The Whitlams Share 2026 Orchestral Tour Dates

A week after revealing their 2026 touring plans on social media, The Whitlams have shared an official announcement.

The tour dates arrive after the band’s shows at Hamer Hall with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra this week (5 and 6 September), which have proven to be in such high demand that, in 2026, the band will be hitting multiple cities with reimagined versions of their songs.

As longtime fans of The Whitlams are aware, it’s no secret that the band are fond of giving their work an orchestral reworking. In 2004, they became the first Australian indie band to perform with the country’s acclaimed orchestras, and since then, they’ve made sure to revisit the concept from time to time.

The Whitlams initially revealed the news of additional shows on social media, sharing photos of their first rehearsal with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2007.

Along with the photos, the band expressed excitement for their upcoming concerts with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and confirmed that “other orchestras have come on board for next year.”

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Pre-sale tickets will be available on Tuesday, 9 September, at 10 am AEST - you can access those tickets here. The general sale opens on Thursday, 11 September, at 10 am AEST from here.

Fans will get to catch The Whitlams from late January to June 2026. The band will tour alongside the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, followed by dates with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Philharmonic, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Toowoomba Concert Orchestra, and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

Check out the dates and venues below.

Frontman Tim Freedman said of the group’s upcoming dates with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at Hamer Hall, “Once every seven years, we get to perform in the middle of the beautiful storm of an 80-piece orchestra.

“This time it’s with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in Australia’s best sounding room, Hamer Hall. I’m counting down the days to what will be a really memorable evening.”

Of the 2026 tour dates, he added: “Every seven years or so, we get to be right in the middle of a beautiful storm of strings and brass. It’s the rarest and most powerful way to hear these songs.”