Tex Perkins and Matt Walker have released Before The Show, their debut collaborative album recorded live in a single session at Walker's home in winter 2025. The Adelaide pair tour nationally from September to December, with local shows at Trinity Sessions (16-17 October) and Big Easy Radio McLaren Vale (18 October).

Tex Perkins & Matt Walker have today released their highly anticipated debut album, Before The Show (out today via Cheersquad Records & Tapes). Listen HERE.

This collaboration between two of Australia’s most respected musicians is a no-brainer, with Perkins and Walker having shared stages over the years both as a duo, and as members of The Fat Rubber Band and The Cruel Sea, they have developed a natural musical rapport - and this shows throughout the album.

Recorded in the winter of '25 by Matt Walker, using his mobile recording unit, every performance was recorded live in his living room as a first take, preserving the spontaneity, and instinctive chemistry that emerged in the room between the two.

Whether it’s the future-blues of “A Little More Time” or the swaggering twelve-string jangle and vocal harmonies of “Maybe Tomorrow”, there is a propulsion and warmth to the songs that feels effortless. The sound of feet tapping on the wooden floor, along with the crackle of an open fire, was captured by the microphone, placing the listener directly inside the performances. “The Truth” makes us question if anyone really is to blame, as we may “never know the truth.”

Elsewhere, the album opens the door to a more imagined world. Additional instrumentation draws the songs into stranger and more surreal territory, expanding the duo’s acoustic foundations into an evocative folk-blues landscape. “I Have My Doubts”, in particular, ventures into this more atmospheric terrain, revealing another side of the album’s sonic palette.

Before The Show documents the sound of two musicians with decades of experience, trusting each other enough to simply play. The result is a warm, intimate collection of songs, rooted primarily in acoustic folk-blues with Tex’s familiar brand of storytelling.

Before The Show is out now via Cheersquad Records & Tapes.

Available on vinyl, CD, and all streaming platforms.

Purchase a physical copy HERE.

Two figures in dark suits stand back-to-back against a warm golden-orange backdrop with dramatic shadows.

TEX PERKINS & MATT WALKER
BEFORE THE SHOW 2026 AUSTRALIAN ALBUM TOUR

To celebrate the release of Before The Show, Tex Perkins and Matt Walker will embark on a tour from September to December, bringing these deeply personal songs to audiences across Australia.

Recorded in the spirit of spontaneity and trust, Before The Show captures two of Australia's most respected musicians at their most honest and unfiltered. The tour will see Perkins and Walker recreate that same intimate atmosphere on stage, where every performance is driven by instinct, storytelling and the musical chemistry forged through decades of playing together.

Audiences can expect to hear a selection of songs from the new album performed alongside carefully chosen songs from their extensive careers, delivered with the warmth, humour and authenticity that have become hallmarks of both artists. With little more than guitars, voices and the stories behind the songs, each performance promises to be unique - inviting listeners into the same creative space where these songs first came to life.

Having shared stages and studios through projects including The Fat Rubber Band and The Cruel Sea, Before The Show marks a new chapter in the enduring creative partnership between Perkins and Walker. The accompanying tour offers fans the first opportunity to experience this remarkable collection of songs as they were always intended - live, immediate and deeply connected.

Don’t miss Tex Perkins & Matt Walker live:

TEX PERKINS & MATT WALKER tour dates:
FRI 4 & SAT 5 SEP – FLOW BAR, Old Bar NSW
SAT 19 SEP – MITCHELL CREEK FESTIVAL, Kandanga Creek QLD
SAT 26 SEP – MUNDUBBERA BLUEBERRY FESTIVAL, Mundubbera QLD
SAT 10 OCT – MILTON THEATRE, Milton NSW
SUN 11 OCT – TILBA WINERY & ALE HOUSE, Corunna NSW
FRI 16 & SAT 17 OCT – TRINITY SESSIONS, Adelaide SA
SUN 18 OCT – BIG EASY RADIO, McLaren Vale SA
FRI 30 OCT – FACTORY FLOOR, Marrickville NSW
SAT 31 OCT – CENTRO, Wollongong NSW
SUN 1 NOV – AVOCA BEACH THEATRE, Avoca NSW
THU 5 NOV – THE J THEATRE, Noosa QLD
FRI 6 NOV – SOUNDLOUNGE, Currumbin QLD
SAT 7 NOV – LEFTY's, Brisbane QLD
THU 12 NOV – BRUNSWICK BALLROOM, Brunswick VIC
FRI 13 NOV – MEMO MUSIC HALL, St Kilda VIC
SAT 14 NOV – THEATRE ROYAL, Castlemaine VIC
SUN 15 NOV – ARCHIE’S CREEK HOTEL, Archie’s Creek VIC
THU 19 NOV – TOWN TALL, Hobart TAS
FRI 20 NOV – ISLAND STATE BREWING, Devonport TAS
SAT 21 NOV – THE TRAMSHEDS FUNCTION CENTRE, Launceston TAS
SUN 22 NOV – SPRING BAY MILL, Triabunna TAS
FRI 27 NOV - TANK ARTS CENTRE, Cairns QLD

+ more dates to be announced

TICKETS ON SALE AT TEXPERKINS.COM

Two musicians backlit by warm golden stage lighting with tour dates listed below.