In late April, Australian folk singer-songwriter Kim Churchill took to Instagram with a plea to his fans. After driving 2,500km to Cairns on a national tour with more than 50 stops, Churchill warned that his show at Tanks Arts Centre was teetering on being cancelled. “Ticket sales have been so slow,” he wrote. “It’s looking like it’s going to cost me $3,000 to $5,000 to play my own show.” Days later, accompanying a video of cheering fans, the singer wrote that the show broke even two hours before doors – and that he’d “do it all again” for Cairns.
This 11th-hour turnaround exemplifies the high-wire risks and rewards of regional touring for Australian musicians. This year, a host of high-profile artists have toured regional Australia, including Fanning Dempsey National Park, Sarah Blasko, Northlane, Lime Cordiale and Amy Shark, with hard-crunching bands Thy Art is Murder and Make Them Suffer heading out this month. Meanwhile, in the wake of the demise of Groovin the Moo, regional festival Spilt Milk – held later this year – has pulled off the show-stopping 2025 double bill of Kendrick Lamar and Doechii, while Tasmania’s independent Party in the Paddock festival drew record crowds in February.
