Stranger Cole

His name may be "Stranger" but he's no stranger to the city (Melbourne) that has been his second home since his visit in 2010 at the invitation of the Melbourne Ska Orchestra.

For the first time, the beloved Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae pioneer Stranger Cole will embark on a nationwide tour taking in Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne (of course).
 
Despite a worldwide cult following and the potential to play much larger venues, Stranger Cole has deliberately chosen to do intimate shows across the nation, giving his "Australian family" (as he calls them), a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see and hear Jamaican music royalty up close and personal. 
 
PBS FM musicologist Mohair Slim has curated a special set list that will feature Stranger Cole performing his biggest hits ("Bangarang", "Artibella", "Rough and Tough", etc.), as well as some wonderful ska, rocksteady,  and reggae rarities that he has never sung on stage anywhere in the world.
 
Having penned and recorded the 45 RPM single ‘More Ska' with Melbourne stalwarts The Ska Vendors in 2022, Stranger Cole's tour will also serve as the long-awaited official release party for the record, all as he takes a lap of honour around Australia.

Stranger Cole is, simply put, a giant of Reggae.  He is one of the most important living links to the birth of the Jamaican sound with a career full of hits spanning all eras beginning with the proto-Ska “Rough and Tough” for Duke Reid in 1962.  His mid-sixties rocksteady duets with Patsy Todd and Gladdy Anderson, respectively, are considered to be a high point of the genre.  In 1968, Stranger Cole’s “Bangarang” with its choppy keyboard and one-drop drumming marked the beginning of a new sound, Reggae.   

Stranger Cole’s voice is distinctive, but his live performances are equally famous.  Irrepressibly happy with boundless energy belying his 84 years on the planet, he connects with the audience like very few can.

While he is constantly touring internationally (in the last year he has played the USA, Mexico, Germany, Spain, England) to name a few, Stranger Cole's love affair with Australia is as enduring as Australia’s love affair with him. 

By popular demand, Stranger Cole returns to Australia to perform the ska, rocksteady and reggae songs that have made him a living legend...  As he says, “MORE LIFE!”

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MORE SKA! DECEMBER 2025 AUSTRALIAN TOUR

Tickets on sale now.