Sam Barber is one of the leading up-and-comers in the country music world. His blend of pop and country has wowed audiences around the world and on his debut Australian tour, demand has been so great that venues have had to be consistently upgraded around the country. 

Indeed, the Roundhouse at UNSW was as packed as I’ve ever seen it, with people teeming through the bars as well as the upper deck for a restricted view position. Jonah Kagen kicked off the night and did a fantastic job, performing a number of heartfelt pieces, very much in a similar style to Barber to warm up the audience for the main act. 

When Barber hit the stage, he received rapturous cheers from the crowd which mixed diehard country fans with a more general interest audience. Barber’s music draws immediate parallels to Tyler Childers (who performed in Sydney earlier this year) and the singer even covered Childers’ “Jersey Giant” in the middle of his set. His music is heartfelt and genuine, with a rich understanding of style and form, as well as a somewhat atypical usage of instruments. His music heavily features the violin and on the night, his violinist Luisa Marion was arguably the star of the show, with incredibly emotive playing throughout the set, which elevated the music to another level. 

Barber has a relatively extensive setlist for an up-and-coming artist and he spanned a variety of different genres. His touching rendition of “Thought of You” was one of the early highlights of the set before he brought out Kagen to perform “Burn Me” and “Dyin Times”, both of which were highlights as they showed off the fragility in the two performers’ voices. 

While Barber is mainly known for his songwriting, his voice also very much stood up on the night, with power when he needed it but mainly showcasing vulnerability, much to the delight of the crowd. Barber seemed touched by the reception he received, acknowledging the crowd frequently through the night. 

“I think Australia might be one of my favourite places in the world,” he said. “Thank you guys for being here and enjoying it, it means the absolute world to me.”

Barber closed out his main set with two of his biggest songs “Indigo” and “Straight and Narrow.” For “Indigo”, Barber drew on the vocals of Luisa Marion, who was as fabulous with the microphone as she was with the violin. The song was performed beautifully, with the presence of the song being felt all through the venue. 

As Barber returned for the encore, he performed a cover of “Dancing in the Sky”, which was a fantastic way to close off a wonderful night of music. This was a great show and there is a good chance that when Barber returns to Australia, he will be playing a venue much bigger than the Roundhouse as he is certainly a star on the rise. 

Rating: ★★★★1/2

Sam Barber – UNSW Roundhouse – 29 April 2025