It is hard to pinpoint exactly when Luke Combs’ popularity exploded beyond recognition but after selling out Sydney’s biggest stadium two nights in a row, there is no doubt that he is one of the hottest names in country music, particularly in Australia. 

“There’s more people that listen to me here than anywhere else in the entire world,” said Combs shortly after he entered the stage. 

Indeed, from the start of the opening acts, there was a festival atmosphere inside the Accor Stadium, with the vast majority of the nearly 100,000 strong crowd turning up early to see Lane Pittman, Mitchell Tenpenny and Jordan Davis take to the stage before the main act. Of the three, Tenpenny was a clear stand-out, with a rousing rendition of “Iris” having the whole crowd on their feet and singing. Tenpenny’s voice was powerful and heartfelt in some of the more tender numbers, with his 30-minute set being incredibly well-received by the crowd. Davis also performed a strong set with huge hits like “Buy Dirt” and “Next Thing I Know” getting the crowd pumped for Combs (who came out shortly after). 

When Combs took to the stage, the crowd roared so loud that even the headliner seemed slightly taken aback. He launched into “Where The Wild Things Are” early in his set and had the entirety of the stadium singing along through the trademark “woahs” of the chorus. It was a moment of magical ethereality that one can only experience in a grandiose stadium show and Combs’ brand of music lent itself perfectly to creating a special wave of sound that gave the whole crowd tingles. 

Given its size and the nature of the venue, Accor Stadium does not always have the best sound quality (especially when compared to its neighbour Qudos Bank Arena, where the majority of touring artists play). However, Combs’ vocals and sound suited the stadium well and his crisp timbre and twang resulted in probably the best sound quality that I have heard at the venue. While it was sometimes hard to understand some of Combs’ narrative in between songs, the songs themselves were balanced perfectly. 

Combs’ setlist was a nice mix of up-tempo numbers and classic country ballads, which provided a great deal of variety in the nearly 2-hour set. One of the most heartfelt moments in the set was when the country superstar performed “Even Though I’m Leaving” which he said he didn’t realise “would have such an impact on a lot of folks.” The performance was tender, with the beauty of Combs’ rich twang piercing through the night air. 

Another defining feature of Combs’ set was the strength of his band, who each got a chance to shine towards the middle of the set. In particular, Combs’ keyboardist performed a stunning rendition of “Drops of Jupiter” to rival the very best. It was great that they each had a moment in the spotlight as their collective talent was quite astounding. 

Soon after, Combs brought out his guitar and performed his cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” which received global acclaim after his performance with Chapman at the Grammys. For all the noise in the stadium throughout the set, one could barely hear anything other than Combs’ vocals for this song as the crowd remained transfixed by the singer’s powerful yet vulnerable rendition of the classic. It was a fantastic moment which served as yet another highlight of Combs’ versatility. 

After the classic Australian “shoey”, Combs wrapped up his set with some of his biggest hits including “Hurricane” and “When It Rains It Pours” before coming back out for an encore of “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma”. This was the song the crowd had been waiting for and they sang along with Combs as he put force into the number that shook the stadium to its core. Although the similarly uplifting “Beer Never Broke My Heart” was to follow, it was a fitting way to end a wonderful night of country music. 

Combs has taken the country music world by storm and this show showed exactly why. Combs has the versatility to perform both the uptempo numbers and the ballads while maintaining the ability to connect and communicate on a visceral level in the way that the genre demands. Combs had the weight of crowd expectations on his shoulders for his first set of Australian arena shows and delivered a barnstorming performance to leave the audience delighted as they left the venue. One would think that, when Combs returns in future years, the promoters may be booking a few more than two Sydney shows to meet the insatiable appetite for Combs’ music that Australia clearly possesses. 

Rating: ★★★★1/2

Luke Combs – Accor Stadium – 31^st January, 2025

All photo credits: Gregg Porteous