The Fray are heading back to Australia and New Zealand in February 2027 for the Summer of Light Tour, and this time they’re bringing Dashboard Confessional along for the ride. The eight-date run pairs four indoor headline shows with four outdoor dates at the Lookout Festival series, ending with the band’s first-ever performance in Auckland.
Denver band A Light That Waits is their first full-length record in more than a decade, and the tour behind it brings the core trio back together: singer-guitarist Joe King, guitarist Dave Welsh and drummer Ben Wysocki. The album follows a run Down Under that sold out less than two years ago, marking their return to Australia. Tickets open for general sale Thursday, Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. local time, after artist and promoter presales took place earlier in the week.
Indoor Shows Kick Off in Melbourne
The indoor shows, presented by TEG Live, start at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena on Feb. 5. The tour then moves through Wollongong, Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion and Auckland’s Eventfinda Stadium, with support from Dashboard Confessional and Australian artist Rachael Fahim.
King spoke about the return, noting the warmth of the crowds from the last trip. “We had such an incredible time touring in Australia in 2025,” he said. “The energy from those crowds was unbelievable. To come back and be able to share A Light That Waits alongside the songs fans have grown up with — and to have our long-time friends Dashboard Confessional with us — is going to make these nights unforgettable.”
Lookout Festival Adds Bastille
Face to Face Touring presents the Lookout Festival dates, which come with a larger lineup. The British indie-pop act Bastille is added to the bill alongside Dashboard Confessional, along with local performers Killing Heidi and Little Birdy, who play across Torquay, Perth, Lake Macquarie and Sandstone Point.
The festival spans two nights, starting Feb. 6 and ending Feb. 14, with each city getting its own evening.
The Album Behind the Tour
The Fray’s A Light That Waits, released in March, serves as the band’s first full-length album in more than a decade. It arrives after years of construction on the part of the group, who shaped the project during the period between records. This release represents a notable milestone for a band that helped define the mid-2000s piano-rock scene.
The Fray rose to prominence in the mid-2000s as one of the defining acts of their era. Their 2005 debut album How to Save a Life was certified four-times platinum in the U.S. and remains one of the best-selling digital debuts of all time. The album was powered by two enduring singles: “Over My Head (Cable Car)” and the title track.
The song “How to Save a Life” became a cultural touchstone through its use on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It spent a marathon 58 weeks on the chart and has since been certified Diamond by the RIAA. Their 2009 self-titled follow-up debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and across their career they have earned four Grammy nominations and three Billboard Music Awards.
The Trio’s First Full-Length Together
A Light That Waits is the debut full-length from the current trio lineup of the band. The record features singer-guitarist Joe King alongside guitarist Dave Welsh and drummer Ben Wysocki.
This record marks a deliberate move away from the band’s earlier work, trading the old setup for a trio. It stands as a fresh start for the group, and the accompanying tour gives them the chance to perform it live in front of the audience who has waited for it.
Ticket Presale Timeline
The general sale begins on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 10 a.m. local time. An artist and promoter presale took place earlier in the week.
| Date | Venue | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 5 | Margaret Court Arena | Melbourne |
| Feb. 10 | Waves | Wollongong |
| Feb. 11 | Hordern Pavilion | Sydney |
| Feb. 17 | Eventfinda Stadium | Auckland |
| Feb. 6 | Torquay Common | Torquay |
| Feb. 7 | Kings Park & Botanic Garden | Perth |
| Feb. 13 | Speers Point Park | Lake Macquarie |
| Feb. 14 | Sandstone Point Hotel | Sandstone Point |
The Auckland Finish
The tour wraps up in Auckland with the band’s debut appearance in New Zealand. The Feb. 17 concert at Eventfinda Stadium is a notable milestone for a group that has never performed there before.
A full Fray experience is delivered through the indoor format, which also brings Dashboard Confessional along to support the bill.
What Fans Get From the Tour
The Australian and New Zealand audiences get a chance to hear the new album performed live alongside the older songs that shaped the band’s early years. The Dashboard Confessional partnership fits well with the shared history between the two groups.
For years, Dashboard Confessional have counted the Fray among their friends, so their presence on the bill adds a familiar face to the headline slots. Bastille joins the bill at the Lookout Festival dates, giving it added breadth.
Fans can choose between two kinds of shows: the indoor arena experience and the festival dates, which offer a more laid-back setting. Each format allows the band to bond with audiences in its own way.
A Landmark Moment
Auckland marks a major milestone for the band, with their first-ever performance in New Zealand standing out for a group that has already toured extensively around the world.
After a run in 2025 that proved successful, the tour is returning to the region. The band’s last visit sold out, and the upcoming dates are set up to carry that energy forward.
Since their last record, the members of The Fray have been putting together A Light That Waits, and now they’re taking it on the road, where Dashboard Confessional serves as support alongside a string of local acts.
This group has built a long record of success. Across their career, they have earned four Grammy nominations and three Billboard Music Awards. Their first album, How to Save a Life, which marked their 2005 entry into the charts, reached four-times platinum status in the United States. The follow-up, their 2009 self-titled release, arrived at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
After more than a decade, the new album has arrived, and now the band gets to take the stage on tour to reintroduce themselves to fans who have been following them all along.
The Bottom Line
The Fray are taking their new record on the road to Australia and New Zealand, with Dashboard Confessional and Bastille along for the ride, and ticket sales begin next week. It’s a solid run of shows, and the support acts add real weight to the bill.
A group that has been friends for years joins the band’s current lineup on the road. The festival stops broaden the bill beyond just the two acts. Playing Auckland marks a first for a band that has never performed in New Zealand before.
Fans who missed the 2025 run can catch up in February 2027. The general sale starts Thursday, Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. local time, so the window is open.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.