Madness are heading back to Australia for the first time in a decade, and this time the Nutty Boys are taking over one of Sydney’s most famous stages.

The UK ska legends will make their Sydney Opera House debut on March 5, 2027, playing an outdoor show on the Forecourt with nearly five decades of songs behind them. ‘Our House’, ‘It Must Be Love’, ‘Baggy Trousers’ and ‘House of Fun’ are all expected to get an airing alongside cuts from across their catalogue.

Formed in North London in the late 1970s, Madness became one of the defining bands of Britain’s 2 Tone ska movement before gatecrashing the pop charts with their unmistakable mix of brass, wit and glorious eccentricity. They even made it onto the roof of Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

They’re hardly trading on nostalgia, either. Their 2023 album ‘Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie’ became the first Madness studio album to reach No. 1 in the UK.

EVENT DETAILS

WHO: Madness
WHEN: Friday 5 March 2027, gates 6pm
WHERE: Forecourt, Sydney Opera House
TICKETS: $159.90 + booking fee // sydneyoperahouse.com // +61 2 9250 7777
Insiders pre-sale: 9am AEST, Tuesday 22 September
What’s On pre-sale: 9am AEST, Wednesday 23 September
General public on sale: 9am AEST, Thursday 24 September

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