Image Credit: Cedric Tang

The Cat Empire Return to Melbourne with Orchestral Spectacle at Sidney Myer Music Bowl

It will be a homecoming to remember.

Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl will come alive with global rhythms and symphonic grandeur on 16 January, as The Cat Empire return for an all-ages summer celebration, marking five years since their last performance at the iconic venue. This time, the band joins forces with Orchestra Victoria, Gondwana National Choirs, and flamenco collective Arte Kanela, creating a one-off orchestral performance that reimagines their catalogue on a cinematic, symphonic scale.

THE CAT EMPIRE ORCHESTRA ENCORE AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2026

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE

AUGUST 27 | SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE – GADIGAL / SYDNEY NSW
AUGUST 28 | SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE – GADIGAL / SYDNEY NSW
AUGUST 29 | SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE – GADIGAL / SYDNEY NSW
SEPTEMBER 4 | LLEWELLYN HALL – NGAMBRI / CANBERRA ACT
SEPTEMBER 5 | LLEWELLYN HALL – NGAMBRI / CANBERRA ACT
SEPTEMBER 25 | MYSTATE BANK ARENA – NIPALUNA, HOBART TAS
OCTOBER 9 | THEBARTON THEATRE, KAURNA / ADELAIDE SA
OCTOBER 10 | THEBARTON THEATRE, KAURNA / ADELAIDE SA
JANUARY 16 | SIDNEY MYER MUSIC BOWL, NAARM / MELBOURNE VIC

Keep connected to your live music scene here.

 

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Following the success of their 2024 orchestral debut, The Cat Empire will unveil brand-new arrangements crafted specifically for this collaboration. Their signature fusion of Afro-Cuban, Seychellois Creole, Brazilian, and flamenco influences will be elevated by the full force of Orchestra Victoria, promising a high-energy convergence of symphonic power and global rhythm.

Set against the open-air expanse of the Music Bowl, the concert invites movement, dancing, and a shared musical experience under the summer sky, appealing to generations of fans. The evening will also feature 200 young voices from the Gondwana Choir, as well as the fiery intensity and artistry of Arte Kanela, adding layers of emotional and physical dynamism to the performance.

As lead singer Felix Riebl puts it: “There have been so many special concerts we’ve had in our home town Melbourne with The Cat Empire over the years, and this one with Orchestra Victoria at the Music Bowl promises to be right up there with the best of them.  It’s going to be spectacular.  Theatre band with a full symphony, dancers, a mass youth choir and the band at its best.  It’s a night to bring the many generations of people who’ve enjoyed our music together.  We need a celebration like this, for us, for everyone.  I can’t wait!”

Orchestra Victoria Artistic Advisor and Conductor Jessica Gethin adds, “This is exactly the kind of collaboration we love at Orchestra Victoria — bold, genre-blurring and rooted in the thrill of live performance. The Cat Empire’s music is so rhythmically alive, and bringing it together with our musicians at the Myer Music Bowl is a brilliant way to explore what orchestral sound can do, meet audiences where they are, and show that this music can feel immediate, vibrant and for everyone. We can’t wait — it’s going to be an incredibly memorable night for Melbourne.”

The Cat Empire, one of Australia’s most beloved live acts, have spent more than two decades forging a genre-defying sound that blends jazz, ska, Latin, funk, and hip hop. Their orchestral collaboration, with arrangements by Roscoe James Irwin, offers both longtime fans and newcomers a chance to experience their music on the grandest of stages.

General tickets go on sale Thursday 16 April at 10am local time. For superfans, an exclusive VIP package includes rehearsal access, express entry, a group photo with the band, and limited-edition commemorative merchandise. Artist pre-sale will also run Tuesday 14 April 2026 – 10am local time.

More pre-sale information can be found here.