'It’s More Of A Celebration Of The Music Than A Tribute': ARC To Rock Australia With Legendary 'Hotel California' Tour

Natalie O’Driscoll

This June sees the all-star Australian Rock Collective (ARC) hitting the road as they perform the Eagles’ iconic 'Hotel California' album alongside their greatest hits.

Australian Rock Collective (ARC)(Credit: Supplied/Live Nation)

Eagles

Get ready, Australia! The Australian Rock Collective (ARC) is hitting the road this June, putting their considerable talents to work, performing the Eagles’ iconic Hotel California to stages nationwide. Alongside this beloved album, the all-star line-up will deliver a selection of the bands’ other timeless hits.

ARC stands as Australia’s premier supergroup, boasting a staggering 33 ARIA Awards and 16 Top Ten ARIA Albums among its members.

Made up of four of the country’s most celebrated rock musicians – Kram from Spiderbait, Darren Middleton of Powderfinger, Mark Wilson from Jet, and Davey Lane of You Am I – the band combines the raw energy of lifelong pals with the artistry of musicians who have left an indelible mark on the music scene.

Kram, the band’s self-confessed "beach bum”, is hyped about the upcoming tour, reflecting on their commitment to celebrating classic albums.

“Whenever we can, we try to do a 50th anniversary. In the last few years we’ve done [Pink Floyd’s] Dark Side Of the Moon and Wish You Were Here... now it’s the 50th birthday of Hotel California,” he shares.

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For Kram, the connection to this famed record runs deep, rooted in fond childhood memories. “It’s such a sentimental album,” he muses.

“When I was a kid, in my house it was all the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, my folks dancing around, smoking durries and drinking Marsala and listening to the sounds of the ‘70s.” He laughs.

“That’s the nostalgia of looking back. We [Spiderbait] have our place in the mad calendar of rock and roll history, and it’s the same for Jet, Powderfinger, and You Am I. So we all really feel passionate about paying tribute to these incredible records.”

As the band preps for this monumental experience, they’re driven by a passion for paying homage to music that has shaped their lives.

“Eagles were always on the cards for 2026 because Hotel California came out in ’76 and was one of the biggest albums of the time. You know we’ve done The Beatles, Neil Young, Led Zep, but this is the first American band we’ve done.

“It’s different also in that there are a lot of harmonies, which we haven’t done since The Beatles, so I can’t wait to play this album live.”

50 years down the track, the themes of the Hotel California still resonate, says Kram.

“It’s actually quite a dystopian message lyrically, coming from Don [Henley] and Glenn [Frey]… about the fickleness of fame and fortune and how artists can just get chewed up and spat out,” he explains.

“The first three songs are very much in that vein. It’s like [Spiderbait’s 1996 single] Buy Me A Pony, the same mentality, so I’m feeling some real kinship with Don Henley.”

While ARC shows are often referred to as tributes, Kram insists this is more than a nod to nostalgia; it’s a full-on celebration.

“We’re all fans, and it’s more of a celebration of the music than a tribute. We’re not just a bunch of randoms; we’re ARIA-winning musicians still enjoying ourselves and playing music we grew up listening to.

“Our perspective is to play this music as fans, it’s coming from a fan base. It’s more of a celebration of the music than a tribute. We’re not just a bunch of randoms, we’re all ARIA-winning successful musicians who are all – apart from Powderfinger – still going strong and really enjoying ourselves. It’s so great to play music that you grew up listening to, as well as still touring your own stuff.”

Speaking of touring their own stuff, 2026 also sees the 30th anniversary tour of Spiderbait’s third studio album, the double platinum Ivy and The Big Apples. But for now, Kram goes into a bit more of a deep dive into Hotel California.

“Sometimes really hard things make really great art. Look at [Fleetwood Mac’s] Rumours and their ability to hold it together and create this masterpiece while both couples in the group were breaking up. Pink Floyd were similar, with everything they were going through while writing Wish You Were Here, with Syd Barrett and that whole painful experience.”

Even the Hotel California album recording itself had a noteworthy story, says Kram.

“The popularity of this record at the time was especially interesting because of how hard it was to record! Black Sabbath were recording in the Miami studio next door. And they were so loud while creating Technical Ecstasy, that the Eagles had to wait until they were gone and then come in and record at night.

“And if you look deep into Hotel California, New Kid In Town is a song by Glenn and it’s such a great description of fame,” he adds.

“It’s amazing that it went to number one in America, it’s so scathing and truthful: “even your old friends treat you like something new”, which is about how when you get popular, people look at you differently and start changing their behaviour around you. I’ve spent a lot of time in LA and it’s a weird, disorienting experience.”

With plenty of incredible albums reaching milestone anniversaries in the years to come, and the ARC crew still having the time of their lives, this juggernaut of a supergroup shows no sign of slowing down, and is champing at the bit to take Hotel California on the road in June.

“It’s been a great journey for all of us, all four of us just love doing it so much,” says Kram. “We’ve been so happy with the audience response to all of our shows so far, and we cannot wait to get this one out there.”

Tickets to ARC Presents Hotel California: The 50th Anniversary are on sale now.