Springsteen, Cave Return

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band return to Australia after a decade.

Frontier Touring Company and Jacobsen International initially booked the act into three arenas March 14 and 24, with an additional March 30 stop at Victoria’s picturesque Hanging Rock. Frontier’s Michael Gudinski is developing the iconic spot as a music venue, earlier booking Leonard Cohen and Rod Stewart there.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are doing seven auditorium and outdoor shows for Billions Australia  Feb. 26 to March 8. Three shows at the Sydney Opera House, with members of the Sydney Symphony, sold out in an hour.

Making their Australian debut are Seattle’s Macklemore & Ryan Lewis  who are receiving strong radio airplay downunder. Niche Productions reported that the dates, Feb. 11-17, have already seen three sold-out shows, with two new Sydney shows and a Melbourne date moved to a larger venue.

Rob Potts Entertainment Edge and Chugg Entertainment expanded the lineup of the sixth CMC Rocks the Hunter, the largest country and roots event outside North America.

Big & Rich and Love And Theft make their first treks downunder. Also added were multi-award- winning Aussies Adam Harvey, Jasmine Rae and Buddy Goode, joining the March 15-17 bill, which includes Rascal Flatts and Billy Ray Cyrus.

Live Nation announced five theatre dates for Birdy April 3-12, with UK’s Lewis Watson and Australia’s Lakyn opening.
UAE Presents has The Jacksons returning to Australia and New Zealand after 30 years, doing six stadium dates March 14-26.

Love Police has Tony Joe White doing 14 festival and club appearances March 7 to April 1.

Metropolis Touring and Tombowler Presents have Stan Ridgeway doing four clubs in Sydney and Melbourne, May 16-19.

Spanish surf music band Los Coronas makes its live debut with 12 dates through Billions Australia. The shows, a mixture of festival and clubs, run Dec. 29 to Jan. 16.

Also making its Australian debut is Poland’s Warsaw Village Band with Top Shelf booking them into six festival and club stops Dec. 28 to Jan. 4.

Adrian Bohm Presents continues its successful run with comedians: Danny Bhoy, a favourite with Aussies, does 33 theatres Feb. 19 to April 23, including six nights at the Brisbane Powerhouse and 19 at the Melbourne Centre’s Playhouse. ABP also has Russell Peters bringing his Notorious World Tour, with four theatre dates March 5-15.