Massive Attack to return to Australia for headline shows after 16 years

The 'Teardrop' trip-hop juggernauts make first Australian headline appearances since 2010.

This morning Frontier Touring have announced a huge addition to their 2026 touring calendar with the return of UK ground-breakers, Massive Attack.

They are set to play three exclusive headline shows in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne this August, marking the first live dates in Australia in 16 years. The Australian Tour will kick off at Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Thursday 6 August, followed by Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Sunday 9 August, wrapping up at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday 11 August. All shows are all ages.

Tickets go on Friday 5 June (3pm local time) via frontiertouring.com/massiveattack. Frontier Members can get early access via the presale, which starts Thursday 4 June (2pm local time) – see website for further details.

MASSIVE ATTACK LIVE 2026 ​AUSTRALIAN TOUR ​AUGUST 2026
​Presented by Frontier Touring

Thursday 6 August – ​Brisbane Entertainment Centre | Brisbane, QLD
​Lic. All Ages | ​ticketek.com.au

Sunday 9 August – ​Qudos Bank Arena | Sydney, NSW
​Lic. All Ages | ​ticketek.com.au

Tuesday 11 August – ​Rod Laver Arena | Melbourne, VIC
​Lic. All Ages | ​ticketek.com.au

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Born from Bristol’s fertile underground music scene, Massive Attack emerged as the architects of trip-hop, crafting a sound that was as cinematic as it was seductive. Blending hip-hop beats with soulful vocals, dub-infused basslines and carefully curated samples, the group redefined contemporary music in the 1990s. Landmark albums such as Protection (1994) and Mezzanine (1998) not only cemented their reputation as innovators but also left an enduring imprint on generations of artists, influencing everyone from Portishead and Radiohead to TV on the Radio and Tricky, a former collaborator whose own career helped carry the genre into new territory.

The story begins in 1983 with the formation of The Wild Bunch, one of the most influential sound system collectives of the UK’s early 1980s club culture. Known for weaving together punk, reggae, R&B and emerging dance sounds with effortless fluidity, the collective became a driving force in Bristol nightlife. Their genre-defying sets drew devoted crowds and transformed local parties into cultural touchstones, laying the foundations for the richly layered sound that would later propel Massive Attack onto the world stage.

Cue five heralded albums, including Blue Lines and Mezzanine, both of which featured in Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, a bunch of big name collaborations and guest vocals with the likes of Horace Andy, Shara Nelson, Tracey Thorn, Elizabeth Fraser, Sinéad O’Connor, Damon Albarn and Hope Sandoval, and a cabinet of awards to their name; Massive Attack are just as massive as their name.

Tickets to the Australian shows go on sale Friday 5 June from 3pm local time. Frontier Member presale will be held Thursday 4 June, from 2pm local time, running for 24 hours or until exhausted. You can register for presale here.