American post-hardcore turned melodic alt-rock outfit Rain City Drive will make their maiden trip to Australia in March 2026, confirming a five-city national run presented by TEG MJR. After building a global audience with emotionally charged anthems and high-octane modern rock performances, the Florida-based band will bring their full live firepower to Australian fans for the very first time.
The headline tour will kick off in Melbourne at 170 Russell on Friday 6 March, travel to The Metro Theatre in Sydney on Saturday 7 March and hit Brisbane’s Triffid on Sunday 8 March. Adelaide fans will catch them mid-week at The Gov on Wednesday 11 March, before the tour wraps in Perth at Magnet House on Friday 13 March.
Joining Rain City Drive across all dates are fast-rising alternative disruptor TX2, whose social-driven fanbase has pushed their aggressive emo-meets-trap aesthetic into viral territory, and Sydney metalcore newcomers Melrose Avenue, who have steadily built buzz through a string of energetic releases.
Rain City Drive emerged from the evolution of post-hardcore band Slaves, a group who spent much of the 2010s touring the US and Europe and establishing themselves in the heavier underground. Their turning point arrived in 2020 when former The Voice runner-up Matt McAndrew stepped in on vocals, bringing a dynamic range and melodic edge. At the same time, the group retired their former name, aligning with social shifts and distancing from loaded language, and their final record as Slaves, To Better Days, was re-issued as part of their new chapter.
The band name Rain City Drive pays tribute to Manchester, where the members first connected, and serves as a reminder to push forward regardless of the storm overhead. The rebirth also coincided with a fresh creative surge as the group signed to Thriller Records and delivered their self-titled 2022 album, followed by their 2024 release Things Are Different Now.
Rain City Drive’s catalogue has struck a chord with rock and alternative audiences worldwide. To Better Days tracks Talk To A Friend and Heavier became breakthrough streaming hits, surpassing 100 million streams combined and driving the band’s monthly listenership to more than one million on Spotify. The group has continued their momentum with standouts Medicate Me and Frozen from Things Are Different Now, and continued experimentation through recent collaborations.
Where earlier work leaned into post-hardcore roots, the most recent releases reflect an expansive and polished alt-rock palette, mixing soaring hooks, dynamic guitars and emotionally earnest lyricism. Their catalogue straddles punchy heaviness and arena-aimed melody, landing them on rock radio charts in the United States and earning festival slots across America.
With that energy set to hit Australian stages for the first time, the March tour marks a significant milestone for both the band and their Australian fanbase, many of whom discovered the group during their Slaves era but have not yet had the chance to see this new incarnation in a headline setting.
Rain City Drive Australian Tour Dates 2026
Friday 6 March, 170 Russell, Melbourne
Saturday 7 March, Metro Theatre, Sydney
Sunday 8 March, Triffid, Brisbane
Wednesday 11 March, The Gov, Adelaide
Friday 13 March, Magnet House, Perth
Local presales open Tuesday 11 November at 11.00am local time. General on sale begins Wednesday 12 November at 12.00pm local time via TEG Live.
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