Off Course, and songs that have not featured in their live set for years.
by Paul Cashmere
Osees have announced an Australian tour for February 2027, with frontman John Dwyer confirming the band will revisit music from an important era of its catalogue while welcoming keyboardist and vocalist Brigid Dawson back into the touring line-up. The six-date run follows the release of the group’s 30th studio album, Off Course, and will take in shows across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
Dwyer said fans can expect a markedly different setlist from recent tours.
“We’re bringing a lot of shit we ain’t played in years down there. Will be fun!”
The tour marks Dawson’s return as a touring member after playing a significant role during one of the band’s most celebrated creative periods. She appeared on acclaimed releases including Help (2009), Carrion Crawler/The Dream (2011) and Floating Coffin (2013), contributing keyboards, harmony vocals and melodic ideas alongside Dwyer. While Dawson has continued her own solo career and has collaborated with Osees on selected recordings in recent years, this tour places her back on stage with the full band.
Alongside older material, the concerts will showcase songs from Off Course, released in June 2026. Dwyer said the album represented a return to an earlier songwriting approach built around extended group performances before being refined in the studio.
“We went back to an older method of writing for this one. We jammed and jammed and jammed. I took the tapes home and ironed out some mutant tunes. We went back into the studio and burned them to tape live and then I took it home to Stu-Stu-Studio and did the vocals and brought in Tom Dolas & Brigid Dawson to put the finish on. Spice is always nice.”
Originally formed in San Francisco in 1997 as John Dwyer’s solo recording project, Osees have developed into one of the most prolific and constantly evolving bands in contemporary underground rock. Across nearly three decades, the group has recorded under several different names including OCS, The Oh Sees, Thee Oh Sees and Oh Sees before settling on Osees in 2020.
The frequent name changes have mirrored an equally restless musical evolution. What began as a lo-fi folk project gradually transformed into a garage rock outfit before expanding into a heavier sound incorporating krautrock, psychedelic rock, noise experimentation and extended improvisation. Despite numerous personnel changes, Dwyer has remained the band’s creative centre throughout its history.
The current line-up features Dwyer alongside bassist Tim Hellman, drummers Dan Rincon and Paul Quattrone, keyboardist Tomas Dolas and Dawson.
Off Course became the band’s 30th studio album and reunited Dawson with the group for its first studio appearance since Face Stabber in 2019. The record continues Osees’ pattern of prolific recording, with the band releasing albums at a pace rarely matched by their contemporaries.
Australian audiences have developed a strong following for Osees’ live performances, which are known for lengthy, high-energy sets that frequently reshape songs through improvisation. The upcoming tour is expected to draw heavily from the period when Dawson was a central member of the band while also incorporating more recent material.
Joining Osees on every Australian date will be Sydney group Station Model Violence. The collective features current and former members of R.M.F.C. and Total Control and recently released its debut album. Dwyer has publicly praised the record, describing it simply as “Album of the year!”
Osees Australian Tour 2027
18 February 2027, Barwon Heads, Barwon Heads Hotel
19 February 2027, Melbourne, Corner Hotel
20 February 2027, Melbourne, Corner Hotel
24 February 2027, Sydney, Metro Theatre
26 February 2027, Brisbane, Princess Theatre
27 February 2027, Gold Coast, Miami Marketta
Ticket Details
Tickets are on sale now via feelpresents.com
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