The Wailers and The Pogues have confirmed they will proceed with Australian tours despite the cancellation of Bluesfest 2026. The announcements join similar confirmations from Sublime and Counting Crows. Both bands revealed updated plans on March 21, 2026.
Two acts from the cancelled Bluesfest 2026 lineup, The Wailers and The Pogues, announced on Saturday, March 21, 2026, that their Australian tours would continue. This follows Bluesfest's cancellation on March 13, 2026, due to rising costs and soft ticket demand. The festival had been set for April 2–5 at Byron Events Farm, with a liquidator now managing financial matters amid concerns over payments to acts. Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz noted that many performers likely had not received upfront fees, potentially forcing some to cancel entire runs without the festival anchor payment. The Wailers, led by Aston Barrett Jr.—son of bassist Aston “Familyman” Barrett—and vocalist Mitchell Brunings, scheduled intimate East Coast shows presented by Noisy Group. Dates include Gosford, Sydney, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, and Brunswick Heads over Easter weekend; a prior Melbourne show was dropped. The tour celebrates the 50th anniversary of Bob Marley’s 1976 album Rastaman Vibration, which hit No. 8 on the Billboard 200—the first top 10 for Marley—and included “Roots, Rock, Reggae,” his only Hot 100 single. The Pogues confirmed their Australian and New Zealand tour, adding a Brisbane performance at Fortitude Music Hall on April 2. Tickets for the new date go on sale March 23 at 10 a.m. AEST via Ticketmaster. The tour marks the 40th anniversary of their 1985 album Rum, Sodomy & the Lash. Original members James Fearnley, Jem Finer, and Spider Stacy join Daragh Lynch, Iona Zajac, John Francis Flynn, and Lisa O’Neill.