Australian Crawl and Men At Work Reunite on 2026 Red Hot Summer Tour, Joining Vika & Linda and Boom Crash Opera
On November 20 and 22, the 2026 Red Hot Summer Tour will deliver a headline that has music historians clutching their vinyl: Australian Crawl and Men At Work will share a stage for the first time since 1983. Brisbane’s Riverstage and Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl will host the original Australian Crawl lineup—James Reyne, Simon Binks, and David Reyne—after a 40‑year absence. The shows will also feature Vika & Linda and Boom Crash Opera, creating a four‑act itinerary that spans decades of Australian pop‑rock.
Australian Crawl emerged from Melbourne in 1979 and quickly became a staple of the Australian rock scene, releasing a string of successful albums before disbanding in 1986. Frontman James Reyne has since pursued a solo career, while Binks and David Reyne have each continued in separate musical projects. The November concerts will reunite the trio, augmented by former member John Watson on bass (1983‑1986) and a new ensemble that includes Brett Kingman, Josh Owen, Andrew McIvor, Sean Johnson, Melinda Jackson, and Nicole Kurta.
The setlist will focus on Crawl’s catalog, featuring timeless tracks from The Boys Light Up and Sirocco. The larger ensemble will support the original lineup, allowing the band to revisit songs that have defined a generation of Australian listeners. The collaboration promises a nostalgic yet fresh interpretation of Crawl’s hits, drawing on the collective experience of the musicians involved.
Men At Work, fronted by founding member Colin Hay, has continued to tour under the band’s name since its split in 1985. Hay, who also performs with Ringo Starr’s All‑Star Band, will bring a Los Angeles‑based lineup to the tour, delivering a set dedicated to Men At Work’s catalog. Highlights will include “Down Under,” “Who Can It Be Now?” and “Overkill,” cementing the act’s place in the 1980s pop‑rock canon.
Vika & Linda, the award‑winning vocal duo, will showcase songs from their latest album Where Do You Come From?, which tackles themes of identity and grief. The sisters, inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2022, have a long history of supporting fellow Australian artists. Boom Crash Opera will close the bill with a set of hits such as “Great Wall,” “Hands Up In The Air” and “Onion Skin,” adding a pop‑rock flavor that complements the lineup.
The Red Hot Summer Tour already features 10 performances across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia, with several dates sold out and others selling quickly. Ticket pre‑sales for the new Brisbane and Melbourne dates begin Wednesday, September 9 at 10:00 am local time and run until Thursday, September 10 at 10:00 am. General public sales start Thursday, September 10 at 12:00 pm, according to the tour’s official website.
The addition of Brisbane and Melbourne marks the first time in more than four decades that Australian Crawl’s original members perform together, and the first occasion the band shares a stage with Men At Work since 1983. The historic nature of the reunion, combined with the strong demand for existing tour dates, suggests that the November concerts will attract large crowds. Ticket sales will ultimately determine final attendance.
By bringing together surf‑inspired sounds of Australian Crawl, the global pop‑rock hits of Men At Work, the vocal harmonies of Vika & Linda, and the melodic pop of Boom Crash Opera, the Red Hot Summer Tour showcases the breadth of Australian rock. The November dates offer fans a cross‑generational celebration of the country’s musical legacy, underscoring the enduring appeal of these iconic acts.
