Massive Attack’s first Australian headline tour in 16 years is set to begin this week after the Bristol collective revealed the setlist performed at their South Korea show on August 1, offering a preview of a career-spanning performance built around Mezzanine favourites, Blue Lines essentials, Heligoland material and unexpected cover versions.
by Paul Cashmere
Massive Attack have given Australian audiences their first indication of what to expect from their upcoming arena shows after performing a 16-song set in South Korea on Saturday August 1. The performance featured defining tracks including Teardrop, Angel, Unfinished Sympathy and Safe From Harm, alongside collaborations with Elizabeth Fraser and Horace Andy, ahead of the band’s Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne dates beginning this Thursday.
The South Korea performance provides the clearest guide yet to the musical direction of Massive Attack’s return to Australian stages. Rather than focusing on one particular era, the set drew from across the group’s catalogue, with material spanning their 1991 debut album Blue Lines through to later releases including 100th Window, Heligoland and the Ritual Spirit EP.
The show also highlighted the importance of the vocal collaborators who have helped shape Massive Attack’s sound. Elizabeth Fraser appeared on Black Milk and Teardrop, two of the most recognised recordings from the band’s 1998 album Mezzanine, while Horace Andy joined for Girl I Love You from Heligoland and Angel from Mezzanine.
The August 1 performance opened with a cover of Gigi D’Agostino’s In My Mind before moving into Risingson, the opening track from Mezzanine. The inclusion of multiple Mezzanine songs reinforced the continuing influence of the album, which remains one of the most significant releases in Massive Attack’s catalogue.
The South Korea setlist was:
In My Mind (Gigi D’Agostino cover)
Risingson (from Mezzanine, 1998)
Black Milk (with Elizabeth Fraser) (from Mezzanine, 1998)
Girl I Love You (with Horace Andy) (from Heligoland, 2010)
Regret of the Times (Seo Taiji and Boys cover)
Take It There (from Ritual Spirit EP, 2016)
Future Proof (from 100th Window, 2003)
Song To The Siren (Tim Buckley cover)
Inertia Creeps (from Mezzanine, 1998)
Angel (with Horace Andy) (from Mezzanine, 1998)
Safe From Harm (from Blue Lines, 1991)
Unfinished Sympathy (from Blue Lines, 1991)
Levels (Avicii cover)
Group Four (from Mezzanine, 1998)
In My Mind (reprise) (Gigi D’Agostino cover)
Teardrop (with Elizabeth Fraser) (from Mezzanine, 1998)
The setlist balances the expected favourites with deeper catalogue selections. Tracks such as Teardrop, Angel, Inertia Creeps and Unfinished Sympathy remain central to the band’s identity, while songs including Future Proof, Take It There and Group Four provide a broader view of their evolving production style.
The decision to include covers also reflects Massive Attack’s long history of reinterpreting music through their own atmospheric approach. Song To The Siren, originally written by Larry Beckett and recorded by Tim Buckley, has previously been associated with the band through Elizabeth Fraser’s acclaimed interpretation on the This Mortal Coil version. The inclusion of Seo Taiji and Boys’ Regret of the Times also acknowledges the group’s connection with their South Korean audience.
Massive Attack’s Australian tour begins on Thursday August 6 at Brisbane Entertainment Centre before moving to Sydney and Melbourne. It marks the group’s first Australian headline run since 2010 and follows renewed activity from the band, including the 2026 release of Boots On The Ground, a collaboration featuring Tom Waits.
Formed in Bristol in 1988 from the Wild Bunch sound system collective, Massive Attack helped establish the foundations of what became known as trip-hop. The group’s debut album Blue Lines introduced a new approach to electronic music by combining hip-hop rhythms, dub production, soul influences and cinematic arrangements.
The band’s second album Protection (1994) expanded their reputation, but it was Mezzanine in 1998 that became their defining global statement. Featuring Teardrop, Angel, Risingson and Inertia Creeps, the album demonstrated the group’s darker, more experimental direction and remains a major reference point in alternative and electronic music.
Massive Attack later released 100th Window in 2003 and Heligoland in 2010, continuing their collaborative approach with artists including Damon Albarn, Hope Sandoval, Sinéad O’Connor, Elizabeth Fraser and Horace Andy. Their most recent recorded activity has included new material and collaborations following a period of limited release activity.
The South Korea performance suggests the Australian concerts will focus on atmosphere, catalogue depth and the distinctive vocal contributions that have defined Massive Attack’s recordings over more than three decades. With only three Australian headline dates scheduled, the shows represent a rare return for one of the most influential acts to emerge from the British electronic music scene.
Massive Attack Australian Tour 2026
Thursday 6 August, Brisbane, Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Joined by DJ PGZ
Sunday 9 August, Sydney, Afterpay Arena
Formerly known as Qudos Bank Arena
Joined by DJ PGZ
Tuesday 11 August, Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
Joined by DJ PGZ
Ticket Details
Tickets are available through official ticketing outlets.
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