Experience Jethro Tull live in concert in Olomouc on 30 July 2026 at Letní kino Hoblina. Expect progressive rock, folk textures, Ian Anderson's flute and a set shaped by classics and the album "Curious Ruminant". Plan your ticket purchase and a summer evening under the open sky
Jethro Tull at the open-air amphitheatre in Olomouc
Jethro Tull will perform on 30 July 2026 at 20:00 at Letní kino Hoblina in Olomouc. The concert comes at a time when the band is simultaneously looking back over almost six decades of its catalogue and presenting a newer phase marked by the album "Curious Ruminant". This connects audiences of classics such as "Aqualung", "Locomotive Breath" and "Thick as a Brick" with listeners who follow the group's recent releases.
Jethro Tull's musical identity is difficult to place in a single category. Their songs bring together progressive rock, folk, blues, hard rock, jazz and elements of early English music. The distinctive hallmark remains Ian Anderson's flute, an instrument that is not merely decorative in this line-up, but often carries the melody, rhythm and stage tension. Alongside it, acoustic textures, electric guitars, keyboards, bass and drums alternate, allowing the concerts to move quickly from a quiet, almost chamber-like passage into a harder rock impact.
The Olomouc performance falls within the summer section of the tour, between concerts in Italy and the following performance in the Czech town of Loket. This makes the city one of the few Central European open-air stops during July and early August. Tickets for this event are in high demand.
A tour connecting early history with the current album
The current tour is called "The Curiosity Tour". Its concept is not merely a sequence of greatest hits, but an overview of the journey from the early blues-rock years to the present-day sound. Jethro Tull began in the late 1960s, and even its early albums showed that the band would not adhere to a simple rock formula. During the 1970s, it developed its own language in which complex structures, British folk, irony, literary lyrics and powerful riffs could be found within the same song.
The current line-up consists of:
- Ian Anderson - vocals, flute, acoustic and electric guitar, and other instruments
- David Goodier - bass guitar and backing vocals
- John O'Hara - keyboards, accordion and backing vocals
- Scott Hammond - drums
- Jack Clark - guitar
This line-up allows the older compositions to remain recognisable without sounding like a museum reconstruction. The keyboards and accordion give breadth to the folk sections, the rhythm section keeps the unusual transitions solid, and Jack Clark introduces a different guitar character compared with the band's earlier periods. Anderson nevertheless remains at the centre, with his voice, flute, short stories between songs and theatrical interpretation having formed the main axis of Jethro Tull's concert identity for decades.
"Curious Ruminant" as the context of the concert
"Curious Ruminant", released in 2025, is Jethro Tull's twenty-fourth studio album and the group's third release within a short period following "The Zealot Gene" and "RökFlöte". The album contains nine tracks and combines progressive rock, folk and acoustic elements with more modern production. The title track, "Puppet and the Puppet Master", "Over Jerusalem" and the long-form composition "Drink from the Same Well" demonstrate that the band continues to write music that develops through multiple sections rather than relying solely on a short rock song and chorus.
The album is important for understanding the current concerts because it introduces a more personal and introspective tone than the previous two releases. Anderson addresses the relationship between performer and audience, loss, greed, betrayal and social issues. At the same time, he returns to a sound reminiscent of the folk orientation of the albums "Songs from the Wood", "Heavy Horses" and "Stormwatch". This means that the newer material does not feel separate from the classics, but fits naturally among the older songs.
For audiences familiar only with the radio favourites, this is an opportunity to hear what Jethro Tull sounds like today. For long-standing fans, the way the newer compositions converse with the catalogue from the 1970s and 1980s is particularly interesting. Ticket sales for this event are under way.
What can be expected from the live repertoire
The exact set list for Olomouc has not been announced, and it should not be assumed that it will be identical to those of previous concerts. Nevertheless, performances on "The Curiosity Tour" during 2026 provide a clear framework. The band has combined early songs such as "Some Day the Sun Won't Shine for You", "Beggar's Farm" and "A Song for Jeffrey" with a shorter performance of "Thick as a Brick", the folk-progressive compositions "Songs from the Wood" and "Weathercock", and newer titles including "The Navigators", "Curious Ruminant" and "Over Jerusalem".
At some concerts in 2026, the band also performed "My God", "Budapest", "Living in the Past", Bach's "Bourrée in E minor", "Aqualung" and "Locomotive Breath". This does not confirm the repertoire for Olomouc, but it shows that the current programme covers different periods, from the first album to the latest release. The audience can therefore expect contrasts: blues-oriented beginnings, acoustic passages, elaborate progressive forms and powerful rock finales.
The way the band arranges long compositions for the stage is particularly interesting. "Thick as a Brick" often appears in an abbreviated version, while other songs are linked by transitions that maintain the rhythm of the evening. Jethro Tull is not a band that builds the same dynamics between every song. At one moment, the focus may be on the flute and acoustic guitar, and several minutes later on the full band and a heavy riff.
Previous concerts on the tour lasted around two hours or slightly longer, although the duration of the Olomouc performance and any possible interval have not been separately confirmed. The time at which the entrance will open has also not been published in the available information. Visitors are therefore advised to arrive early and check the latest organisational notices immediately before travelling.
Who will find the concert particularly appealing
The most direct connection will be felt by long-standing fans familiar with the albums "Aqualung", "Thick as a Brick", "Songs from the Wood" or "Crest of a Knave". For them, the current tour offers an overview of material that can rarely be reduced to the standard format of a greatest-hits performance. The song selection delves more deeply into the early albums, while the newer material receives enough space to demonstrate the band's present identity.
