Red Bull Symphonic is one of the most extravagant musical events on Sydney’s music calendar, with the Town Hall being lit up in the brand’s iconic red, blue and white colours for Australian pop star Ruel, who was accompanied by Ensemble Apex, who provided a fantastic orchestral and choral background for the night. 

The night was a celebratory occasion with the small capacity of Sydney Town Hall meaning only Ruel’s most ardent supporters could find tickets, and the atmosphere was lively from the start because of it. The night was opened by Lastlings, who performed an entertaining pop set which the crowd enjoyed before Ruel took to the stage. However, when he arrived, the crowd was absolutely ravenous, cheering as the man from Sydney hit the stage shrouded in darkness and a hoodie. 

“It’s incredible to play at Town Hall tonight,” he said. “I’ve always seen it as a train station stop but it is absolutely incredible to be here.”

Ruel started with one of his biggest hits in “Dazed and Confused” and immediately, the orchestral arrangement permeated through the venue. The strings, under the direction of Simon Dobson, perfectly punctuated Ruel’s vocals and ensured an energetic start to the set. 

Ruel was very respectful of the orchestra throughout, frequently acknowledging their presence and impact, and deservedly so, given the effect that they had on the performance. The orchestra was sparser in some of the more acoustic numbers but added an energy and a fullness to the sound in the more upbeat numbers that elevated the performance, especially in such a historic venue where the acoustics are fantastic. 

The singer also took the opportunity to premiere some of his newer music, which was very well received by the crowd. The second of these songs, “Don’t Say That” was particularly strong, starting as a powerful ballad before morphing into a heavy dance track, which was accompanied well by the orchestra.

Arguably the highlight of the night was the singer’s transcendental version of “Must Be Nice” which was given an extra level of ethereality by the orchestra. Ruel’s voice stood up really well in the song and the beauty of the song really came through. It is one of Ruel’s best and was deservedly given a huge reception from the audience. Ruel was at his best during the ballads with “Hard Sometimes” also coming off very powerful with the orchestra behind.

Ruel closed out his main set with “Painkiller” and “Growing Up Is…” which was a fantastic way to end the set. The lighter songs provided a great contrast to the rest of the set and allowed the lyricism of the orchestra and the choir to shine in a different light.  Ruel commanded the stage incredibly well and seemed genuinely chuffed with the fantastic reception he received. 

“I haven’t played in front of a crowd like this for so long,” he said. “It means so much.”

For the encore, Ruel, who was decked out in a sparkly top by this point, performed “Let the Grass Grow” and “End Scene” which showcased the choir that had been behind the singer for the rest of the set and was a great way to close out the night. As Ruel left to a blue and red tinged litany of smoke, the crowd luxuriated in what was an incredible and unique set of music. The pop music and orchestra combo is hard to pull off but when done well it is truly magical. For those in the audience, there was no doubt that this was one of those special occasions for which it is certain that they will not forget any time soon. 

Rating: ★★★★★

Ruel at Red Bull Symphonic – Sydney Town Hall – 16^th May 2025

Photos: Michelle Grace Hunder, Jordan Munns (Supplied by Red Bull Content Pool)