18 January 2026 – Riverstage, Brisbane – words by Cecilia Pattison-Levi – pictures by Tam Schilling
What a night! The second and end of concert blow out Idols: The World Tour in Brisbane was an absolute cracker. And there was also no downpour of rain – yay! Yungblud and the local Brisbane band Dune Rats served up an amazing night of rock ‘n’ roll to another huge crowd.
For context I had attended both concerts on the Saturday and Sunday nights. It was two very long days but so worth it. I have to say the Sunday night concert was absolutely brilliant. It was a different feel and performances were changed. Yungblud (aka Dominic Harrison) was on top of his game and no weather events interfered. After Sunday night, I can see why the tags of “the future of rock” are placed on his very attractive shoulders. He is still, however, I very naughty boy – and he admits it!
Yungblud staked his inheritance as the heir to the rock gods at Riverstage. His carefully curated references and collaborations with The Smashing Pumpkins, Aerosmith and his covers of Ozzy Osbourne and Kiss classics showed his lineage and his playlist of songs let everyone know where he is going. Yungblud is indeed the new guardian of the rock ‘n’ roll and has that musical torch in his hot hand. With his cheeky and frisky personality, his looks (does he take a bad photo or pose? No) and his universal pop-rock sound: he let everyone know that it is him and his music including his new album Idols that seal the deal going forward. And he performed it with real grit and style.
When the doors opened: the massive crowd filled the venue. Brisbane locals Dune Rats were first up on the stage to warm up a very excited crowd. The three-piece Dune Rats (Danny Beus, BC Michaels and Brett Jansch) delivered a great pop-punk ‘old-skool’ noise. They bounced onto the stage and got the party started as they delivering an energetic 40-minute set filled with catchy riffs and cheeky lyrics. The Dune Rats invited the crowd to ‘If It Sucks, Turn It Up’ and followed it with ‘Be Like You’.
Dune Rats – Riverstage – photos by Tam Schilling
Dune Rats, then, hit the sweet spot with ‘Red Light, Green Light’ as they gave a blistering, fast paced and upbeat performance. They really did help to set the tone for the night ahead and the knowledge it was their second home town gig made it even more special as they told the crowd: “nothing beats a Brisbane crowd”. The band kept up the high energy with the call response of ‘Scott Green’, ‘6 Pack’ and ‘Ratbags’ as bass player Brett Jansch let loose. He was jumping and running around that stage like a whippet with his hair flailing around like there was no tomorrow. It was very hard to take your eyes off him. The Dune Rats also played the echo game: “when I say Yung, you say Blud” and “when I saw f$%k yerh, you say s@#t yerh” as the response reverberated around the venue
Then, the band invited Mikalya with “her converses on” from the crowd to do the “shoey”. Then, their friends Tony from the Dreggs and Jacko from the Beddy Rays to join them on stage to deliver an homage to The Angels and to the Riverstage venue: “a place we used to come to when we were young and now, we are playing here”. The band launched into the cover of the Australian classic rock song of ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’. It was nostalgic ride and another reference to passing on of the rock torch to a new generation. The crowd was huge in its call-response of ‘no way, get fucked, fuck off’ bits. It went off!
The Dune Rats finished their set with the fabulous song ‘Bullshit’ that was delivered with real style. It was fantastic set and so much fun.
There was a short break as the stage was stripped back. There was space need for a string quartet ensemble to be lodged into the back of the stage and the ladies in shades looked awesome and sounded beautiful. Many techs rushed around and got the stage ready. The lights went dark and blue light flooded the stage area and stage smoke machine haze flooded the venue from the stage and the sound desk. After ten minutes of intro sounds played – the band arrived on stage quickly.
Yungblud – Riverstage – photos by Tam Schilling
Other than the string ensemble, there was the amazing synth player Katie Dove-Dixon as she kept everyone on key. The drummer Ben Sharp was the engine room with the bassist Silke Blansjaar. The guitarists Adam Warrinton and Sam Simmonds were terrific. The band got in place and were followed on stage by Yungblud as ‘Hello Heaven, Hello’ kicked off the set. Within 30 seconds, white confetti cannons blasted across the venue to the delight of the crowd. It was hands in the air!
Yungblud had hit the stage. He manically ran around the stage and made his way to the drum kit riser and jumped from it like he was being fired from the cannon. He quickly followed with ‘The Funeral’ as Yungblud took up an acoustic guitar, his face beaming towards the crowd under a spotlight. Fans are quick to sing-along. Then, ‘Idols Pt. I’ kicked in and picked up the rock pace as the fire pillars went off.
Yungblud – Riverstage – photos by Tam Schilling
The songs ‘Lovesick Lullaby’ and the Aerosmith co-write ‘My Only Angel’ were performed beautifully. Then, a fantastic young female guitarist from the crowd blew Yungblud and his guitarists away with her skill as she played ‘Fleabag’. She was fantastic and the delivery of the song had absolute class. Then, Yungblud went and sat on the drum riser and had a smoke. Then, he delivered the brilliant ‘Lowlife’. It was the highlight of the set.
The emotional highlight of the set came as Yungblud thanked the crowd for sticking by him since he first toured in Australia at 15 years of age. He showed genuine gratitude and was truly appreciative that the crowd had come out to see him perform. He, then, primed the crowd with ‘Ozzy, Ozzy” as he launched into his performance of late Ozzy Osbourne’s band, Black Sabbath, ‘Changes’. He’s been consistently performing this song as a way to honour his friendship with Ozzy Osbourne. It was so good!
Yungblud – Riverstage – photos by Tam Schilling
The emotion had been spent, and it was back to the party with the high energy of ‘Fire’. Yungblud performed it so well and it seemed at 100kms an hour. Then, there was a cover of Aerosmith’s ‘Wild Woman’ and then ‘Ice Cream Man’. The last three songs of the regulation set were here: ‘Monday Murder’, ‘I Love You, Will You Marry Me’ and the fabulous ‘Loner’ as the band left the stage slowly.
Yungblud started the encore with ‘Ghosts’ and the venue lifted with the emotion peaking. Hands were in the air as the chorus and singing from the crowd hit its peak. Then, the huge hit from the Idols album ‘Zombie’ was performed. It is a song written around Yungblud’s own experience of watching the declining health of his grandma who has now passed away. It is a truly haunting and lyrically beautiful song: that melody and that chorus. The phone lights were up again, and then red confetti rained down over the crowd.
Yungblud – Riverstage – photos by Tam Schilling
Yungblud thanked the crowd for being here, telling the 9,500 fans to get either to the Crowbar “for a pint” or home safely and he promises to be back very soon “every 18 months to Brisbane”. The crowd was wild, but lovely.
Yungblud is the future and on the evidence of Sunday night: the real deal. The future looks bright! Long live rock ‘n’ roll!
