Jack Johnson, Ben Harper and John Butler to Tour Australia and New Zealand in November

Key facts

• Jack Johnson, Ben Harper and John Butler will tour Australia and New Zealand in November 2026.
• The tour is named SURFILMUSIC, after Johnson's documentary about his evolution from surfer to musician.
• The documentary and its soundtrack are set for release on May 15, 2025.
• Tickets go on sale at 2pm local time on May 12, 2025.
• The tour includes six shows: Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland and North Canterbury.
• Sydney show will feature special guest Emily Wurramurra, an APRA Award winner.
• Johnson first toured Australia with Harper in 2003 and has long wanted to tour with Butler.

Three Folk-Rock Legends Unite for a Dream Lineup

American folk-rock star Jack Johnson has announced a major outdoor tour of Australia and New Zealand this November, bringing together two of his closest musical collaborators: Ben Harper and John Butler. The trio, each a defining figure in roots music, will perform across six cities in a lineup that fans have long awaited. Johnson described the tour as a 'mini Bluesfest,' evoking the celebrated Australian festival where all three have previously performed. The tour marks the first time the three artists have toured together in Australia, though their paths have crossed frequently over the past two decades. Johnson first toured Australia with Harper in 2003 and has crossed paths with Butler during that time. 'Over the years, we've gotten to do some shows together and I've always wanted to do more music with John, so I'm excited to get to go and do a proper tour together,' Johnson said from his home in Hawaii. 'Ben and I have toured so much together over the years; the very first time I came to Australia was with Ben.'

The SURFILMUSIC Tour: From Documentary to Live Experience

The tour is named SURFILMUSIC, after Johnson's forthcoming documentary that chronicles his evolution from surfer to filmmaker to world-renowned musician. The film traces his journey from his youth on the North Shore of Hawaii through the making of his iconic surf films 'Thicker Than Water' (1999) and 'The September Sessions' (2000), to the beginning of his music career. Those classic surf films revealed Johnson's artistic point of view through his lens and guitar, ultimately launching his music career. The documentary has also inspired a SURFILMUSIC soundtrack, set for release on Friday, May 15, 2025. The soundtrack features the original four-track recordings of songs Johnson wrote as he made surf movies, including 'Thicker Than Water' and 'The September Sessions,' with his friends after college. Those early tunes were captured on a four-track recorder left at his home by surfing legend Kelly Slater. Johnson said the tour will feel like a continuation of the documentary, blending familiar moments with new material.

Tour Dates and Venues Across Australia and New Zealand

The tour will open at Brisbane's Riverstage on November 7, then head to Perth's Kings Park & Botanic Gardens on November 10, The Domain in Sydney on November 14, and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne on November 17. The New Zealand leg includes shows in Auckland and North Canterbury at the Waipara Winehouse. The Sydney stop will also be joined by recent APRA Award winner Emily Wurramurra. Tickets for all shows go on sale from 2pm local time on Tuesday, May 12, 2025. Johnson said he would be taking advantage of downtime between shows to reacquaint himself with his favourite Australian surf breaks. 'The nice thing about Australia is you can surf during the day and then do the show at night; in Europe you have to drive for hours to get a surf in,' Johnson said. 'Even if we don't have a day off, our band is at the point where we skip sound checks a lot. It serves us as a band better to go and do something real fun during the day, to make these memories together as you play the show.'

Ben Harper and John Butler: A Study in Contrasts

Ben Harper, a three-time Grammy winner with a catalogue that moves through blues, soul, folk and rock, brings a different texture to the tour. His solo acoustic sets tend to land with a quiet authority, the kind that doesn't need volume to hold a crowd. John Butler, a long-defining figure in Australian roots music, adds rhythm and movement through his intricate, instinctive guitar lines. Together, the three artists create a bill that resists the usual peaks and valleys of a touring lineup, instead moving in waves, each set feeding into the next without breaking the flow. All three artists commanded the airwaves and festival stages in Australia since the early 2000s, finding fans in the surfing community before bursting into the mainstream. Johnson's connection to the surfing world remains strong; his early surf films, made with friends, captured moments in and out of the water that would later inform his songwriting and broader artistic direction.

A Tour Born from Friendship and Shared History

Johnson's decision to tour with Harper and Butler stems from years of friendship and mutual respect. 'Over the years, we've gotten to do some shows together and I've always wanted to do more music with John, so I'm excited to get to go and do a proper tour together,' Johnson said. 'Ben and I have toured so much together over the years; the very first time I came to Australia was with Ben.' The tour is a natural extension of their collaborative spirit, offering fans a rare chance to see three folk-rock legends share the stage in an intimate yet expansive setting. The documentary SURFILMUSIC, which inspired the tour, will have local screenings announced soon. More details on screenings are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

What This Tour Means for Fans and the Music Scene

For fans of roots rock, the SURFILMUSIC tour represents a dream lineup that brings together three artists who have shaped the genre over the past two decades. Johnson's music, from early acoustic staples to chart-topping releases, carries easily across open-air venues, the kind of songs that don't demand attention so much as draw it in. With new material arriving via the soundtrack, these shows feel like a continuation rather than a retrospective, familiar moments threaded with something new. The tour also underscores the enduring appeal of outdoor concerts in Australia, where natural beauty and live music often converge. Johnson's love for the country's surf breaks adds a personal dimension, blending his passions for music and surfing into a single journey.

The bottom line

• Jack Johnson, Ben Harper and John Butler will tour Australia and New Zealand in November 2026, marking their first joint tour.
• The tour supports Johnson's documentary 'SURFILMUSIC,' which chronicles his journey from surfer to musician.
• Six shows are scheduled: Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland and North Canterbury.
• Tickets go on sale May 12, 2025, with the soundtrack releasing May 15, 2025.
• The Sydney show will feature APRA Award winner Emily Wurramurra as a special guest.
• Johnson's early surf films, made with friends, laid the foundation for his music career.