Here’s to getting our hearts broken and slowly put back together in one long orchestral sweep.
I’ve seen Beck in full festival mode – loud, loose, and all over the place in the best way – so seeing him strip things back for an orchestral run feels like a completely different proposition.
Same catalogue, just in a more intimate setting – and that change feels worth seeing.
Beck has been touring his catalogue with orchestras, including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic, with a setlist that focuses on his more stripped-back material.
If you’re heading along – or just want to know what you’re getting – the structure is fairly consistent: an orchestral set built around Sea Change and Morning Phase, followed by a short encore with the full band.
Beck With Orchestra setlist based on recent performances at the Hollywood Bowl and 2026 Orchestral Tour
The orchestral set
Cycle
The Golden Age
Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime (The Korgis cover)
Lonesome Tears
It’s Raining Today (Scott Walker cover)
Wave
Tropicalia
Blue Moon
Lost Cause
The New Pollution (orchestral arrangement)
Missing
Tarantula (Colourbox cover)
Round the Bend
Paper Tiger
We Live Again
Montague Terrace (in Blue) (Scott Walker cover)
Phase
Morning
Waking Light
Most of this section stays fairly low-key, with the orchestra carrying the arrangements. There’s a strong focus on Sea Change, with a few covers and deeper cuts mixed in.
The encore (full band)
Where It’s At
One Foot in the Grave (often solo acoustic)
Devils Haircut
Loser
The encore is where things pick up. It’s shorter, but leans into the more recognisable tracks.
What to expect at the Sydney and Melbourne shows
Beck’s current run includes shows at the Sydney Opera House in May 2026, followed by Melbourne dates at the Palais Theatre.
Sydney (Opera House Concert Hall):
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Friday, May 8, 2026
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Melbourne (Palais Theatre):
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
The pacing is split pretty clearly: around 70 minutes of orchestral material, then a brief encore with the band. It’s a more restrained set overall, but the final stretch shifts closer to a standard Beck show.
If you’re going, it’s worth revisiting Sea Change and Morning Phase – that’s where most of the setlist comes from.
