Benson Boone
Rod Laver Arena
12 Nov 2026
Ruel delivers a confident and engaging performance as he takes the stage and warms up the crowd. With a growing catalogue of hits and an impressive couple of albums released over the past year, the Australian singer-songwriter proves he’s more than comfortable commanding a major arena.
Ruel quickly finds his rhythm, moving through crowd favourites ‘Kicking My Feet & Screaming’, ‘Sitting in Traffic’ from his album 4th Wall, ‘Growing Up’ and ‘Painkiller’. His smooth vocals and relaxed stage presence balances heartfelt moments with infectious energy to make a strong impression.
A standout moment comes when he strips things back for an acoustic performance of a fresh new release called ‘Another You,’ giving the audience a more intimate glimpse of his songwriting and vocal ability.
Taking a moment between songs, Ruel reflects on his journey from playing the much smaller Northcote Social Club at just 14 years old to standing on the Rod Laver Arena stage tonight. It’s a full-circle moment that highlights just how far he’s come.
Benson Boone brings his larger-than-life personality, powerhouse vocals and theatrical showmanship to Rod Laver Arena for the first of three Melbourne shows on his ‘Wanted Man World Tour’, delivering a spectacular night that balances high-energy pop performances with some genuinely heartfelt moments.
Before Boone even steps onto the stage, the audience is drawn into a cinematic story unfolding across the enormous screens. Set against a dark, star-filled backdrop, glowing orange lettering tells a dramatic tale of love, a once-golden world and the arrival of a mysterious wanted man who will change everything. The theatrical introduction steadily builds anticipation, creating an almost apocalyptic atmosphere before reaching its climax and setting the scene for Boone’s explosive arrival.
Appearing at the top of the stage, Boone wastes little time making an entrance, confidently strutting down the sloping runway with a skip in his step. From the opening moments, it’s clear this isn’t going to be a conventional arena show. Backflips off podiums and even the piano become part of the spectacle, with Boone throwing himself into the performance with boundless energy. His athletic stage presence is matched by an impressive vocal range, effortlessly moving between soaring high notes, punchy pop anthems and more vulnerable ballads.
The setlist moves at a lively pace, opening with new song ‘Oblivious’ before rolling through ‘Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else’, ‘Electric Blue’, ‘There She Goes’ and the tour’s title track, ‘Wanted Man’. Tracks including ‘Drunk in My Mind’, ‘Slow It Down’ and ‘Pretty Slowly’ keep the energy building. Boone teases the crowd and encourages the audience to show just how much they want him to play ‘Mystical Magical’ until he finally does.
But beneath the flips, fireworks and larger-than-life production, Boone’s ability to connect with the audience is just as compelling. He regularly breaks up the faster numbers with heartfelt performances, taking to the piano to showcase the more vulnerable side of his songwriting. For ‘In the Stars’, the production reaches another level as Boone emerges standing atop a hovering podium, which propels him around the arena, bringing the emotional ballad to fans across the venue.
One of the night’s more intimate moments comes before ‘Greatest Fear’, when Boone pauses to share just how much performing means to him. “I absolutely love what I do. I love this job. Most of the time, it does not feel like a job, especially whenever you can play shows. This is my favourite part of the job.” He goes on to explain how the meaning of the song has changed since he originally wrote it, revealing that he now thinks about his fans rather than the person who first inspired it. “I think about you guys. I think about being afraid to lose what I have, these crowds.” His appreciation feels genuine as he thanks everyone for listening to his music and showing up for him. It’s a lovely reminder of the connection behind the spectacle.
There’s also a little Australian love when Boone switches the chorus of ‘Young American Heart’ to ‘Young Australian Heart’, earning an enormous response from the Melbourne crowd. Clearly embracing his adopted Aussie status, he has the arena singing along before confetti cannons and fireworks erupt as the chorus reaches its peak.
The show then shifts to a more intimate setup at the B-stage, where a grand piano sits at the centre. Here, Boone delivers a beautiful run of performances including ‘To Love Someone’,‘Before You’ and ‘Momma Song’. He dedicates the latter to mothers everywhere, giving a special shout-out to his own mum. In another spontaneous moment, a fan even manages to convince him to name her unborn baby, adding a personal and unexpected touch to the evening for one lucky fan.
Before ‘Time of My Life’, Boone delivers another passionate introduction, encouraging everyone to think about the thing they love most and the feeling of being completely immersed in it. Explaining that performing is his greatest passion, he reflects on those moments when everything comes together on stage. But even when he’s having the time of his life, there’s sometimes someone he wishes could be there to share it. “In the back of my mind, in my greatest moment of passion, someone that I love will sit in my thoughts. And now I miss them. And I wish they were here. Front row. Watching me have the time of my life at this show,” he shares.
The final stretch brings the energy roaring back with ‘The One You Call’, ‘What Was’, ‘Cry’ and the inevitable crowd favourite ‘Beautiful Things’. Boone saves one last spectacular display of acrobatics for the finale, delivering a Spiderman backflip before sprinting back up the ramp and launching himself off the end of the stage to close out the show.
Words by Michael Prebeg
