On The Steps

Last year, the Sydney Opera House’s On The Steps series brought some of Australia’s most beloved musicians to its famous Forecourt, with Parcels, Ruel and Jimmy Barnes among the local acts performing alongside international names including Franz Ferdinand and Loyle Carner. Now, the Live Nation series is back for its biggest season yet, returning from November 28 to December 12 with 12 evenings of live music and an increased capacity of up to 7,000 people per show. More than 50,000 fans are expected to experience a show across the 2026 season.

The festivities will kick off on November 28 with Australian rock legends Australian Crawl, supported by Boom Crash Opera. The following evening, Pub Choir will bring thousands of voices together for its Ultimate PDA, presented by Ausify, teaching audiences one iconic Australian song through music and comedy.

American punk-rock heavyweights Rise Against will take over on December 1, joined by fellow genre legends Dropkick Murphys and Haywire, before Mercury Prize-winning electronic artist James Blake performs on December 2, supported by Xmunashe.

Then it’s over to Sydney’s own DMA’S on December 3, bringing their indie-rock anthems home for their biggest show to date, with Automatic in support. British alt-rockers Wolf Alice follow on December 4, joined by Naarm-born favourites Folk Bitch Trio and Swapmeet.

For something more bass-heavy, Dizzee Rascal will headline on December 5, with Example, ArrDee and Swaglord Savannah also on the bill. Country singer-songwriter Dylan Gossett, supported by The Jack Wharff Band, will follow on December 6.

Next up, British singer-songwriter Suki Waterhouse will kick off the Australian leg of her Loveland tour on December 8. Then, homegrown indie favourites Spacey Jane will play two sold-out shows on December 10 and 11, supported by Telenova and Armlock. The series will wrap up on December 12 with Australian post-hardcore heavyweights The Amity Affliction, alongside Thornhill and WAAX.

And there’s a feel-good reason to get your tickets, too. On The Steps will once again partner with Support Act, the Australian music industry's charity, which provides short-term financial assistance and mental health support to music workers experiencing illness, injury, mental health challenges and other personal crises. Official On The Steps merchandise will be available throughout the series, with all proceeds donated directly to the charity. Fans can also make a voluntary donation when purchasing tickets, with donations accepted across Live Nation shows throughout Australia during November.