Review: Armand Van Helden + Kesha + Bag Raiders at John Cain Arena, Melbourne. Saturday, January 25th
The final Saturday of the Australian Open, this year, was headlined by the Women’s Singles Final.
With the sunshine showering down on Melbourne Park, thousands of tennis lovers streamed through the gates early to catch practice matches, as well as the doubles and junior matches programmed for the afternoon, before the main event hit Rod Laver Arena.
There’s an additional presence at the AO on this particular day; tennis-core outfits blending with fishnets, skin-tight fluoro and summer-festival ready ensembles that have been primed for the third and final day of this year’s live music series.
U.S. heavy-hitters Armand Van Helden and Kesha were tasked with bringing things home for AO Live 2025 and it couldn’t have been a more perfectly programmed day of music, weather, and overall energy.
With access to John Cain Arena open from 2pm, punters streamed in early – the Kesha superfans taking up spots on the barrier, while the rest of the earlybirds made good use of the half-open arena roof providing a sun-kissed dancefloor for Nigerian songwriter and performer, Kah-Lo.
Though not as heavily promoted on this line-up as AVH, Kesha, or even Bag Raiders, having Kah-Lo on a bill like this was the best way to start a day. For those fans who have been following her since 2017’s breakthrough collaboration with Riton, “Fasta”, this was a treat.
Love Live Music?
Get the latest Live Music news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
Powering through a set of music that blended EDM with house, Kah-Lo’s vocals and stage charm hyped the crowd up; beats pulsating through everyone courtesy of songs like “Drag Me Out”, “fund$” and “Fake ID”.
Settling into perhaps the hottest part of the afternoon, Sydney’s Bag Raiders take to the stage next: again, another choice selection for a summer event like this. If this set does anything, it served as a timely reminder that the electronic duo was always way more than the popularity of “Shooting Stars”.
Rolling through a set that leant into their classic self-titled record (“Snake Charmer”, “Way Back Home”, “Sunlight”), as well as other selections that demonstrated the duo’s chemistry (“Nairobi”, “Save Me”), Bag Raiders set things up for the acts still to come – they know what to do, and do it well.
Additional praise needs to also go to vocalist Ric Rufio, normally seen touring the world with Flight Facilities, who joined the duo on live vocals – infusing the show with soulful moments, the right amount of hype, and swagger to match.
A quick stage reset and closed roof later, John Cain Arena has gone from an outdoor festival vibe, to being a sweaty club. It’s what Kesha would want, after all.
View this post on Instagram
The comeback season the American pop artist has been on with the release of “JOYRIDE” in 2024 – the first single from her forthcoming sixth album, and her first as an independent artist – has been impressive to watch.
Her journey has been one full of struggles, particularly marked by her legal battle with former producer Dr. Luke. Though her career had been halted by this back and forth for some years, Kesha’s eventual release from her longtime contract with RCA and Kemosabe Records has led to this euphoric new arc: one marked by a gleeful lean into freedom and independence that she has so clearly yearned for, for years.
Kesha’s return to Australia in 2025 was a clear drawcard for many in attendance today, and the love shown between artist and audience was strong right throughout. Her music has been the soundtrack for many fans’ adolescence and journey into young adulthood, so to experience a set like this with life experience and hindsight injected into the mix, made for such an enjoyable experience.
Back-to-back hits lined up, Kesha commanded her stage with charm, attitude and a natural confidence – bolstered by impressive choreography and humour with her cast of dancers. “TiK ToK”, leading into a mash-up of “Cannibal” and “Backstabber”; slightly sped up versions of “Take It Off” and “Your Love Is My Drug”, as well as tender moments that showcased her pure live vocals on “DELUSIONAL” and “Praying”, it was hard to find fault with Kesha’s presentation here.
View this post on Instagram
Ending her performance with a one-two punch of “JOYRIDE” and “We R Who We R” (the latter complete with drag queens), the crowd showered love on Kesha, stood atop a platform with a smile stretched across her face – a triumphant return, for sure.
The changeover between Kesha and Armand Van Helden’s sets saw a significant stream of punters leaving John Cain Arena; whether this played into the quick changeover or not, it’s not 100% clear. But within what felt like 10 minutes, the roof was open again and the iconic American DJ and house producer was launching into a set that, like the one before him, served as a reminder of the legacy his music has grown.
At various points during the show, it was hard to stop and believe that it was barely 6:30pm. The sun continued to burn bright, yet the energy inside the arena was beginning to peak as if this was heading into the end of festival territory.
AVH didn’t let up either; a master of his craft, the set was relentless in its hits: mixing in classics (“Show Me Love”, “Music Sounds Better With You”, “Lola’s Theme”) with choice cuts including “I Need A Painkiller”, “Bonkers” and “Wings (I Won’t Let You Down)”. With “My My My” and “I Want Your Soul” providing prime throwback moments; and “Barbra Streisand” and “aNYway” reminding us of the timeless “Duck Sauce”-era of his career, Armand Van Helden capped off AO Live with a fireworks and flare display timed with the drop of his final track – of course, “You Don’t Know Me”.
While it clearly would have been more effective if we weren’t still drenched in sunlight well into the evening, such a display was the cherry on top of what had been a perfect day out for those wanting to have a well-timed day rave, before continuing elsewhere into the night.
Armand Van Helden, Kesha and Bag Raiders played John Cain Arena, Melbourne for AO Live on Saturday, January 24th, presented by Untitled Group.
