With CMC Rocks done for another year, the biggest acts in country music have mostly returned home after brief Australian tours. But Cody Johnson, arguably the biggest star at this year’s CMC Rocks, is still around with shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland to cap off his Australasian tour. This is Johnson’s first time on a solo headline tour, after touring as support for Luke Combs two years ago, yet it certainly didn’t feel like it inside Qudos Bank Arena with the 13,000 strong capacity crowd filled to the brim as Johnson walked onto stage. 

Before Johnson, the crowd was lucky enough to hear from Wade Forster. Ashley Cooke and Cole Swindell. Swindell was a particularly strong crowd-favourite, with nearly all of the crowd coming early to watch him perform. He performed a 45 minute set filled with all of his hits, with “Break Up in the End” and “Ain’t Worth the Whiskey” being particularly well-received. But Swindell saved the highlight of his set for the very end when he performed his smash-hit “She Had Me at Heads Carolina”. The whole crowd sang along as Swindell’s rich voice permeated through the stadium. It was a short and sharp set by Swindell on his first trip to Australia but it was the perfect appetiser for Johnson and a fabulous performance in its own right. 

When Johnson took to the stage, the crowd was absolutely pumped and raring to go. Johnson has one of the finest voices in country music at the moment, with exceptional range and tone displayed from the very start of the set. With the fiery “That’s Texas” kicking off the set before moving immediately into “Me and My Kind”, one of Johnson’s biggest songs, it was a fantastic and high-octane start to the set. 

Johnson really came into his own during the ‘ballads’ section of the show with a fantastic performance of “Nothin’ on You” being an early highlight of the set. With phone cameras aloft, Johnson performed with a huge amount of grit and showcased some of his amazing high notes, which soared through the arena, much to the delight of the crowd. 

“It’s not about money and it’s not about fame,” said Johnson after receiving an incredible ovation. “It’s about playing songs at 38 years old for 13,000 people in a country that wasn’t even supposed to know my name.”

Johnson also took the time in the set to take the audience through the main influences on his artistry. He performed a bluegrass version of “Georgia Peaches”, which was particularly engaging, as it showed off the strength of his band, who were fabulous all through the night. 

The Texas-born singer was also engaging in his dialogue with the crowd all night long, sharing stories about his tour with Combs as well as frequent adulations for Australia and the position in which he currently stands. 

“I come from a small town in Texas and was told that I would never make it,” he said. “Then I went to Nashville and was told that I couldn’t wear a cowboy hat. Now, halfway across the world, look how many people are wearing cowboy hats.”

Johnson then transitioned into “The Fall”, which came across as a highly motivational song within the arena. The song is packed with elongated high notes and Johnson nailed every single of them. It was a special moment of vocal virtuosity, appreciated by all in the audience. 

Johnson then moved onto a selection of his biggest hits. “I’m Gonna Love You” was performed, with Carrie Underwood’s feature playing in the background before Johnson moved into “Dirt Cheap” and “The Painter.” The latter was particularly poignant for Johnson, who revealed that Combs asked him to play the song in Sydney, but he was lacking a piano player. His merchandise seller then stepped up to play keys and has been in the band ever since. 

He then closed out the main set with his biggest hit, “Till You Can’t” which had the whole crowd on their feet and jamming out, feasting in the wonderful celebration of country music that they had seen on the night. 

Returning for the encore, Johnson performed a rousing rendition of “Travelling Soldier” which again showed off his fantastic voice and gave the crowd a final opportunity to sing along. He closed out the evening with “Diamond in my Pocket” which was a great way to finish off the night.

From start to finish, this was a great concert with a fabulous group of supporting acts and then a superb set from Johnson. His voice was absolutely sublime throughout and his songs were heartfelt and genuine. The capacity crowd loved every minute of the performance and maintained high energy throughout. Australia has had the privilege of an incredible week of country music, and this was a wonderful way to cap it off.

Rating: ★★★★1/2

Cody Johnson – Qudos Bank Arena – 25^th March 2025