Six years after enchanting Australian audiences with their 15th anniversary tour, the just announced Nouvelle Vague 2026 Australian tour brings the irresistibly cool French ensemble back for three exclusive shows in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney this October. Presale tickets are available from tomorrow morning.
Back in 2020, Adelaide show was a heady blend of flirtation and nostalgia — a sultry dance between chanson and new wave that had audiences swaying one moment and grinning the next. Performances of Love Will Tear Us Apart and Too Drunk to Fuck (reimagined in their signature bossa style) may have been familiar in name, but Nouvelle Vague turned them into something entirely their own: both ironic and utterly sincere, that fine French balance they’ve mastered so well.
Lauded as “the coolest thing to happen to New Wave since New Wave,” the group — founded by Marc Collin and the late Olivier Libaux — first emerged in 2003 with a concept so audacious it couldn’t fail to charm: reinterpreting post-punk anthems through the sensuous rhythms of bossa nova. Two decades, countless singers, and worldwide acclaim later, their cool factor is still unwavering.
Over its 21 years, Nouvelle Vague has had a rotating cast of talented female vocalists, including the likes of Camille, Elodie Frégé, Mélanie Pain, Phoebe Killdeer along with American actress, singer and musician Juliette Lewis and actress, model, and singer Vanessa Paradis. For this tour, the roster remains a closely held secret, but expectations are high. Part of the magic of Nouvelle Vague lies in how each vocalist brings her own spark, her own brand of theatrical mischief, to the stage.
More than a cover band, Nouvelle Vague are musical alchemists, turning rebellion into reverie and post-punk into perfume. Their concerts are immersive, effortlessly chic, and serve up that unique French blend of nostalgia, seduction and knowing humour — reminding audiences why music, like love, never truly grows old.
Sadly, for fans in Adelaide and Perth, the 2026 Australian tour will be limited to the Eastern states — but if their last visit was any indication, this is a show worth traveling for. You can revisit our review from their previous tour here for a taste of what to expect.
KEY INFO FOR NOUVELLE VAGUE 2026 AUSTRLIAN TOUR
WHAT: Nouvelle Vague 2026 Australian tour
WHERE & WHEN :
- Brisbane, Tivoli 1 October
- Melbourne, 170 Russel 2 October
- Sydney, Metro Theatre, 3 October
HOW : Sign up for access to the presale via this link
For events with links to France and the Francophonie, check out our What’s on in February
