It has only been three years since Keith Urban last toured Australia and yet, it feels like forever the Queensland-raised country music star has been in Australia for an extended period of time, after finishing up on The Voice Australia in the same year. Urban has become one of Australia’s most successful exports, breaking the heavily American-focussed Nashville country music scene and selling out arenas all around the world.

The night started with a set by Chase Matthew, who has loved his first time in Australia so much that he tattooed the Opera House onto his arm. Matthew performs the type of radio-friendly “bro” country music that is incredibly popular at the moment but with a rock’n’roll flair which sets him apart. His cover of “Killing in the Name Of” was passionate and energetic and had the crowd endeared to him from the very start of the start. Matthew has a penchant for storytelling and the richness of his voice shone through on “Country Line” and “Love You Again”, both of which truly touched the audience. It was a great start to what would prove to be an epic night of music making. 

When Urban took to the stage, the crowd was raring and ready. Beginning with “Straight Line”, Urban and his band rose from behind a grey curtain with a level of energy and enthusiasm that would set the tone for the rest of the set. Affable as always, Urban got into his work straight away acknowledging every single area of the crowd before asking where was the furthest from which people had travelled. 

“Parramatta Road,” he said with a grin and a chuckle in response to one member’s quip. 

“I’m going to make sure that for the next two hours none of you are going to think about your life outside of Qudos Bank Arena”, he said to cheers from the audience.

As strong as Urban’s vocals are, it is his extraordinary guitar playing by which he has truly made a name for himself and this was on show during the Richard Marx penned “Long Hot Summer” which he played at the start of the set. At first, he played the party anthem as normal, with the crowd singing along to the iconic chorus before he broke the song down with a lengthy guitar solo as he showed off virtually every virtuosic technique in the electric guitar world as he cycled through styles and patterns. If it were any less skilful, it could have felt indulgent but as it was, the audience was in wonder at just how good Urban’s guitar skills were. It is one thing to see on television but another to witness in person. Words cannot describe the mastery Urban has over his instrument and it was a special moment like few others on the concert scene. 

With a setlist spanning nearly two and a half hours, Urban also did a great job at breaking up the set with well-chosen covers. His cover of the classic Aussie rock song “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again” had the whole crowd singing back the iconic expletive-laden response, with Urban taking the opportunity to show off some more superb guitar skills. There were close to 10 guitar changes across the set, with Urban exploring different textures and tones at every opportunity. It is clear that he is a musical perfectionist, and it showed in this fantastic set. 

While it almost feels as if Urban is an honorary American now, he was at pains to make it clear during this concert that he was still an Aussie through and through, with his set laden with trademark Aussie humour. 

“When I moved to Sydney, I spent my days in Crows Nest,” he said to chuckles from the crowd. 

While Urban is nearing his 60^th birthday, his movement and endurance were absolutely phenomenal during the lengthy set, both in terms of the physicality of the guitar playing as well as the movement around the stage which was frequent and intense. It further goes to the strength of his work ethic and desire for continual self-improvement, which really came through in this concert. 

Urban made sure to play his current hits as well with backing singer Katie Ohh joining him on “The Fighter”, which was performed fabulously. A cover of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” was intriguing before Urban returned to the main stage for a heartfelt version of “Making Memories of Us.”

Upon performing his ballads like “You’ll Think of Me” and “Tonight I Wanna Cry”, Urban was introspective, thanking their audience for their support throughout the night. 

“You tell us these songs get you through hard times,” he said to the audience. “Sometimes I need you more than you need me and I needed this tonight.”

Urban closed out the night with “You Get What You Give” before sticking around for at least 10 minutes after the show to shake the hands of fans in the moshpit and thank them for coming. It was most unusual (I don’t think I’ve ever seen the star stick around on stage after the concert) but it again speaks to the generosity of Urban as both a performer and as a person. It felt as though he was genuinely happy to be back in Australia and interacting with fans and this came through in the show. It was a performance of the highest calibre of musicality and showmanship and an absolute pleasure for everyone in the audience. Without a doubt, Urban is one of the Aussie greats.

Rating: ★★★★★

Keith Urban – Qudos Bank Arena – 22 August 2025

Photos: Supplied