Legendary drummer, composer and raconteur Stewart Copeland will return to Australia and New Zealand in January 2026, bringing his acclaimed spoken word show Have I Said Too Much? The Police, Hollywood & Other Adventures to local audiences for the first time.
The tour marks Copeland’s first trip Down Under in 18 years and follows dozens of sold-out performances across the UK, where fans have packed theatres to hear the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer recount his remarkable life and career.
“Demand for this intimate new show has surpassed my expectations,” Copeland said. “I can’t wait to return to Australia and New Zealand next year and share the stories of my life with even more fans.”
Born in Alexandria, Virginia in 1952, Copeland spent much of his early life abroad, with his father working for the CIA and his family relocating to the Middle East. He began playing drums at the age of 12, inspired by jazz and rock rhythms, and by the 1970s was studying music at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
His first professional break came with the progressive rock band Curved Air in 1975. During his time with Curved Air, he honed not only his percussive flair but also his knack for blending rock energy with sophisticated musical ideas – a hallmark that would carry through his entire career.
In 1977, Copeland founded The Police, recruiting bassist and singer Sting and later guitarist Andy Summers. The trio would become one of the most dominant forces in popular music, blending punk urgency with reggae rhythms and pop hooks. Albums such as Outlandos d’Amour (1978), Regatta de Blanc (1979), Zenyatta Mondatta (1980), Ghost in the Machine (1981) and the global phenomenon Synchronicity (1983) delivered classics like Roxanne, Message In A Bottle, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic and Every Breath You Take.
By the time The Police disbanded in 1986, they had sold more than 75 million albums worldwide, earned six Grammy Awards, and cemented Copeland’s place among the greatest drummers of all time. Their 2007–2008 reunion tour grossed over $360 million, making it one of the highest-earning tours in history.
After The Police, Copeland turned his talents to composition. He scored films including Francis Ford Coppola’s Rumble Fish (1983), Oliver Stone’s Wall Street (1987) and Talk Radio (1988), and contributed to television shows like The Equalizer and the hit kids’ series Nickelodeon’s Rugrats.
His creative restlessness also led him into ballet, opera, and orchestral works. He composed pieces for the Cleveland Opera, the San Francisco Ballet and London’s Royal Opera House. His operas include Holy Blood and Crescent Moon and The Invention of Morel, and his orchestral commissions have been performed by leading symphonies around the world.
Alongside his composition work, Copeland formed projects such as the supergroup Oysterhead with Primus’ Les Claypool and Phish’s Trey Anastasio, and the fusion outfit Animal Logic with jazz bassist Stanley Clarke. He has also directed films, written his 2009 memoir Strange Things Happen, and created the 2006 documentary Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out, offering fans a rare window into the band’s rise through his own Super 8 footage.
Have I Said Too Much? distills Copeland’s many adventures into a night of candid stories, anecdotes and reflections. Fans can expect behind-the-scenes tales from his Police years, insights into Hollywood, and colourful recollections of his diverse artistic pursuits.
The show will be hosted by Perth broadcaster Sarah Tout, with audiences invited to submit questions for Copeland to answer on stage. Special meet-and-greet packages will also be available.
For long-time fans, it’s a chance to reconnect with one of rock’s most inventive drummers. For newcomers, it’s an introduction to a musician whose creativity has never been confined to one genre or medium.
Stewart Copeland – Have I Said Too Much? Australia & New Zealand Tour Dates 2026
Australia
Sunday 11 January – Regal Theatre, Perth WA
Wednesday 14 January – Forum 2, Melbourne VIC
Friday 16 January – State Theatre, Sydney NSW
Saturday 17 January – The Tivoli, Brisbane QLD
New Zealand:
Tuesday 20 January – Opera House, Wellington NZ
Wednesday 21 January – Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland NZ
Tickets and information: www.birdsrobe.com
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