It has been nine years since country superstar Chris Young last played on Australian shores. Yet, as he stepped out before a packed Enmore Theatre, it felt as though nothing had changed.

“I can’t believe that when I come to the other side of the world, people know any of my songs let alone most of them,” he said.

In some ways Young typifies everything that country music is all about, utilising all the tropes that we have come to associate with the genre. Yet there is something different about the way Young plays. His rich baritone voice allows him to explore deeper meanings in the songs he plays, and he harnesses this energy to connect effectively with the audience. There’s a vulnerability to his performance that one does not necessarily expect, and this goes a long way to elevating the performance.

The Enmore Theatre was the perfect venue for Young as it felt as though he was connecting with everyone in the room. From the moment he walked on stage, Young’s versatility as an artist was immediately apparent.

During his performance of “Getting’ You Home,” he was curtailed by an unexpected marriage proposal (which, given the song, was particularly unexpected) but following the proposal, he quickly adjusted his setlist to perform a heartfelt rendition of “When You Say Nothing At All.” Especially considering it was an off-the-cuff performance, Young’s interpretation was fantastic, combining heartfelt vulnerability with dulcet vocals. It was a magical moment and the spontaneous nature of it made it even more so.

When running through his catalogue, it became clear just how many hits Young has had. The crowd were lapping up every moment as Young punctuated his performance with quips about his experiences in Australia and especially, his jetlag coming from the USA. Even his dialogue did not feel in the slightest contrived, rather it felt laid-back and fun, which was emblematic of the rest of the show as well.

There were some other stunning moments in the show that had the audience on their feet. During the encore, Young offered to perform a verse and chorus of his gorgeous new song “What She Sees In Me” for the first time outside the United States, which was met with such a rousing reception by the audience that he decided to perform the rest of the song as well. It is a fabulous track, featuring all the hallmarks of a great country ballad. It showed off the beauty of Young’s voice, especially in its lower register and the entire audience was moved by the performance. There were also plenty of upbeat songs like the closer “Aw Naw” which had the whole crowd on their feet dancing and chanting to close out the show.

Young wasn’t afraid to take requests throughout the show and even gave the microphone to the groom who had proposed earlier in the show to sing a section of “The Man I Want To Be”. He actually did quite a good job and the audience loved it.

Earlier in the night, Young was supported by Bryan Martin who brought back a very old-school style of country. It was a real pleasure to hear and evoked an earlier era, which was certainly refreshing. Of course, his hit song “We Ride” was the highlight for most of the audience, but his whole set was earnest and engaging for the majority of the crowd who came early to see him. 

Throughout the night, Young referred to the show as a “party” and that was exactly what it felt like. It was a celebration of Young’s return to Australia and a gift for all the fans who had waited nearly a decade to see him in the flesh. The show was varied, spontaneous and a lot of fun and I’m sure Young’s fans cannot wait to see him at CMC Rocks later this week.

Rating: ★★★★

Chris Young – Enmore Theatre – 11^th March, 2024