Julian Lage is finally heading to Australia for his debut tour, bringing one of contemporary guitar music’s most exploratory and quietly celebrated catalogues to local stages for the first time. The tour arrives as Lage marks the 10th anniversary of World’s Fair, the solo acoustic album that became a defining moment in his career, while also touring behind his newly released album Scenes From Above.
For more than a decade, the California-born, New York-based musician has built a reputation as one of the most distinctive guitarists of his generation, though what makes Lage compelling has never simply been technical ability. His music moves fluidly between jazz, folk, classical composition and American roots traditions, balancing improvisation with emotional clarity.
The Australian debut tour lands during a particularly prolific stretch for Lage. Alongside the vinyl reissue of World’s Fairand its accompanying songbook, Scenes From Above pushes further into textured ensemble arrangements while maintaining the intimacy that has long defined his playing. Even at its most intricate, the music never loses its emotional directness.
Across his career, Lage has collaborated with artists including Gary Burton, John Zorn, Nels Cline, Chris Eldridge and Fred Hersch, steadily expanding his musical language without losing the sense of curiosity at its centre. Long removed from the “child prodigy” label that followed him after performing at the Grammy Awards at age 12, Lage now feels far more interested in exploration than spectacle.
For Australian audiences, the tour offers a first chance to experience a musician whose work consistently resists easy categorisation, moving between genres and traditions with a sense of freedom that feels increasingly rare.
Julian Lage Debut Australian Tour
Friday, 11 September – Adelaide Festival Centre, SA
Saturday, 12 September – Theatre Royal Hobart, TAS
Monday, 14 September – Melbourne Recital Centre, VIC
Wednesday, 16 September – Street Theatre, Canberra ACT
Thursday, 17 September – City Recital Hall, Sydney NSW
Friday, 18 September – Byron Theatre, Byron Bay NSW
Tickets on sale Monday 18 May – 11am AEST from www.julianlage.com/tour
