\
June 30, 2026 20,957 views

Eric Hutchinson Sets First Australian Headline Tour in 16 Years

By David Okonkwo
Eric Hutchinson is returning to Australia for the first time in 16 years, booking three East Coast theater shows in November for what will be his first-ever headline run in the country. The tour stops at Brisbane’s Lefty’s Music Hall on Nov. 19, Melbourne’s Northcote Social Club on Nov. 20 and Sydney’s The Lansdowne on

Eric Hutchinson is returning to Australia for the first time in 16 years, booking three East Coast theater shows in November for what will be his first-ever headline run in the country.

The tour stops at Brisbane’s Lefty’s Music Hall on Nov. 19, Melbourne’s Northcote Social Club on Nov. 20 and Sydney’s The Lansdowne on Nov. 21.

The American singer-songwriter has an unusual history in the market: he broke there largely through a sync. His single “Rock & Roll” featured on the homegrown drama Packed to the Rafters, helping drive the track to platinum certification in Australia, where it reached No. 1 in 2009. Hutchinson first toured the country supporting Jason Mraz and Kelly Clarkson in 2008 and 2009, but never returned for his own run.

“I honestly have no idea why I never came back to Australia, other than the fact that it’s super far away from New York City, where I live,” he said in a statement, adding that the timing finally aligned after years of fan requests.

The U.S. story ran in parallel. “Rock & Roll” earned Hutchinson his first gold record in the United States, though it never reached the Hot 100. Its parent album, Sounds Like This, first gained traction independently — a Perez Hilton co-sign pushed it to No. 5 on the iTunes Store in September 2007, before debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and earning a wide release through Warner Bros. Records in May 2008. He has since released a string of albums and built a touring-driven following well beyond the radio years.

The run supports Hutchinson’s latest album, the 2026 release Repeating Myself, billed as a return to the piano-driven pop and soul of that breakthrough. Australian sets are expected to mix the new material with catalog cuts including “Rock & Roll,” “OK, It’s Alright With Me” and “A Little More.”

Marshall Hamburger, who won the tenth season of Australian Idol in 2025, will open for Hutchinson on tour.

Eric Hutchinson Australian Tour

Presented by Teamwrk Touring & MRG Live

Thursday, Nov. 19 — Lefty’s Music Hall, Brisbane
Friday, Nov. 20 — Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Saturday, Nov. 21 — The Lansdowne, Sydney