Aussie pub rock festival Wanstock has announced its unmissable return for 2026, with March dates locked in for Melbourne and Sydney.
Launched in 2018 by founder Geoff Wansbrough, Wanstock was born from a deep love of Australian pub rock from the ’80s and ’90s. The idea took shape after Wansbrough invited some of his favourite bands to perform at his birthday party decades earlier, eventually growing into a fully fledged festival.
After its inaugural event at Nunawading’s Burvale Hotel, Wanstock moved to its current home at Melbourne’s Shoppingtown Hotel in 2019. Inspired by the communal spirit of Woodstock and the raw energy of Aussie pub rock, the festival has continued to build momentum ever since, now promising a huge 2026 return.
In anticipation for the festivals biggest grandest lineup yet, here’s 3 must-catch acts for Wanstock next year.
Loverboy
Headlining Wanstock 2026 is influential Canadian rockers Loverboy, who will make their long-awaited Australian debut. Best known for arena-ready anthems like “Working for the Weekend” and “Turn Me Loose”, the band has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide. With a catalogue built for singalongs and fist-pumping choruses, Loverboy’s Wanstock appearance will be a genuine bucket-list moment for classic rock fans.
“We are excited to be coming to Australia for the first time in the band’s history,” the band said. “It’s a dream come true, we’re honoured to join the fantastic lineup in for Wanstock in Melbourne, and play in the beautiful city of Sydney!”
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1927
Australian fan-favourites 1927 bring serious hit power to the Wanstock lineup. Their 1988 debut album …ish became the highest-selling debut by a local artist at the time, boasting six charting singles and spending 46 weeks inside the ARIA Top 50. With their follow-up album The Otherside also achieving multi-platinum success, 1927’s set promises wall-to-wall nostalgia and some of the most recognisable hooks of the pub rock era.
Dragon
Rounding out the must-see list is legendary Kiwi band Dragon, whose influence and hits stretches across generations of Australian and Kiwi music fans. Armed with summer classics like “April Sun in Cuba” and “Are You Old Enough”, Dragon’s live shows remain a masterclass in timeless songwriting and feel-good rock energy.
“We are so excited to be part of Wanstock once again, it’s been too long,” says Dragon. “It’s always a pleasure to have a spot on such a great line-up with so much Australian talent, and the legendary Loverboy from Canada!”
More than just a nostalgia trip, Wanstock continues to celebrate the grassroots pub rock culture that helped launch bands like Cold Chisel and AC/DC, championing loud guitars, singalong anthems, and the communal atmosphere that once defined live music across the country. With legacy acts, a party-first mindset, and a crowd that still believes rock is best experienced up close and loud, Wanstock 2026 is shaping up to be one for the history books.
Ticket information is available here.
Wanstock 2026
Friday, March 20th
Selina’s, Coogee, NSW
with LOVERBOY, CHOIRBOYS, TAXIRIDE, VENTURA
Friday, March 20th
Shoppington Hotel, Doncaster, VIC
with DRAGON, 1927, BACHELOR GIRL, STONETRIP, STRAIT SHOOTERS
Saturday, March 21st
Shoppington Hotel, Doncaster, VIC
with LOVERBOY, PSEUDO ECHO, TAXIRIDE, STANDING ROOM ONLY, DAYDREAMERS
