Wesley Schultz, co-founder of the folk-rock band The Lumineers, announced a six-week tour encompassing New Zealand, Australia, Asia, and Africa in a social media post on Friday.
The Australian leg of the tour is particularly significant, Schultz indicated in recent interviews, representing a concerted effort to connect with a rapidly growing fanbase. According to Schultz, three of the top five cities globally for The Lumineers’ Spotify listeners are located in Australia, a surprising statistic given the band’s American origins. “We don’t travel there often enough, and they’re still listening,” Schultz said in an episode of the Rolling Stone Uncut podcast.
This tour marks The Lumineers’ largest Australian shows to date, a step up from more intimate performances in 2022 and 2017. Venues scheduled include Spark Arena and Qudos Bank Arena, signaling a substantial increase in audience capacity. The band is touring in support of their fifth record, Automatic, released in January 2026.
Schultz has spoken about the band’s unexpected surge in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, attributing it to a renewed appreciation for music as a source of comfort and connection during a period of global uncertainty. He noted that listeners seemed to be “leaning into” music in a way that felt different than before, viewing it less as a luxury and more as a necessity. “The music I listened to, that’s like my forever music,” Schultz said, citing artists like Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and Tom Petty as influences.
The Lumineers will be accompanied on tour by The Head And The Heart, a band with whom they have a long-standing relationship dating back to 2011. Schultz described the tour as a “reunion” and emphasized the logistical challenges of undertaking a tour of this scale in Australia, noting the country’s unique geographical demands.
Schultz fondly recalled previous Australian performances, including appearances at the Large Day Out festival and Splendour In The Grass. He remembered Big Day Out as a “summer camp for bands,” providing opportunities to connect with artists like Pearl Jam, Arcade Fire, and Mac Miller.
