Australian Crawl will reunite for its first performances in 40 years as part of the Red Hot Summer tour, with James Reyne finally agreeing to revive the band on a line-up that also includes fellow 80s rock favourites Men at Work.
Reyne will be joined by his brother David, co-founder Simon Binks and drummer John Watson, along with the frontman’s touring musicians. He said original bass player Paul Williams could not be reached and believes he “lives off-grid” in Queensland.
Although Reyne has appeared many times on the Red Hot Summer line-up as a solo artist since the festival launched in 2011, he said promoter Duane McDonald had wanted an Australian Crawl reunion for a long time.
“I’ve never really had a problem with the band, I love them and everything, but as I’ve said before, Crawl was my apprenticeship and then I went and did my own thing,” he said.
“But this is really nice. It wasn’t my idea; the astute promoter hatched a plan to get the band.”
The October and November concerts will also mark David Reyne’s first appearances with Australian Crawl since 1979, when he departed soon after the group formed to focus on his television career.
Since beginning in 2011, the Red Hot Summer tour has become a major fixture on the festival circuit, known for assembling strong line-ups of Australian acts. Its programs often lean into nostalgia for Gen X crowds through major 80s headliners, while also drawing younger fans who know the songs from family car rides and backyard barbecues.
Australian Crawl and Men at Work, who will play their first Australian shows in 25 years, are set to appear with Birds of Tokyo, Vika and Linda, Eskimo Joe, Boom Crash Opera and Ella Hooper. The run includes coastal stops such as Manly, Glenelg, Coolangatta and Mornington.
Reyne said the event’s approach of booking artists with well-known songs from different eras is clearly connecting with younger listeners, even as new Australian music finds it harder to break through.
“Gen X parents have obviously brought it on, those poor kids,” Reyne joked.
“Last night at my Sydney gig, there were these two little kids and I saw one of the little girls, who was probably about 10, singing along to Reckless and The Boys Light Up.”
Reyne also reflected on Reckless, Australian Crawl’s biggest hit, which famously turned the Manly ferry’s harbour trip into song. He said he has had a complicated relationship with the track because he always meant to rewrite its second verse.
The song was inspired by his then girlfriend Jan Hing and was written while he sat by Sydney Harbour during a break from filming the cult mini-series Return to Eden.
“That song just popped out, so much so that I thought lyrically it just didn’t make sense and doesn’t hang together and I thought I would fix it one day and I never did because I’m essentially lazy, I guess,” he joked.
“And now there are moments when I just think it’s so beautiful when everyone is singing it louder than the band.”
Men at Work broke up in 1986, the same year as Australian Crawl. Colin Hay and Greg Ham revived Men at Work in 1996 for a South American tour before the band stopped again in 2002. Hay is now the only original member in the current line-up, which has toured South America, the United States and Europe in recent years.
The Red Hot Summer 2026 tour starts at Queens Park, Toowoomba on October 17, followed by Sandstone Point Hotel on October 18, Berry Showground on October 24, Keirle Park, Manly on October 25, Roche Estate, Hunter Valley on October 31, Coolangatta Beach on November 1, Victoria Park, Ballarat on November 7, Mornington Racecourse on November 8, Sandalford Wines, Swan Valley on November 14 and Glenelg Beach on November 15.
General tickets go on sale from June 25, with ticketing and pre-sale information available via redhotsummertour.com.au.
