Bluesfest Tours is proud to present THE WAILERS – 50 Years of Positive Vibrations, a powerful celebration marking 50 years of Rastaman Vibration – one of the most influential albums in reggae history and honouring the enduring legacy of Bob Marley & The Wailers. The Wailers Australia Tour 2026!
A Special Three Night Celebration at Byron Bay Bluesfest, as part of the tour, Byron Bay Bluesfest will host a unique three-night residency, with three completely different live sets across the festival weekend. Each performance will spotlight a different chapter of The Wailers’ legacy, offering Bluesfest audiences a rare opportunity to experience the depth, power and evolution of this iconic catalogue across three nights. Across the weekend, fans can expect sets drawn from:
· Legend – featuring all songs from the landmark compilation album
· Natural Mystic – select songs from the album, alongside classic Legend hits
· Rastaman Vibration / Positive Vibrations – select songs from Rastaman Vibration, paired with essential Legend anthems
Which set will be performed on each night will be announced closer to the festival. This three-show residency is once again an incredible Bluesfest experience, which the Wailers last presented in a different album format on their last Bluesfest performance in 2022, celebrating the enduring power of Bob Marley’s music across generations.
When Bob Marley knew his time on this planet was coming to an end, he asked his bandleader Family Man Barrett to make him a solemn promise – that his music would continue to be played live for as long as possible. That responsibility was carried by Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett, the legendary bandleader of Bob Marley & The Wailers, a founding member, songwriter and producer on many of their recordings. Family Man honoured that promise for decades, right up until his passing in 2024.
What Family Man also did, and what makes this moment so important, was train a new generation of musicians to carry that legacy forward – including his son, Aston Barrett Jr., now the bandleader of The Wailers. This is not a cheap facsimile of Bob Marley’s music. This is genuine, heartfelt and real. It is Bob Marley’s music played properly, taught by members of The Wailers themselves and passed on to a new generation who deeply care about both the music and its message.
This tour carries the spirit, power and purpose of Bob Marley into the future. It honours the past while keeping the message alive – and it is absolutely not to be missed – Peter Noble OAM
First released in 1976, Rastaman Vibration was a defining moment in global music, carrying reggae’s message of resistance, spirituality and hope onto the world stage. Nearly five decades on, its songs remain as urgent and resonant as ever. This special anniversary tour highlights select cuts from Rastaman Vibration, including “Positive Vibration,” “Roots, Rock, Reggae,” and “War,” alongside the timeless anthems that continue to unite generations through music.
Today, THE WAILERS carry this legacy forward under the leadership of Aston Barrett Jr., son of legendary bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett. With deep respect for the past and a clear vision for the future, Barrett Jr. leads the band with authenticity, purpose and heart. Joined by Mitchell Brunings, whose soulful vocals and commanding stage presence have captivated audiences worldwide, The Wailers deliver performances that embody the true spirit of reggae – uplifting, conscious and deeply human.
In a unique crossover into film, Aston Barrett Jr. recently portrayed his father in the 2024 biopic Bob Marley: One Love, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir. His performance brought rare authenticity to the screen, grounded in lived experience and a profound personal connection to the music and its legacy.
Alongside honouring the past, The Wailers remain creatively vital in the present. Their recent albums One World and Evolution – both Grammy-nominated – reaffirm the band’s ongoing relevance and artistic power. Evolution, produced by Grammy Award-winner Emilio Estefan Jr. on Crescent Moon Records, blends classic roots reggae with contemporary global influences, with songs like “Love Should Be Free” resonating worldwide for their positive and socially conscious message.
Australian audiences can expect a soul-stirring live experience, weaving together the revolutionary spirit of Rastaman Vibration, the band’s iconic catalogue and select modern highlights – delivered with the same musicianship, authenticity and heart that made The Wailers a cornerstone of global music.
50 Years of Positive Vibrations is more than a tour – it’s a celebration of music with meaning, a living connection between reggae’s golden era and its enduring power to inspire unity, resilience and hope.
50 YEARS OF POSITIVE VIBRATIONS TOUR DATES
MELBOURNE – Wed 1 April – 170 Russell
SYDNEY – Thu 2 April – Metro Theatre
BYRON BAY – Fri 3 April – Byron Bay Bluesfest
BYRON BAY – Sat 4 April – Byron Bay Bluesfest
BYRON BAY – Sun 5 April – Byron Bay Bluesfest
If you are looking for a place to stay for any of the above tour dates then check out our interactive accommodation map below. Just add in the dates you want to stay and the venue and you will be able to see what’s available nearby! (The map is set to 170 Russell in Melbourne so if you are going to another show simply change the dates and venue).
If you also need to find a flight to get you there, try our flight search feature below! Simply add in your home and destination city, select the dates you want to travel and search away!