The concert may also appeal to audiences who usually listen to progressive rock, British folk-rock or performers who combine rock with classical and traditional motifs. Jethro Tull belongs to a generation of bands that treated the album as a complete work, but their best songs also function live without knowledge of the entire concept. The flute as a leading rock instrument immediately provides a distinctive colour, while changes in tempo and instrumentation maintain attention even when the audience does not know every title.
For younger listeners, the concert is an opportunity to hear a performer whose influence is present in progressive rock and contemporary bands drawn to long-form compositions. The audience should expect a performance focused on music, arrangements and interpretation rather than enormous screens or pyrotechnics. Its strength should lie in the details: the entrance of the flute over a guitar motif, the transition from accordion to keyboards and sudden changes of mood.
Letní kino Hoblina and the feeling of an open-air concert
Letní kino Olomouc is located on Pekární Street, close to the historic centre. It is an open-air cultural venue and amphitheatre that hosts film screenings, concerts, theatre programmes and other events during the season. Such an environment suits Jethro Tull's music because the acoustic and folk elements receive natural space, while the rocks, greenery and evening air create a different relationship between the audience and the stage than an enclosed arena.
The venue is not designed as an enormous stadium. For that reason, visitors can expect a more immediate atmosphere and better visibility than at large festival stages, although the exact capacity for this concert has not been announced. An open-air amphitheatre also means that weather conditions can affect the experience. Light clothing for a warm evening, an additional layer for the later drop in temperature and protection against possible rain are more practical choices than relying on the conditions of a typical indoor concert venue.
A bar and grill operate within the complex, while bringing one's own food and drink is not permitted under the venue's rules. The venue is accessible to people with reduced mobility, although visitors with special requirements are advised to contact the venue in advance. Places are disappearing quickly.
Practical arrival reminder
- The concert is scheduled to begin at 20:00.
- The location is Letní kino Hoblina, within the Letní kino Olomouc venue on Pekární Street.
- Parking inside the complex itself is not possible.
- The nearest option recommended by the venue is the parking garage on Koželužská Street; additional spaces are available in the city centre.
- Olomouc has a dense network of trams and buses, making public transport a practical alternative to travelling by car.
- Visitors may not bring their own food and drink into the venue.
- Because the concert is outdoors, visitors should check the weather forecast and the organiser's latest instructions before departure.
Arriving by car requires some planning. The city's tourist website recommends parking garages and underground car parks, while charging rules and zones differ depending on the location and time. For this concert, the simplest option is to park away from the immediate entrance and walk the final part of the journey. This avoids searching for a space in the narrow streets of the historic centre immediately before the concert begins.
Travellers arriving by train will reach an important railway junction close to the centre. From the main station, the city's tram and bus network connects with the central parts of Olomouc. The exact connection should be checked on the day of the concert because timetables and any temporary changes may vary.
Olomouc as a destination for a concert trip
Olomouc is a historic city in central Moravia, well connected by rail and road with other parts of the Czech Republic and neighbouring countries. For visitors arriving earlier, the historic centre offers a logical introduction to the evening concert: Horní náměstí, the town hall, the Baroque fountains and the Holy Trinity Column are located within an area that can be explored on foot.
The Holy Trinity Column has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2000. Its extensive restoration is taking place during 2026, so visitors should expect possible restrictions on views or access. Despite this, the centre of Olomouc remains compact and suitable for several hours of walking before the concert.
The position of Letní kino near the centre means that the day does not have to be limited to arriving immediately before the start. Lunch, a tour of the squares and a short rest can be combined with a walk to the amphitheatre. After the concert, it is useful to know the last public transport departure in advance or to have a plan for returning to the accommodation or car park.
An evening built on a distinctive sound
Jethro Tull is not coming to Olomouc merely as a band with an extensive catalogue, but as an active line-up that has released three studio albums within the past few years. "Curious Ruminant" provides the current reason for the tour, while the early songs and classics create a historical arc. This balance reduces the risk of the concert becoming a mere repetition of the past, while at the same time not neglecting the titles that have kept audiences following the band for decades.
The evening will probably offer the greatest value to an audience that listens to the details. Anderson's flute can lead the theme, respond to the guitar or take over a rhythmic function. The keyboards and accordion change the colour of the arrangement, while the rhythm section must remain precise through frequent changes of metre and dynamics. When this is joined by melodies that helped define progressive rock, the open-air amphitheatre becomes an appropriate setting for a concert that relies on performance rather than excessive staging.
It is worth securing tickets in time and planning the arrival so that the evening does not begin with a search for parking or a rushed entrance. The best way to experience this performance is to leave enough time for the city, the arrival at the venue and the transition from the bustle of a summer city into the sound of flute, guitar and a band that continues to connect its own history with new material.
Sources:
- Jethro Tull - information about "The Curiosity Tour", the performance date, the current line-up and the album "Curious Ruminant"
- Letňák Olomouc - address, the character of the open-air amphitheatre, accessibility, parking, catering facilities and rules regarding bringing food and drink into the venue
- Olomouc Tourism - railway and urban transport connections, parking, and the context of the historic centre and the Holy Trinity Column
- setlist.fm - examples of the repertoire and duration of previous performances on the tour during 2026, without assuming that the set list in Olomouc will be identical