There is absolutely no doubt that Randy Houser has one of the best voices going around in the world of country music. And with a connection to Australia through his wife, Tatiana, Houser has been in Australia a fair bit recently, performing on ABC’s New Year’s Eve special and playing a small intimate gig in Melbourne at the start of the year before embarking on his headline world tour. 

Before he hit the stage, the audience at the Hordern Pavillion was treated to performances from Brad Cox and Jerrod Niemann. Cox in particular delivered an extraordinary set, showing off some incredible vocals throughout his 45 minute slot. Cox has a very lyrical voice with a beautifully smooth high register and his new song “Sunset Psalm” which he played live for the first time on the night resonated well with the audience, who were already filling out the mosh pit and boisterous in anticipation of Houser. 

Cox then performed “Remedy” with Jesse O’Neill on backing vocals which was one of the highlights of the entire night as the two worked in tandem to give a gorgeous vocal performance, with ethereal, soulful high notes that left the audience in wonder. It was a superb set and with Cox releasing his next album in September, he had the whole audience waiting in anticipation after his performance. 

When Houser took to the stage, he received a huge ovation from the already ravenous crowd. The Mississippi star commenced his set with a rocking rendition of “Boots On” which had the audience on their feet from the moment that Houser walked onto the stage before the singer moved into a varied setlist that spanned the course of his career. After superb performances of “Whistlin’ Dixie” and “Goodnight Kiss” he moved into a cover of George Strait’s “Troubadour”, which he said reminded him of where he came from. It was yet another opportunity to show off his magnificent voice and the audience responded extremely well to it. 

The highlight of the night was arguably Houser’s soulful rendition of “No Good Place to Cry” where he showed off his virtuosic guitar skill and incredible gospel-tinged vocals, with a truly mesmerising performance. His voice had just the right amount of grit in its upper register and the audience gasped as he hit the Chris Stapleton-esque peaks at the end of each verse. It was a transcendental performance and one that no-one in the audience will forget any time soon. 

Houser then continued his set with some of his newer works before bringing out Niemann for a fun cover of Hank Williams Jr’s “Family Tradition”. After inviting Cox back onto the stage for a performance of Cox’s latest song “High Cost of Living”, he had the crowd moving as he took them through his biggest hit “How Country Feels” before moving into the song that he described as his favourite that he ever wrote, “Note to Self”, which translated well to the Hordern Pavillion stage. Houser’s vocals were well supported in the venue, with a clear and crisp sound moving through crowd which only further enhanced his performance. 

Houser’s set was long, spanning nearly two hours but there was enough variety to keep the audience engaged, although the set certainly could have started a bit earlier as the audience began to thin out at the end of the night given it was a Sunday night. Houser even recognised this joking “how many of y’all lied and said you’re sick tomorrow.”

Houser came across as genuinely earnest in his gratitude for the fans who had come from all over the country to see him, acknowledging the high cost of tickets and the effort that his fans had taken to see him. They responded with a rapturous applause and deservedly so, given how strong the show was. 

“Thank you so much for coming and putting up with me tonight,” he said as he moved into the final numbers of the set. 

Houser closed out the night with “Still That Cowboy” and “Running Outta Moonlight” which was a fitting way to end a wonderful and energetic night of country music. Houser’s vocal skills are truly unmatched and he delivered an incredible performance that melded technical mastery with a deep connection with his audience and a varied setlist filled with originals as well as covers. It was a fabulous night of country music and given Houser’s connection to Australia, one can only assume he will be touring again soon, much to the delight of his many fans. 

Rating: ★★★★★

Randy Houser – Hordern Pavillion – 22^nd June 2025