For 50 years now, Air Supply has been labeled “soft rock.”
The band doesn’t like that.
In fact, lead singer Russell Hitchcock couldn’t disagree more with that unfair assertion. To him, his long-running, chart-topping group is anything but sensitive.
“I’ve always hated being called soft rock,” Hitchcock admitted to The Post in an exclusive interview.
“[Co-founder Graham Russell] and I always considered ourselves to be a rock and roll band and we still are. As the years have gone by and we progressed with different musicians, better technology, bigger sound systems, the sound has grown.”
According to Russell, even he’s better.
“This iteration of the show is the proudest I’ve been of any of ours because I finally figured out what I’m doing on stage,” he smiled. “I recently saw a video from when we opened for Rod Stewart in Australia in the late ’70s. I used to play conga drums because I was too scared to be in front of the band. As the years have gone by, I’ve gotten more confident. I still look like a goofball onstage and and can’t move to save my life, but I do my thing now and I’m very comfortable.”
These next few months, Hitchcock and the “All Out Of Love” hitmakers will do their best to prove that they rock when they perform live at huge venues all over North America on their ongoing ‘Lost In Love 50th Anniversary Tour.’
That includes shows at Atlantic City’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (Saturday, Oct. 25), Newark’s New Jersey Performing Arts Center (Oct. 26) and Westbury’s Westbury Music Fair (Dec. 6).
Half a century in, they still can’t wait to hit the stage every night.
“Every night, people ask ‘Don’t you get tired of playing these songs after 50 years?’ And I don’t. They’re great songs and every show is different because every audience is different.”
Even if every audience is different, most crowds that Hitchcock and Russell encounter are quite rowdy.
“When Airheads come to shows, they get into it,” the frontman laughed. “Air Supply fans don’t sit on their hands and absorb the music. They want to party and it’s usually loud, lots of singing. Honestly, if you’re not singing along, there’s something wrong with you.”
Still, at the end of the day, don’t forget that Air Supply rocks with the best of them.
“It’s a rock and roll show and I don’t care what anybody says,” Hitchcock noted. “I would open for anybody. The Stones, Metallica, Oasis, Eagles, I don’t care who. If you’re out there, I’m available. I’m that proud of our show and know we can hold our own with anybody.”
For more about the band, keep reading. We’ve got Air Supply’s tour dates, a recent set list and a sprawling interview with Hitchcock where he spills on what went down at the 1982 Minnesota State Fair, how he maintains his voice at 75, their new album, musical, biopic and much, much more.
There might even be a story about the Sultan of Brunei. You’ll just have to scroll to find that though.
Air Supply tour schedule 2025-26
A complete calendar including all tour dates, venues and links to buy tickets can be found below.
Air Supply set list
On Oct. 10, Air Supply headlined at Pompano Beach, FL’s Pompano Beach Amphitheater. According to Set List FM, here’s what Hitchcock and Graham Russell took to the stage that evening.
01.) “Sweet Dreams”
02.) “Even the Nights Are Better”
03.) “Just as I Am” (Rob Hegel cover)
04.) “Every Woman in the World”
05.) “Here I Am” (Norman Saleet cover)
06.) “Chances”
07.) “Goodbye”
08.) “Wrap My Arms Around You”
09.) “I Can Wait Forever”
10.) “G’s Spot” (Graham Russell reciting a poem “Invisible”)
11.) “I’ll Find You” (Graham Russell solo)
12.) “Two Less Lonely People in the World”
13.) “Graham Russell Guitar Solo”
14.) “The One That You Love”
15.) “Lost in Love”
16.) “Pavel Valdman Drum Solo”
17.) “Making Love Out of Nothing at All”
Encore
18.) “Without You” (Badfinger cover)
19.) “All Out of Love”
Russell Hitchcock interview
Ahead of the Garden State gigs, The Post spoke with Russell Hitchcock about his storied career. Below, you’ll find a lightly-edited version of our chat.
What does an Air Supply show look like in 2025?
A million years away from what it looked like in 1975.
It’s everything you would expect it to be, but it’s not. Air Supply concerts are high-energy rock shows, believe it or not. We play all the songs you want to hear, a couple of surprises including a song from an album coming out in December. Plus, we’re fortunate enough to have video behind the band that incorporates a lot of our music videos from way back in sync with the song we’re playing.
If you haven’t seen it and you’re a fan, come and see us. if you’re not a fan, come and see us anyway, because you’ll be a fan after you come through.
Tell us about the new album.
It took us four years to record “A Matter Of Time” because we haven’t had time to get off the road but the songs are great.
When Graham started writing songs in the ’70s, they were how he perceived the world and relationships at the time. 50 years later, he’s had a lot more experience with life and and love and viewing the world from a different perspective. And the cover is spectacular. Makes “Sergeant Pepper’s” look like a B-side of a Beatles record (laughs).
Are you guys sticking to power ballads or is it a new sound?
We’ve always been compartmentalized into soft, mushy, fluffy music and this isn’t that.
Obviously, yes, Graham has a writing style and I have a vocal style but I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Do you have a favorite song to sing live?
Probably “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All” but my favorite songs of ours are “Lost in Love” and “I’m All Out Of Love” because that one broke us worldwide and we close shows with that song to this day.
I’ve always thought “once you play that song, there’s nothing else.” It’s the most requested song every night. It’s our anthem.
What’s the craziest story you have from the road?
We weren’t crazy when we were young. It probably affected our career negatively in the early days because we didn’t go to the parties. Yes, Graham and I would go out to a bar or club afterwards and have a couple of drinks, but we never got into any mischief.
