Lainey Wilson has become one of the biggest stars in country music, with a rapid rise over the last few years as she has paved a wonderful path in the genre to huge success. Returning to Sydney after only two years, she proved herself to be one of the genre’s true headliners, filling the cavernous Qudos Bank Arena for her headline show.

She was joined by Flatland Cavalry and Caitlin Butts who kicked off the night with fabulous sets. Flatland Cavalry, in particular, did a wonderful job exciting the crowd with some of their biggest hits as well as new songs that showed off their unique folk-country brand. A heartfelt cover of “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac was a highlight of their set, as was their duet with Caitlin Butts on “A Life Where We Work Out.” In some ways, it was quite a shame we did not get to see a full length set from them on their Australian tour, as they really bring something unique and special to country music.

When Wilson took to the stage, the crowd was energised and pumped for her rocking stadium show. She began with “Whirlwind,” a pumping and pulsating start to the set, before moving into a duet on “Good Horses” with Caitlin Butts to keep the energy high. After the high-octane opening, she stripped things back for a gorgeous rendition of “Watermelon Moonshine,” before continuing with the very theatrical “Somewhere Over Laredo,” which showed her versatility and the beauty in her voice.

“Thank you so much for making us feel at home a long long way from home,” said Wilson. “We’re gonna have ourselves a dang good time tonight.”

Wilson blends classic country references with very modern country stylings, and her homage to George Jones in “Keep Up With Jones” was an example of her paying tribute to those in country music who came before her. This meant her set felt very well rounded, cohesive and polished for the audience and it allowed her musicality to shine through, with her band also doing a superb job at bringing out the music. 

There were incredible theatrics as well with Wilson standing on a podium and being raised to the top of the stage at one point, which was a particular highlight. The show really reached fever pitch when she camped out at the front of the stage for a solo rendition of “Whiskey Colored Crayon,” before moving into a duet with Cleto Cordero from Flatland Cavalry on “Meantime.” This led into the beautiful ballad “Things a Man Oughta Know,” which deeply touched the audience as Wilson’s voice reverberated throughout the room.

Throughout the night, Wilson engaged well with the crowd, expressing her love for Australia on multiple occasions, much to the delight of the audience.

“This is one of my favourite places I’ve ever been on the face of the earth,” she said.

With a stacked line up towards the end of the set she performed hit after hit including “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” and “Call a Cowboy,” where she showed off some of her best high notes before ending the night with “4x4xU” and “Heart Like a Truck” which was a perfect way to close the show.

Overall this was a fantastic performance showing off the best of Wilson with a wonderfully versatile voice, a great setlist and a strong sense of artistry. It is clear that she is one of the brightest stars in country music at the moment and one can only hope she is back in Sydney again soon.

Rating: ★★★★1/2

Lainey Wilson – Qudos Bank Arena – 16 February 2026