REGGIE WATTS, the American comedian, musician, beatboxer, actor, and creator who defies categorisation is coming back to Australia and New Zealand in November 2025.
Known for his surreal, improvisational sets—powered entirely by live looping, vocal experimentation, keyboards, and comedic misdirection—he’s captivated audiences worldwide. Watts is also known for his high-profile roles such as bandleader on The Late Late Show with James Corden and his comedic contributions on Comedy Bang! Bang!
Reggie Watts isn’t easy to pin down. A master of musical improvisation, a comedian with an ear for rhythm, and a tech-tinkering gear head who thrives on chaos, he’s carved out a singular career on the borderlines of comedy, music, and performance art.
This November, the beatboxing comic genius returns to Australia for a run of shows, including a slot at the Just for Laughs Festival and yet another turn on the stage of the Sydney Opera House—a venue he’s now graced half a dozen times.
Reggie Watts sat down with Australian Musician’s Greg Phillips to talk about his enduring love of Australia, the absurdity of music, his ever-evolving live rig, and why he’ll always welcome a little bit of chaos on stage.
For an artist who thrives on spontaneity, it’s no surprise that Reggie Watts’ first trip to Australia came by chance. “The first time I came was with an Australian girlfriend to visit her family in Bundaberg,” he laughs. “I remember the billbies. They were really cute. That stuck with me the most.” Since then, Australia has become a regular stop for Watts, a place he counts among his favourites.
It makes sense. Watts’ shows are built on the energy of the room—audiences co-creating the moment with him as he loops beats, voices, and surrealist tangents into something equal parts comedy and concert. “Music is inherent in everything,” he explains. “Comedy is based on timing, which is the nature of music too. They’re totally connected.”
This November, Australian audiences will once again see Watts in full flight across four shows, one of them part of Sydney’s Just for Laughs Festival. The Sydney Opera House, a building steeped in performance history, is one of his most cherished stages. “It never feels rote,” he says. “The Opera House is striking visually and you’re reminded you’re in a special place. I’ve played venues like Lincoln Center, the Ryman, and Berghain in Berlin, but the Opera House still feels unique every time.”
Despite the high-profile venues, Watts’ shows remain wonderfully unpredictable. His live rig—a constantly evolving beast—has always been central to that freedom. At the moment, he’s working with a Shure Nexadine microphone running through a Line 6 DL4, then into a Boss RC-505 Mark II looper, alongside the ever-inspiring Teenage Engineering OP-1 synth. “The Line 6 has been with me since it came out in the late ’90s. It’s probably the oldest piece of gear I’ll always keep. And the OP-1—I’ll always have that. They’re indispensable,” he says. But while Watts has experimented with loopers of every stripe, he admits he still hasn’t found the “perfect” one. “I didn’t like the look of the RC-505 at first, it seemed too toy-like, but the flexibility won me over. Even if something fails, I make it part of the show. I welcome chaos sometimes.”
Watts’ musical connections run wide. He’s collaborated with Australia’s Flight Facilities on tracks like Sunshine and Stranded—friendships that endure whenever he’s in their hometown. More recently, he’s been in the studio with Claude VonStroke, Fred Again.., and Craig Richards. “With Fred Again.. we laid down a couple of tracks. Who knows if they’ll surface, but it felt great.”
Ask him what makes him laugh, and his influences are as eclectic as his music. “The Muppet Show had this ‘Muppet News Flash’ where a weight drops on the anchor mid-sentence. As a kid I laughed for an hour straight replaying it. It was infinite laughter.”
As for his own shows, what can Australian fans expect this November? Watts flips the question around: “You shouldn’t expect me not to perform,” he deadpans. “Ideally, I just want people to have a weird, fun, awesome time. I care about the audience, I use their energy, and together we make something unique in the moment.”
And beyond the stage? Watts is eyeing new creative ground. “I’d love to make a short film. Hopefully that happens this year.”
Until then, Australian audiences will once again get the full Reggie Watts experience—equal parts musical invention, stand-up absurdity, and joyful chaos. As he says with a grin: “I can’t wait to get back. I’m so stoked.”
Australia and NZ Tour dates:
• Auckland 5 November – Sky City Theatre
• Sydney 10 &11 November – Sydney Opera House (Just For Laughs)
• Brisbane 12 November – The Tivoli
• Melbourne 13 November – Recital Centre
• Perth 17 November – Astor Theatre