"Joy is a Disposition": Darren Mulligan Chats About Upcoming Aussie Tour

It’s been a decade in the making, but finally Aussie fans have their first chance to see We Are Messengers in the flesh, in early 2024.

Almost 10 years since the Irish rock band first hit the road, they’ll be making their Australian debut in January and February, hitting five cities as part of their Where the Joy Is world tour. The tour takes in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. (Tickets here.)

In an interview with Hope 103.2, lead singer Darren Mulligan said that while previous tours have focused on the tough, gritty aspects of life, this one is all about rediscovering joy.

“I’m not trying to pretend I’m in some emotional pit – because I’m not,” Darren said. “I was [years] ago, but these days I know that I’m a very, very blessed man and have everything I need in Jesus.

“[Our album] Where the Joy Is, talks about those situations, those circumstances, and reminds you that joy isn’t a place, it’s a disposition. And a grateful heart doesn’t need convincing about how good God is.”

Living “off the grid” with his wife Heidi and their four kids in the mountains of Ireland, Darren says his goals in life have changed in recent years, focusing more on personal and spiritual wellbeing than career success.

“When I go into the world and I’m trying to achieve and accomplish and be something, I’m never enough,” he said. “But resting in the arms of Jesus I don’t feel that weight or that pressure, that darkness.

“If the world wants my career, they can have it. I want to be a good dad and a good husband, and I want to know Jesus. I find since we made that change [the] career is growing all by itself because we’re putting the right things first.”

Tickets to the Australia leg of the Where the Joy Is tour are on sale now.