Blair Dunlop Returns To Australia For March 2026 Tour
Announcement posted by Jameson & Co 18 Dec 2025
Award-winning British singer-songwriter Blair Dunlop returns to Australia in March 2026 for a highly anticipated tour, highlighted by headline performances at Melbourne's Brunswick Ballroom and Sydney's The Vanguard, alongside a prestigious appearance at Port Fairy Folk Festival.
Following previous Australian visits that established him as a firm favourite with local audiences, Dunlop arrives in peak creative form, touring in support of his critically acclaimed fifth studio album Out of the Rain (2024). Widely praised as a career-defining release, the album has reaffirmed his place among the leading voices of contemporary folk and folk-rock.
HEADLINE SHOWS
Dunlop's Melbourne and Sydney headline dates place his songwriting and musicianship front and centre in two of Australia's most respected listening rooms.
The Brunswick Ballroom show will feature Canadian singer-songwriter Mia Kelly as special guest, with Daisy Kilbourne opening the night - a carefully curated bill spanning contemporary folk, roots and song-driven indie.
Dunlop will also headline The Vanguard in Sydney, again joined by Mia Kelly (CAN), marking a rare opportunity for east-coast audiences to experience this pairing in an intimate club setting.
As Songwriting Magazine observes:
"Though he's something of a natural talent, he continues to work hard to progress both his songwriting and musicianship… you can hear the folk heritage coursing through his veins as well as the originality he brings to the genre."
FESTIVAL APPEARANCES
Dunlop will also appear at the Port Fairy Folk Festival, one of Australia's most revered folk gatherings, further underscoring his long-standing connection with Australian folk audiences and his stature within the international folk community. He will end the tour with performances at the Blue Mountains Music Festival.
ADDITIONAL SHOWS & COLLABORATIVE PERFORMANCES
Alongside these headline and festival dates, Dunlop will also appear in a small number of special collaborative shows in Victoria, including double- and triple-bill performances with Robbie Cavanagh, and select appearances also featuring Karen Lee Andrews. These performances form part of a broader shared touring context and offer audiences a unique chance to experience multiple acclaimed songwriters in an intimate, solo setting.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Erin Jameson | erin(at)jamesonandco(dot)com | +61 419 323 663
LINKS:
Website: https://blairdunlop.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blairdunlopmusic
Instagram: https://instagram.com/blairdunlop/
X: https://twitter.com/BlairDunlop
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blairdunlopmusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BlairDunlopMusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7n6bYneSU1ygSj0CevdvTD
Apple: https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/blair-dunlop/403456867
TOUR DATES
Sat 28 Feb - Archies Creek, VIC
Triple bill: Blair Dunlop + Robbie Cavanagh + Karen Lee Andrews - Tickets
Sun 1 Mar - Sooki Lounge, Belgrave, VIC
Triple bill: Blair Dunlop + Robbie Cavanagh + Karen Lee Andrews - Tickets
Mon 2 Mar - Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne, VIC - Tickets
Blair Dunlop (headline) with special guest Mia Kelly (CAN) + support from Daisy Kilbourne
Wed 4 Mar - Castlemaine, VIC
Double bill: Blair Dunlop + Robbie Cavanagh - Tickets
Fri 6-9 Mar - Port Fairy Folk Festival, VIC - Tickets
Wed 11 Mar - The Vanguard, Sydney, NSW - Tickets
Blair Dunlop (headline) with special guest Mia Kelly (CAN)
Fri 13-15 Mar - Blue Mountains Music Festival, Katoomba, NSW - Tickets
ABOUT BLAIR DUNLOP
Blair Dunlop is an award-winning British singer-songwriter and guitarist widely recognised for his lyrical maturity, expressive guitar work and evolving artistic vision. He has released five studio albums, a live album and multiple EPs, touring extensively throughout the UK, Europe, North America and Australia.
He first gained attention with his 2012 debut Blight & Blossom, contributing to his BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award win. Subsequent releases, including House of Jacks and Gilded, cemented his reputation, with Gilded earning BBC Radio 2 playlisting for its singles.
His latest album, Out of the Rain (2024), has been hailed as a creative high point:
"This is a glorious welcome re--energised return that should comfortably reinstate Dunlop among folk-rock's upper echelons." - KLOF
Named Americana UK Top 20 Albums of 2024, the record has been praised for its depth, warmth and expansive sound, with Americana UK awarding it 9/10.
Blair Dunlop is endorsed by Vintage Guitars.
MIA KELLY (CAN)
Mia Kelly is an award-winning singer-songwriter from Gatineau, Quebec, emerging as one of the most compelling new voices on the Canadian folk scene. Blending folk, rock and blues, she is widely praised for her poetic lyricism, powerful vocal delivery and emotionally incisive songwriting.
Her debut album Garden Through the War (2022) introduced Kelly as an imaginative storyteller, exploring themes of resilience and growth in the aftermath of hardship. The album was recognised by the SOCAN Foundation, earning attention for its depth and lyrical clarity.
Kelly's sophomore release To Be Clear (2024), co-produced with Jim Bryson (The Tragically Hip, Kathleen Edwards), received widespread international acclaim. The album features Meaning Well, co-written with Blair Dunlop, which earned a 2025 Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for Single of the Year, and contributed to Kelly's 2026 CFMA nominations for Contemporary Songwriter of the Year and English Songwriter of the Year.
In addition to multiple Capital Music Awards nominations in 2025 — including wins for Single of the Year (Bonefish Boys) and Video of the Year (Si j'étais franche) — Kelly has been recognised as Emerging Artist of the Year by Culture Outaouais and awarded Young Performer of the Year and Emerging Artist of the Year at the 2024 Canadian Folk Music Awards.
She has performed internationally at festivals including Tallinn Music Week (Estonia), Folk Alliance International, Ottawa Bluesfest, Mariposa Folk Festival and Winnipeg Folk Festival, and shared stages with artists such as Basia Bulat, John Smith, Kim Churchill, Aysanabee and Julian Taylor.