John Butler with Band at Moore Theatre

North American Tour 2026

There's a ton of shows marked in Seattle for 2026, and one of them is an extra-special night with John Butler and his full band. From the land down under, he's traveling across the world for a 23-date North American Tour 2026. Known to offer unique grooves and heartfelt storytelling, not only in his music, but at his live concerts, he's a performer that blues, folk, and rock fans definitely shouldn't miss. With astounding guitar work that's caught the eye of critics globally, we've got a living legend coming to the Moore Theatre on May 16. 

About John Butler

Widely respected as one of the most distinct artists and voices in contemporary roots music, he emerged from Australia's vibrant indie music scene. Across his career of over two decades, he's received critical praise and prestiguous awards from the Australian Recording Industry Association and the Australian Performing Right Association. 

Learned to play the guitar at 16 and later on dedicated time to making his own music, he's started it off with a band named "Vitamin". Scoring gigs and self-recording music, he was deeply invested in making it big in the game. The height of his career came rushing in as he formed the John Butler Trio in 1998. Putting out records that charted well on the Australian album charts and achieving platinum sales records, Butler soon became a prominent figure in alt-rock, bluegrass, funk rock, and roots music. The trio split in 2019, following the release of their album "Home" a year prior.

Today, John Butler continues to make music, and performs with a full behand who shares the same passion for the rootsy art he creates. In 2025, he released the album "Prism", marking his first fully-produced album since the John Butler Trio days. On tour for his solo career, he's got a band consisting of Michael Barker, Michael Boase, and Ian Press by his side. Yup, they're all making their way to Seattle for the North American Tour.

New Music on "Prism"

In a conversation with Rolling Stone Australia about his new album "Prism", Butler opens up about its creation. 

"PRISM just sent me on an odyssey, on a journey, that I didn’t realise I was on... I’d failed tremendously, which is really important to do in making art or anything."

Before the pandemic, the man wrapped up his final tour as a trio, and set out to create a four-story project solo. Honing his skills and exploring new sounds all by himself, things took an unexpected turn as his computer crashed, making hium freak out about all the music he'd worked on. Moreover, his dad and his wife's father passed away, and navigated life's realities while raising two teenage kids. "I had to surrender and give up, which I’m not good at doing."

"This one’s very intimate, because it’s dealing with marital distress and my father dying," Butler shared with Hi Fi Way. "We’re both giving palliative care to our dads on opposite side of the sides of the country. That’s a wild and surreal florid kind of time."

With deep emotion, life lessons, realizations, and a renewed heart, Butler kept his spirits alive—one that weaves everything through song. 

As he kicks off this North American Tour, you can expect the personal energies that Butler brings in every show. Get ready to sing along and feel your heart being drawn to the messages of his emotive tracks. Don't miss out by booking your tickets now!