The Pogues honour forty years of Rum, Sodomy & the Lash with 2026 tour

For the first time in fourteen years, London-based, Irish folk punk band The Pogues are set to return to Australia to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their seminal album, Rum, Sodomy & the Lash. 

Featuring original band members James Fearnley, Jem Finer and Spider Stacy, The Pogues’ tour will kick off at Fremantle Prison on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, with additional shows in Adelaide, Melbourne, Byron Bay and Sydney.

The tour’s special lineup will also see acclaimed guest vocalists Daragh Lynch, Iona Zajac and John Francis Flynn bring Rum, Sodomy & the Lash—one of folk-punk’s most influential albums—back to life.

Rum, Sodomy & the Lash was originally released in 1985 via Stiff Records and was ranked among Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Fans can expect to hear classics from the album onstage, including A Pair of Brown Eyes, Dirty Old Town, and A Rainy Night in Soho, as well as their hit tracks, including Fairytale Of New York, Thousands Are Sailing and Sally MacLennane.

The anniversary tour follows the death of original lead vocalist and songwriter Shane MacGowan, who passed away in late 2023.

Originally formed in 1982 in Kings Cross, London, The Pogues gained international recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s through their fusion of Irish traditional music with punk rock influences. With seven studio albums under their belt, the band was awarded the NME Award for Best Live Act in 1985 and previously secured festival slots at Glastonbury, Fuji Rock and Reading Festival.

The Pogues bring their Rum, Sodomy & the Lash 40th Anniversary Tour to Fremantle Prison on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Tickets are on sale now from bluesfesttours.com