Review: Benson Boone at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena on Thursday, January 23th
Australia has long had a knack for catching onto artists just at the right time.
We’ve seen it with Nirvana’s euphoric debut in 1992, The Strokes’ pre-breakthrough tour in 2001, and we witnessed Fred again.. fever wash over the country in 2013. While this isn’t to say Benson Boone is analogous to any of these acts, it sure feels like Australia managed to catch him live at just the right time in 2025.
Appearing as part of the opening night of Melbourne’s AO Live, Boone was one of many artists making their way down to the country for the Australian Open’s beloved annual concert series. With the performances themselves having been moved to the larger confines of John Cain Arena last year following numerous sold-out events since 2017, the increased capacity felt like a testament to Boone’s recent successes.
Though it’s strange to see a versatile mix of folks dressed in concert-going attire, tennis wear, and everything in between, the atmosphere was apparent – whether you’re mainly here for the sport or the music, it’s Benson Boone who is commanding our attention tonight.
But first, we’d be setting our sights on someone a little closer to home by way of Bella Amor. Based on the Gold Coast though telling the crowd she had grown up in Melbourne, she wasted no time getting into things. Supported by a drummer and guitarist, Amor ripped into her “heart attack”, drinking up every moment of her far-too short time before us.
Receiving plenty of love from the eager audience while acknowledging that support acts are usually just a compulsory barrier to the main event, everything about Amor felt like headliner material. Whether it was her blissful, soaring vocals; her exuberant, infectious energy; or the endless amount of choruses she belted out, it was clear that she felt more than just a standard opening act.
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Changing the mood from euphoric to reflective with covers of Leon Bridges’ “River” (who was playing at the nearby Sidney Myer Music Bowl that very night) and the Goo Goo Dolls’ perennial romancer “Iris”, Amor managed to make them her own with ease – commanding the standard waves of phone flashlights for the latter. Even as she wrapped up her ten-song set with performances of her freshly-minted “rocks in my pocket” and debut single “can’t get laid”, it felt as though Amor was as grateful to be there as the crowd was.
Though her status as a rising star has been made apparent in recent years, Amor felt right at home on the large stage, almost as if this is what awaits her on a regular basis. Truly, with performances as strong as this one, such a regularity isn’t far off.
As eager fans flooded into the venue to escape the growing summer drizzle, the excitement inspired by Benson Boone’s imminent appearance became palpable. Hordes of young music-lovers rubbed shoulders with parents, friends, and even just curious tennis fans, all of whom were prepared for an experience which only grew in hype with every passing second.
When he first visited the country in 2022, things were only just getting started for the young artist. In Melbourne, he played the 300-capacity Toff in Town – a far cry from the 10,500-cap John Cain Arena his future would hold. At the time, he was coasting off the success of successful singles like “Ghost Town” and “In the Stars”, and though he received a warm welcome, it was clear he was biding his time for bigger, better, and more beautiful things.
Indeed, by the time of his return visit, a lot has changed. We could talk at length about his debut album Fireworks & Rollerblades, and how it hit the top ten in his native US and the top 20 in Australia, but the biggest reason for this success can be traced back to last year’s “Beautiful Things”.
A global chart-topper (save for a silver medal in his home country), the track became a massive hit for the musician, not only making him a household name for many, but becoming the biggest song on the Australian charts for 2024.
Needless to say, his Australian return – which coincided with the one-year anniversary of his breakthrough track’s release – was set to be a gargantuan affair. By the time of his AO Open set, he’d already wrapped up multiple sold-out shows in Melbourne and Sydney, and was fresh off the back of a Brisbane date the night before.
Much like some of those big artists of years gone by, the power of this tour felt like we were catching Boone just as he ascended into superstar territory.
Taking to the stage as an introductory video played out on the main screen, a shirtless (though adorned with a vest which would later fall by the wayside) Boone appeared before the crowd as raucous screams confirmed his popularity. Not one to bask in adoration, Boone quickly proved why such a reception was warranted, whipping into the triumphant “Be Someone” as he gave a swift masterclass as to what makes him a crowd-puller. Soaring vocals, raw charisma, and even a few theatrical flips – the gathered masses were in for a treat.
Largely leaning on his 2024 debut as a source of material, Boone’s setlist was impressive in that it avoided treading the same ground and managed to showcase his versatility. Whether it be the huge, powerful numbers like “Cry” and “To Love Someone” (which highlighted just how Freddie Mercury-esque his acrobatic vocals are), or the more heartfelt cuts such as the mournful “In the Stars” or “Friend”, it was obvious that Boone’s songwriting is as resonant as his performances are.
Commanding the stage as though it’d been custom-made for him and rarely stopping to take a breath, there’s something truly riveting about watching a performer like Boone. Maybe it’s the sheer joy that he brings to the table, or maybe it’s the infectious charisma, but his very presence is arresting and near-impossible to turn away from.
Wrapping up the evening with a moment of self-awareness, Boone saved “Beautiful Things” until the very end, acknowledging its role in his career and appearing truly thankful for the doors it has opened for him. “This year has been a crazy year because of this song; this song has changed my life,” he admitted.
With that trademark energy and vitality, his final song was emblematic of what we had witnessed all night. Though Boone will be the first to admit that he’s a relatively fresh face in the music game, he performs with the presence and charm of an artist who has been in the game. Needless to say, it feels like there’s very little he can’t do.
One of the few things he was unable to do, however, was remember the name of the city he was performing in. Indeed, the concert’s final moments were marked with a comical moment as a triumphant Boone cheered on his Brisbane audience. His mistake was swiftly realised, and as the sweat-soaked artist bade farewell to his adoring crowd, a sheepish smile accompanied his myriad apologies to the audience.
I’ll be the first to admit that going into a performance from an artist such as Benson Boone – that is, one who has seen such a rapid ascent – left me burdened by a sense of skepticism. Could this viral musician live up to the lofty expectations of a live audience on such a grand scale, or was his fervent fanbase perhaps blinded by the recency bias that has accompanied his nascent success?
Thankfully, it was the former, and it appears that we shouldn’t be surprised to see him bringing exceptional performances like this for decades down the line.
To use the parlance of the day: game, set and match Boone.
Benson Boone played John Cain Arena, Melbourne for AO Live on Thursday, January 23rd, presented by Untitled Group.
