Pioneers of Americana and the revival of roots music, Grammy winners Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, will return to Australia in 2016 after an 11 year absence. The duo, who write and perform as both Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings Machine - the difference in essence being who takes lead vocals on the albums - were last in Australia in 2004 for shows still talked about with awe and envy, depending on whether you saw or missed the duo's gigs. 
The 2016 tour will actually be two separate tours, beginning in Perth and ending in Brisbane under the banner of Gillian Welch and then returning down the east coast as the Dave Rawlins Machine, with the duo augmented by three musicians. To add to the uniqueness of the tour, the Americans will not fly but drive between shows, including crossing the Nullabor in high summer.
In another surprise, in the press release announcing the tour it's made clear that it could be another decade or more until the next time Welch and Rawlings are in this part of the world.
Tickets are on sale from   December 1.
Gillian Welch plays
Perth Concert Hall,   January 30
Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide,   February 3
Palais Theatre, Melbourne,   February 5
Enmore Theatre, Sydney   February 8
The Tivoli, Brisbane,   February 11
Dave Rawlings Machine play
The Triffid, Brisbane,   February 12
A&I Hall, Bangalow,   February 13
Enmore Theatre, Sydney,   February 16
The Playhouse, Canberra,   February 17
Palais Theatre, Melbourne,   February 19