Blab Music
The Rubens Unveil New Album Group Therapy and 14-Date Australian Tour
The Australian alternative‑rock trio The Rubens have announced that their sixth studio effort, Group Therapy, will arrive in 2026, and that the band will headline a 14‑date tour across the country from 16 October in Sydney to 12 December in Wagga Wagga.
The itinerary stitches together a mix of capital cities, regional hubs and suburban venues. The first show is slated for 16 October at Sydney’s City Recital Hall, followed by performances in Adelaide, Mt Gambier, Coolum, Brisbane, D’Aguilar, Castlemaine, Melbourne, Barwon Heads, Hobart, Forth, Fremantle, Margaret River and Wagga Wagga. SELVE, fronted by Loki Liddle, will back the band on every date except those in Western Australia. According to the band, ticket prices have been set with the current cost‑of‑living environment in mind, aiming to keep live shows accessible while extending the tour beyond the major capitals.
The tour’s opening act will be the single “Love Me America,” the first substantial glimpse into the direction of Group Therapy. The track opens with a dense guitar arrangement that slides into acoustic passages before erupting into a more expansive rock production. It reflects on the band’s long‑running relationship with the United States, drawing directly on their first experiences working there. The Rubens travelled to New York to record their debut album and later encountered American record‑industry interest, including meetings over dinners and attendance at Los Angeles Kings games. The track considers both the attraction of the American music industry and the distance between expectation and reality.
The Rubens formed in Menangle, New South Wales, in 2011 and consist of brothers Sam, Elliott and Izaac Margin, along with Scott Baldwin and William Zeglis. Their first recording, “Lay It Down,” was uploaded to triple j Unearthed in 2011, helping establish the band nationally. Their self‑titled debut album in 2012 reached the ARIA Top 5, and singles such as “My Gun” and “The Best We Got” appeared in the triple j Hottest 100 countdowns. Subsequent releases – Hoops (2015), LO LA RU (2018), 0202 (2021) and SODA (2024) – have charted in the top three of the ARIA Albums Chart and earned multi‑Platinum and ARIA‑certified status.
The 2024 SODA album was followed by a 28‑date regional Australian tour that drew more than 30,000 people. That run reinforced the band’s established touring model, in which regional audiences are treated as an important part of the national touring circuit rather than an extension of a capital‑city campaign. Group Therapy will continue that approach, with the tour designed around both established markets and smaller centres.
With Group Therapy, The Rubens are entering their 16th year as a band with a catalogue that spans five previous studio albums, major festival appearances, international touring and multiple ARIA‑certified singles. The new album will be followed by an Australian tour that includes both major venues and regional locations. The band’s next releases and touring dates are currently being finalized, and additional tour dates may be announced.
The Rubens’ announcement of Group Therapy and the accompanying tour underscores the group’s continued focus on a broad touring strategy that balances major city shows with regional outreach. Fans can purchase tickets through the band’s official website and stay updated on future dates and releases via the band’s social media channels.
The itinerary stitches together a mix of capital cities, regional hubs and suburban venues. The first show is slated for 16 October at Sydney’s City Recital Hall, followed by performances in Adelaide, Mt Gambier, Coolum, Brisbane, D’Aguilar, Castlemaine, Melbourne, Barwon Heads, Hobart, Forth, Fremantle, Margaret River and Wagga Wagga. SELVE, fronted by Loki Liddle, will back the band on every date except those in Western Australia. According to the band, ticket prices have been set with the current cost‑of‑living environment in mind, aiming to keep live shows accessible while extending the tour beyond the major capitals.
The tour’s opening act will be the single “Love Me America,” the first substantial glimpse into the direction of Group Therapy. The track opens with a dense guitar arrangement that slides into acoustic passages before erupting into a more expansive rock production. It reflects on the band’s long‑running relationship with the United States, drawing directly on their first experiences working there. The Rubens travelled to New York to record their debut album and later encountered American record‑industry interest, including meetings over dinners and attendance at Los Angeles Kings games. The track considers both the attraction of the American music industry and the distance between expectation and reality.
The Rubens formed in Menangle, New South Wales, in 2011 and consist of brothers Sam, Elliott and Izaac Margin, along with Scott Baldwin and William Zeglis. Their first recording, “Lay It Down,” was uploaded to triple j Unearthed in 2011, helping establish the band nationally. Their self‑titled debut album in 2012 reached the ARIA Top 5, and singles such as “My Gun” and “The Best We Got” appeared in the triple j Hottest 100 countdowns. Subsequent releases – Hoops (2015), LO LA RU (2018), 0202 (2021) and SODA (2024) – have charted in the top three of the ARIA Albums Chart and earned multi‑Platinum and ARIA‑certified status.
The 2024 SODA album was followed by a 28‑date regional Australian tour that drew more than 30,000 people. That run reinforced the band’s established touring model, in which regional audiences are treated as an important part of the national touring circuit rather than an extension of a capital‑city campaign. Group Therapy will continue that approach, with the tour designed around both established markets and smaller centres.
With Group Therapy, The Rubens are entering their 16th year as a band with a catalogue that spans five previous studio albums, major festival appearances, international touring and multiple ARIA‑certified singles. The new album will be followed by an Australian tour that includes both major venues and regional locations. The band’s next releases and touring dates are currently being finalized, and additional tour dates may be announced.
The Rubens’ announcement of Group Therapy and the accompanying tour underscores the group’s continued focus on a broad touring strategy that balances major city shows with regional outreach. Fans can purchase tickets through the band’s official website and stay updated on future dates and releases via the band’s social media channels.