Still, the craziest thing that happened to me was when we played Minnesota State Fair in 1982 and I fell off a stage 15 feet into the concrete below. I broke my arm and three ribs. I remember laying on my back and looking up at Graham leaning over the stage looking at me while playing his guitar. The show must go on!
Anyway, I was in an ambulance within about five minutes and taken to the hospital.
How did you fall?
I’ll preface this by saying about five years ago I gave up drinking alcohol.
Anyhow, that night, I had a couple of cocktails before the show and there was a two-foot wide gap on the stage. While singing, I forgot the gap was there.
When I put my foot in “nowhere,” I immediately thought “this is going to be bad.”
What’s the most unusual concert you’ve played?
There are two.
The first was when we played a show in Cuba in 2005.
Before the concert we asked, “how many audience members do you expect?”
Our promoter said “probably 60 or 70,000.” That’s a lot of people! The day of the show, Hurricane Dennis was due to come in. By the time the show started, it was torrential rainfall.
And the show didn’t start till 1:30 in the morning. Yet, somehow 175,000 people showed up. Everywhere you looked, all you could see was people. It was raining and they sang along and stayed. That was amazing.
The other one was when we played for the Sultan of Brunei several years ago. We stayed in a hotel and Graham, the band and I were the only people in this 500-room hotel.
Everything was first-class. They had the best crystals, the finest china silverware. They had a guy that was a liaison between us and the Sultan. He told us the Sultan gave the place to his brother but then he found out his brother had his “fingers in the till.” So he took it away from him and made it into a hotel.
We later learned this was the only time the Sultan ever sat in the audience in this theater that was built for him. He had six or of his wives with him while he watched the show.
Is it hard working with a direct collaborator for 50-plus years?
It’s not really a collaboration. I don’t have anything to do with writing the songs, I just get to sing them.
The only thing that we’ve ever really done collaboratively is decide whose voice is best for the song iand then that person sings it.
That’s one of the reasons why we’ve lasted for so long, because we don’t step on each other toes. We have very distinct roles within the framework of Air Supply. I couldn’t write a song if you paid me. He doesn’t want to be the lead singer. It’s a perfect relationship.
Why did you guys choose the name Air Supply?
We were in “Jesus Christ Superstar” and Graham, Jeremy Paul (an original Air Supply member) and I were recording on a cassette in the orchestra pit of the theater and we didn’t have a name for the band. We asked the cast to make suggestions but they made fun of us, which annoyed me.
A couple days later, Graham came in and said “I had a dream last night. There was a billboard with lights flashing, and in the middle it read “Air Supply.” That’s how we got the name.
How do you maintain your voice?
My dad and late older sister were amazing singers. So it’s 90% genetic. And for the last 20 years, I’ve decided to be sensible. I’m 76 and our window for performing is closing no matter which way you look at it, so I look after myself.
Truthfully, I don’t speak much during the day unless I have to…so you’re very lucky (laughs).
Will the “All Out Of Love” musical ever make its way to the U.S.?
Hopefully. There was a reading last week in London. It’s going to open in Manchester first and hopefully go to the West End in London and then jump across the pond but it’s incredible. I saw the cast reading in New York. The way they’ve intertwined the songs into the story is fantastic.
Also, a creative team is going to start shooting an Air Supply biopic written by Stuart Beattie (“Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Collateral”) in December in Los Angeles. Then, they’re going to film in Australia in January.
The guy that’s playing me is named Finn Cole. He’s English and was in “Peaky Blinders.” Ed Helms from “The Office” plays our manager.
Fans online rave about the backing band. Tell us about them.
The lead guitarist and music director is Aaron McLain is from Los Angeles. He’s really talented.
Our bass player is Doug Guild. He’s been with us for ten years, very quiet fellow, very subtle bass player, but he’s got the goods.
Air Supply’s drummer is Pavel Valdman. He’s from the Czech Republic and is a maniac, heavy metal powerhouse. The man thrashes everything that he plays.
Mirko Tessandori from Tuscany is our pianist and keyboardist. He used to play with Englebert Humperdinck and is classically trained but has a modern perspective on things.
We also have cellists Kat Findlay and Cassie Olson. Not only do they make the sound better, but they class up the joint. Going from cello to guitar to the drummer that could pound anything, it’s quite amazing. This combination of players is spectacular.
What’s the wildest place you’ve heard any one of your songs out in public?
Honestly, it’s always elevators or supermarkets. One day though, I went to the grocery store and I was walking down the aisle with my eggs and cereal and and I hear this voice go “oh, my God!”
I turn around and this guy goes, “it’s you! What are you doing?” I said “check out the basket. I’m shopping. What are you doing?”
He corrected me and asked “no, no, no, what are you doing here in this location?”
I said “I live around here.” He couldn’t believe it and thought I had a mansion in Beverly Hills. I had to tell him, “no, I don’t, I live in the same neighborhood as you.”
Is there any dream project of yours that you never saw fully realized?
No. We got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. We played the Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, Radio City.
The only thing that I think is a travesty is that Graham has never been nominated for a Grammy. It’s amazing his songs are still here and recognizable all over the world after 50 years.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Huge artists on tour in 2025-26
Need even more great live music from icons that have been pounding the pavement since Ford was in office?
We’re here to help.
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Who else is out and about? Take a look at our list of all the biggest classic rockers on tour in 2025 to find the show that makes the most sense for you.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change
