Simple Minds and Gary Numan’s Australian and New Zealand tour for 2027 is now officially on sale, with arena dates confirmed across Australia and New Zealand as part of the band’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
by Paul Cashmere
Tickets for Simple Minds’ long-awaited return to Australia and New Zealand are now officially on sale, with the Scottish band’s V Tour 2027 set to celebrate five decades since the group first formed in Glasgow. The arena tour will begin in Perth in February 2027 before travelling through Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and three New Zealand dates, with electronic music pioneer Gary Numan joining the run as special guest.
The general public sale opened on 19 June, following a pre-sale campaign conducted through promoter Destroy All Lines. The tour marks Simple Minds’ first announced Australian dates since revealing plans for the 50th anniversary celebration earlier this month.
For fans of both artists, the tour brings together two influential figures from the post-punk and new wave era whose work continues to resonate across contemporary music. Simple Minds arrive with a catalogue that spans almost half a century, while Gary Numan returns to Australia and New Zealand for his first tour of the region in more than ten years.
Since releasing their debut album Life In A Day in 1979, Simple Minds have become one of Scotland’s most successful international acts. Led by founding members Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill, the band built a career that evolved from experimental art rock into stadium-sized success during the 1980s.
Their catalogue includes enduring songs such as Don’t You (Forget About Me), Alive And Kicking, Promised You A Miracle, Waterfront, Belfast Child, Sanctify Yourself, She’s A River and Let There Be Love. Across their career, the group has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide and continues to maintain a significant touring presence.
The band’s longevity has also translated into continued digital success. Don’t You (Forget About Me) recently joined Spotify’s Billions Club, introducing the song to a new generation of listeners more than four decades after its original release. The achievement highlights the ongoing commercial strength of classic catalogue recordings in the streaming era, where legacy artists are increasingly finding new audiences alongside their established fan base.
In announcing the tour, frontman Jim Kerr reflected on the band’s long relationship with audiences in the region.
“Simple Minds go back a long way with Australia and New Zealand, the thrill of performing for our fans down there never wears off,” Kerr said.
The upcoming dates arrive as part of a broader milestone for the band. Formed in 1977, Simple Minds emerged from Glasgow’s vibrant post-punk scene before achieving a breakthrough with albums including New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84), Sparkle In The Rain and Once Upon A Time. Those releases established the group as one of the defining arena acts of the decade and laid the foundation for a career that has continued through multiple generations of music fans.
The inclusion of Gary Numan adds further historical significance to the tour. Numan first achieved international attention through Tubeway Army before launching a solo career that helped shape the development of electronic music. Songs such as Cars and Are ‘Friends’ Electric? became landmarks of the synthesiser-driven sound that would influence generations of artists across electronic, industrial, alternative and rock music.
Over recent decades Numan has experienced a critical resurgence through a series of darker and more industrial recordings, attracting audiences well beyond those who first discovered his work in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His return to Australia and New Zealand after more than a decade away is likely to be a major draw for longtime fans.
The pairing of Simple Minds and Gary Numan also reflects the continuing strength of heritage touring. Artists whose careers were established during the post-punk, synth-pop and new wave movements continue to attract substantial live audiences, supported by streaming discovery, soundtrack placements and renewed interest from younger listeners.
With tickets now available, the V Tour 2027 represents one of the most significant classic rock and new wave events currently scheduled for Australia and New Zealand next year. For Simple Minds, it serves as both a celebration of an extraordinary career and a reminder of the enduring appeal of a catalogue that continues to connect with audiences nearly fifty years after the band’s formation.
Dates are:
Australia
Saturday 13 February 2027, Perth, RAC Arena
Tuesday 16 February 2027, Adelaide, Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Thursday 18 February 2027, Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
Saturday 20 February 2027, Sydney, Qudos Bank Arena
Sunday 21 February 2027, Brisbane, Entertainment Centre
New Zealand
Thursday 25 February 2027, Auckland, Spark Arena
Saturday 27 February 2027, Wellington, TSB Arena
Monday 1 March 2027, Christchurch, Wolfbrook Arena
Tickets are on sale now through Destroy All Lines and authorised ticketing outlets.
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