SYDNEY – Australian Crawl will reunite for a series of 10 performances in October and November, marking the first time the group has operated under the band name since its dissolution in 1986.
The reunion involves original frontman James Reyne, guitarist Simon Binks, and drummer David Reyne. While James Reyne has performed material from the group’s catalog in the intervening years, these upcoming dates represent the first official use of the band’s name for live performances in four decades.
The scheduling of these shows follows a period of legal dispute regarding the group’s intellectual property. Earlier this year, Binks and James Reyne filed an application in the Federal Court against former drummer Bill McDonough. The legal action pertains to trademarks related to the band’s name that McDonough registered during the 1990s, a reminder of how legacy acts increasingly rely on formal protections under Australia’s Trade Marks Act to control their brands in a touring market dominated by reunion and nostalgia shows.
Performance Lineup and Tour Integration
The reunion cannot be a full restoration of the original lineup due to the deaths of Guy McDonough in 1984 and Brad Robinson in 1996. To fill the onstage requirements, the Reyne brothers and Binks will be supported by a collective of musicians, with the core trio framed as the custodians of the band’s original catalogue and image.
Former member John Watson will appear at the shows, alongside Brett Kingman, Josh Owen, Andrew McIvor, Sean Johnson, Melinda Jackson, and Nicole Kurta. The expanded ensemble is expected to reproduce the layered guitar work and harmonies that underpinned the band’s early-1980s recordings while adapting arrangements for larger outdoor venues.
The performances are part of the Red Hot Summer Tour, a multi-act event featuring several established Australian artists and targeting regional and coastal locations. The tour lineup includes Men At Work, currently fronted by Colin Hay and supported by American session musicians, positioning Australian Crawl’s reunion within a broader circuit of legacy acts re-engaging with live audiences. Other participating acts include:
- Vika & Linda
- Boom Crash Opera
- Birds of Tokyo
- Eskimo Joe
- Ella Hooper
For promoters and local councils that host the Red Hot Summer Tour, the addition of Australian Crawl’s first official performances since the 1980s is likely to be a material driver of ticket demand and tourism spend, particularly in regional centers where major national acts tour less frequently.
Commercial History and Market Impact
Formed on the Mornington Peninsula in 1978, the band established a significant commercial presence during the early 1980s as Australian popular music was gaining a more defined identity in the domestic market. The group’s market reach was driven by the chart performance of albums such as Sirocco and Sons of Beaches, which contributed to the now-familiar soundtrack of coastal and pub rock culture.
The band’s catalog includes several enduring radio staples, most notably “Reckless (Don’t Be So),” which ranked number 39 on the Hottest 100 of Australian Songs. Other commercially successful tracks include “The Boys Light Up,” “Errol,” and “Things Don’t Seem.” These songs continue to receive recurrent airplay on classic rock and adult contemporary formats, helping sustain royalty streams and providing a commercial rationale for reviving the full band name rather than relying solely on solo touring.
The reunion also taps into a broader revival of interest in Australian cultural exports and live events, as governments and tourism bodies promote music festivals and heritage acts to drive visitation and local economic activity across regional Australia, from coastal Queensland to vineyard districts and historic town centers.
Tour Schedule
The engagement consists of the following dates, running through key regional parks, beachfronts, and winery venues:
- October 17: Queens Park, Toowoomba
- October 18: Sandstone Point Hotel
- October 24: Berry Showground
- October 25: Keirle Park, Manly
- October 31: Roche Estate, Hunter Valley
- November 1: Coolangatta Beach
- November 7: Victoria Park, Ballarat
- November 8: Mornington Racecourse
- November 14: Sandalford Wines, Swan Valley
- November 15: Glenelg Beach
Tickets for the tour go on sale June 25. The comeback run positions Australian Crawl back on major outdoor festival stages and reconnects one of the country’s defining coastal rock bands with audiences across multiple states, from Queensland and New South Wales through Victoria, Western Australia, and South Australia.