The Cat Empire Orchestra Tour…
The Cat Empire return to Melbourne’s iconic Sidney Myer Music Bowl on January 16 for an all-ages Summer celebration, marking five years since their last show there and a bold new chapter in their live evolution. Joining forces with Orchestra Victoria and special guests including Gondwana National Choirs and flamenco artists Arte Kanela for a one-off orchestral performance that reimagines their catalogue on a cinematic, symphonic scale.
General on-sale tickets available on Thursday April 16 at 10am local time via here
Following the overwhelming response to their 2024 orchestral debut, the band will reimagine their beloved catalogue with brand-new arrangements created specifically for this collaboration. Their signature blend of Afro-Cuban, Seychellois Creole, Brazilian and flamenco influences will be expanded and elevated by the full force of Orchestra Victoria, resulting in a vibrant, high-energy fusion of symphonic power and global rhythm.
Set within the expansive open-air surrounds of the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, an iconic setting where orchestral scale meets festival freedom, the concert is designed for movement, dancing and a shared experience under the summer sky across generations of Cat Empire fans. The night will also feature the Gondwana Choir, bringing 200 young voices together in a powerful mass choral moment, alongside acclaimed flamenco artists Arte Kanela, turning up the intensity, movement and emotional punch.
The result is a joyous, immersive celebration of rhythm, melody and culture, showcasing The Cat Empire in a bold new light, while honouring the energy and spirit that has defined their career.
As lead singer Felix Riebl puts it: “There have been so many special concerts we’ve had in our home town Melbourne with The Cat Empire over the years, and this one with Orchestra Victoria at the Music Bowl promises to be right up there with the best of them. It’s going to be spectacular. Theatre band with a full symphony, dancers, a mass youth choir and the band at its best. It’s a night to bring the many generations of people who’ve enjoyed our music together. We need a celebration like this, for us, for everyone. I can’t wait!”
Orchestra Victoria Artistic Advisor and Conductor Jessica Gethin adds, “This is exactly the kind of collaboration we love at Orchestra Victoria — bold, genre-blurring and rooted in the thrill of live performance. The Cat Empire’s music is so rhythmically alive, and bringing it together with our musicians at the Myer Music Bowl is a brilliant way to explore what orchestral sound can do, meet audiences where they are, and show that this music can feel immediate, vibrant and for everyone. We can’t wait — it’s going to be an incredibly memorable night for Melbourne.”
There will also be an exclusive VIP package available including: exclusive access to watch a rehearsal with The Cat Empire and Orchestra Victoria at the venue before the public sees the show, express entry lane into the venue, group photo with members of The Cat Empire, exclusive leather VIP commemorative wristband handmade in Australia (RRP $50), and exclusive handmade merchandise item from Sonira designed for superfans (RRP $50).
The Cat Empire are one of Australia’s most beloved live acts – a band whose genre-defying blend of jazz, ska, Latin, funk and hip hop has earned them a passionate global following over more than two decades. Their orchestral collaboration, with symphonic arrangements by Roscoe James Irwin, reimagines their catalogue on a scale that rewards long-time fans and introduces new audiences to music that has always deserved the grandest of stages.
THE CAT EMPIRE ORCHESTRA ENCORE AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2026
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE
