ir Supply, formed nearly 50 years ago in Melbourne, Australia, will showcase its catalog of love songs during a performance Saturday at the State Theatre, Northampton Street, Easton.

The duo consists of singer-songwriter/guitarist Graham Russell and lead vocalist Russell Hitchcock. Though Air Supply’s soft-rock sound never enthralled critics, the duo’s live shows have a harder, more aggressive rock edge.

Performing some 130 concerts annually with a backing band, the pair recorded its most recent live set, 2019’s “The Lost in Love Experience,” with the Prague Symphony Orchestra.

An iconic performance

Air Supply’s 2025 tour itinerary includes a key venue slated for May 13, the day after the 50th anniversary of the twosome‘s initial meeting: New York City’s iconic Carnegie Hall.

“We always wanted to play there,” Russell said. “It took us at least two years to be vetted. It would be apropos to have a string section. At the same time, we will do our regular show.”

Russell and Hitchcock, both in bands prior to Air Supply, were born in Nottingham, England, and Melbourne, respectively. Russell resides in Park City, Utah, while Hitchcock lives in Los Angeles.

Inspiration

After seeing The Beatles live in 1964, Russell — then barely 14 — knew he wanted to pursue music. He and Hitchcock, who also saw The Beatles in 1964, met in May 1975, when both appeared in the Australian production of rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” in Sydney.

Air Supply’s debut album arrived in 1976, with fifth album “Lost in Love” bringing the duo its first U.S. success. Aside from the title track, the album included the hits “All Out of Love” and “Every Woman in the World,” plus popular album cut “Chances.”

Other than “The One That You Love,” a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single, Air Supply‘s hit-singles parade includes “Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You),” “Sweet Dreams” and “Even the Nights are Better.” Both members also have dabbled in solo work.

In recent years, Air Supply returned to pop-culture prevalence, thanks to the use of “All Out of Love” in 2018’s “Deadpool 2.” In 2019, the duo performed “Making Love Out of Nothing At All” — from 1983’s multi-million-selling “Greatest Hits” — on “The Bachelor” finale.

Among the projects set for Air Supply’s 50th anniversary: a biopic, “All Out of Love: The Air Supply Story”; “Lost in Love,” a fictionalized musical set to the duo’s songs; and “A Matter of Time,” the pair’s 18th and first studio album since 2010‘s “Mumbo Jumbo.”

The new album’s title, Russell said, plays into the 50-year anniversary. The title also could refer to the long wait for a new full-length Air Supply record.

“We finished the album last week. It was difficult to stop touring to get it finished. It took us two years. It’s fantastic; definitely the best album we’ve ever made.”

Q&A with Air Supply

Prior to Air Supply’s show in Easton, Russell — an avid gardener at his Park City home of 34 years — discussed some key moments in Air Supply’s nearly 50-year career.

Q: What was a big challenge?

A: One of the biggest is when you have initial success and then suddenly that wave decreases a bit. You have to get into the zone of being a working band and a touring band.

Q: What has surprised you most?

A: That we’re still here and playing. Also, at the beginning, when we were asked to open for Rod Stewart it the U.S. and Canada. He asked us in ’76, after we did three shows with him in Australia. We were winging everything. We were good, but we weren’t great. That changed everything. It’s like the universe hypnotized him, to tell us we could open for him.

Q: Aside from a Command Performance for/dinner with Prince Charles and Princess Diana, what was another moment/highlight?

A: Playing in Cuba in 2005. We always wanted to play there. At the same time, Hurricane Dennis was coming in. We did the show, then all hell broke loose. It was a big show; 175,000.

Q: What’s your proudest moment?

A: Every night when I walk on stage, after all these years. We’ve brought joy to lot of people.

Q: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?

A: The worst was, you need to get a real job. The best was, hang in there at all costs. We had this lull before “Lost in Love” came out. I was a bit low, nothing was going right. A record company executive said, “You wrote those two big hits in Australia. You’re gonna do it again, only next time, you’re gonna do it around the world.” He was right.

Q: How do you keep a musical partnership going strong for five decades?

A: Russell and I are great friends. There’s no competition. I put all the albums together. Russell just wants to sing. What he doesn’t want to sing, I sing. It’s the perfect scenario. We have separate lives. We have a lot of respect for each other. We’ve never had an argument.