Jelly Roll brought his Southern soul to Melbourne for the first time last night (28 October 2029) and made sure to salute Australian rock royalty in the process. The Tennessee country rapper fired up the crowd at Rod Laver Arena with a surprise performance of The Angels’ classic Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again – and yes, the audience answered with the infamous chant: “No way, get fucked, fuck off.”
It was one of several Aussie moments in a set built on connection, emotion, and sheer power. Earlier, Jelly Roll gave Keith Urban’s Somebody Like You his own twist, blending country grit with a hip-hop confidence that had fans singing along from the first chorus. Later, he paid tribute to Sweden’s Avicii with a soulful take on Wake Me Up, reminding everyone that genre boundaries mean nothing when the feeling is real.
From the moment Jelly Roll made his entrance, walking through the crowd to a B-stage framed in flames for I Am Not Okay, it was clear Melbourne was witnessing a headline act operating at arena level. The production was huge, but the heart was even bigger.
Although often tagged as country or rap, Jelly Roll’s show was pure rock energy from start to finish. His live band thundered through mash-ups that spanned generations, merging Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd), How You Remind Me (Nickelback), Party Up (DMX), Flowers (Miley Cyrus) and Young, Wild & Free (Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa) into one massive singalong moment.
The night felt more like a travelling festival than a standard tour stop. Between openers Drew Bainbridge and Shaboozey, a DJ kept the energy alive, and before Jelly Roll took the stage, an unannounced set from Texas singer Julia Cole surprised the Melbourne crowd.
Bainbridge returned later to join Jelly Roll on a rowdy version of Garth Brooks’ Friends In Low Places, while Shaboozey came back for Amen, bringing a full-circle energy to the night.
Shaboozey’s own performance earlier in the evening was a standout. His fusion of country, hip-hop, and Americana has been building momentum since Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road first broke down barriers in 2018. When Beyoncé brought him onto two tracks from her 2024 country statement Cowboy Carter, it was a money move – but it also opened the door for artists like him and Jelly Roll to explode globally.
At just 30, Shaboozey already feels like a future headliner. A Bar Song (Tipsy) became one of 2024’s biggest crossover hits, and Good News – released less than a year ago – had the Melbourne audience singing every word.
With Teddy Swims in town last week and Drew Bainbridge, Shaboozey, and Jelly Roll lighting up Australian stages this week, the shift in popular music is unmistakable. Country, rock, and hip-hop are no longer separate worlds. They’re all part of one powerful, evolving sound – and Australia just got front-row seats to it.
Jelly Roll Australian Tour Dates 2025
Tuesday 28 October – Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
Wednesday 29 October – Melbourne, Rod Laver Arena
Saturday 1 November – Newcastle, Strummingbird Festival
Sunday 2 November – Perth, Strummingbird Festival
Tuesday 4 November – Sydney, Qudos Bank Arena
Thursday 6 November – Townsville, Queensland Stadium
Saturday 8 November – Auckland, The Outerfields at Western Springs
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