The Whitlams already have their 2027 plans pencilled in. Fans can mark the calendar for a full-scale Torch The Moon 25th anniversary celebration, complete with a national tour and a vinyl reissue of the much-loved album.
At Saturday afternoon’s Hamer Hall performance with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Tim Freedman revealed that the band will honour their fifth studio album with a return to the road in 2027. He said plans for a 25th Torch The Moon anniversary are well underway and confirming the record will get the same retrospective treatment as Eternal Nightcap and Love This City.
Released in July 2002, Torch The Moon marked a new chapter for The Whitlams. Produced by Daniel Denholm, the album showcased a more cinematic sound with orchestral flourishes and pop polish, while still grounded in Freedman’s sharp lyricism.
Torch The Moon debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart and went Platinum, extending the group’s commercial success beyond the 1990s. Singles such as Best Work, Fall For You and Royal in the Afternoon secured strong radio play and became enduring staples of the band’s live set.
While Freedman remained the band’s chief songwriter, Torch The Moon also highlighted the growing creative input of guitarist Jak Housden, who co-wrote Gone Surfing with Freedman, Terepai Richmond and Warwick Hornby. Housden’s contributions, along with his distinctive guitar and backing vocals, gave the album a broader tonal range.
Songs such as White Horses and Made Me Hard offered introspective and atmospheric textures, while the cheeky swagger of Royal in the
Afternoon became a crowd favourite. Over time, Torch The Moon has earned a reputation as one of the Whitlams’ most accomplished records, striking a balance between thoughtful songwriting and radio-friendly accessibility.
The Whitlams have built a tradition of revisiting their landmark albums every few years. In 2022, they mounted a 25th anniversary tour of Eternal Nightcap, the breakthrough 1997 album that put the band on the map. Propelled by the enduring hit No Aphrodisiac, Eternal Nightcap brought The Whitlams national prominence and remains a defining record of the era.
The Eternal Nightcap tour in 2022 wasn’t just nostalgia, it was a reminder of how powerfully those songs resonate decades on. The performances gave fans a chance to hear the album in full, including staples like Buy Now, Pay Later (Charlie No.2) and You Sound Like Louis Burdett, both still firm favourites on Australian alternative playlists.
In 2024, attention shifted to Love This City, the 1999 album loaded with political satire and cultural commentary. Its big singles, Thank You (For Loving Me at My Worst) and Blow Up the Pokies, remain central to the Whitlams’ identity. The anniversary tour reinforced how that record’s themes of media spin and social excess still feel relevant in the modern age.
With Torch The Moon next in line, fans can expect the same treatment: the full album performed live and a deluxe reissue with remastered tracks. Freedman has often spoken of his pride in the record, with Best Work singled out as one of the band’s most finely crafted songs.
For many fans, Torch The Moon captured the mood of the early 2000s. Its lush production, emotional depth, and tongue-in-cheek humour embodied a band confidently moving into a new era. Two and a half decades on, those qualities are set to shine again.
A Whitlams timeline of milestones
• 1997: Eternal Nightcap becomes a breakthrough hit, powered by No Aphrodisiac.
• 1999: Love This City satirises Australian media and politics, spawning enduring singles.
• 2002: Torch The Moon debuts at No. 1 on the ARIA Chart and goes Platinum.
• 2022: 25th anniversary tour of Eternal Nightcap.
• 2024: 25th anniversary tour of Love This City.
• 2027: Torch The Moon tour and reissue confirmed.
However before we get to 2027, 2026 also has some major Whitlams events on the way:
The Whitlams Orchestral ’26 Tour Dates
Fri 30 & Sat 31 Jan – State Theatre, Sydney, NSW
Fri 27 Feb – Wrest Point, Hobart, TAS
Fri 6 & Sat 7 Mar – QPAC, Brisbane, QLD
Sat 14 Mar – Civic Theatre, Newcastle, NSW
Sat 11 Apr – Festival Theatre, Adelaide, SA
Sat 6 Jun – Empire Theatre, Toowoomba, QLD
Sat 13 Jun – Riverside Theatre, Perth, WA
Pre-sale begins Tuesday 9 September 2025 at 10.00am AEST, with general tickets available from Thursday 11 September 2025 at 10.00am via linktr.ee/WhitlamsOrchestral_2026.
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