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BRETT YOUNG
+ Sam Fischer
@ The Palais, Melbourne,
19th May 2025
(Live Review)

Review and photos by Cam Brown (@cambrownvisuals)

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BRETT YOUNG / Photo – @cambrownvisuals

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On a cool Autumn night in Melbourne, we made our way to the iconic Palais Theatre to catch country superstar Brett Young on the latest leg of his Back to Basics World Tour. With its rich heritage and stunning interior, the Palais proved the perfect backdrop for an evening of heartache, storytelling, and powerful live music.

Sam Fischer – A Hometown Hero Returns

Opening the evening was Sam Fischer, the Australian-born, LA-based singer-songwriter, who brought with him an energy that immediately ignited the crowd. Grateful to be performing on home soil, Fischer delivered a heartfelt and engaging set, complete with fan favourites like “This City” and an unexpected but thoroughly enjoyable cover of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”. His soaring vocals and candid banter warmed up the room beautifully, setting the tone for the night ahead.

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SAM FISCHER / Photo – @cambrownvisuals

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Brett Young – Back to Basics, Back to the Heart

As the house lights dimmed, Brett Young took to the stage to roaring applause. Towering and charismatic, he cut an imposing figure—his All-American quarterback presence matched by his vocal strength and easy charm.

Returning to Australia for the first time since his appearance at CMC Rocks in 2018, this tour marked his first ever headline run down under. And in keeping with the Back to Basics promise, there were no backing tracks, pyrotechnics or elaborate effects—just Brett, his six-piece band, and a set full of emotional resonance.

Opening with “Sleep Without You” from his debut album, and moving seamlessly into “Ticket to L.A.”, Brett quickly had the crowd hooked. “Even though I’m the happiest I’ve ever been,” he told the audience with a grin, “about 85% of tonight’s show will be sad songs.” It was a line that got a big laugh, but it was also true—Brett excels at melancholic ballads, and he wears his heart proudly on his sleeve.

The crowd sang along word for word to “You Didn’t”, a definite highlight early in the set.

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BRETT YOUNG / Photo – @cambrownvisuals

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Storytime with Uncle Brett

Between songs, Brett shared stories that gave deeper meaning to his lyrics. The first was about writing his “first wifey song” and the pressure not to mess it up—followed by a heartfelt tale of writing “Lady”, a song penned with Jon Nite for his baby girl, from the perspective of his wife.

That song was followed by another new track for his second daughter, rounding out what Brett affectionately called his “complete family song” – “Full House” from his forthcoming album.

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BRETT YOUNG / Photo – @cambrownvisuals

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Set Highlights and Fan Favourites

The tempo picked up with the feel-good “Drink With You”, before returning to more reflective territory with “You Ain’t Here to Kiss Me” and “Like I Loved You”.

More stories followed, with a moving acoustic rendition of Luke Combs’ “Beautiful Crazy”, and a heartfelt introduction to his band—who Brett declared “the best band in country music.” The band shone in a solo medley that showcased their individual talents, earning cheers and applause from the crowd.

Returning to the stage, Brett launched into one of his biggest hits, “Mercy”, before leading the audience into a romantic slow-dance moment with “Dance With You”—an instant standout of the night, as couples swayed in the aisles.

Heading into the home stretch, Brett introduced more new material including “You Still Got It”, “Did We Let Go”, and “Say Less”, before wrapping up the main set with the fan-favourite “Here Tonight”—joined once again by Sam Fischer to help bring the energy home.

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BRETT YOUNG / Photo – @cambrownvisuals

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Encore – One More Moment of Magic

Of course, the crowd wasn’t ready to say goodbye. With chants of “one more song” echoing through the Palais, Brett and his band returned to the stage to close out the night with his most iconic track, “In Case You Didn’t Know”—a perfect ending that had the entire theatre singing in unison.

Final Thoughts

Brett Young’s first headline Australian tour delivered exactly what it promised: stripped-back, emotionally rich storytelling through song. The sold-out crowd left with full hearts and a renewed appreciation for Brett’s authenticity, musicianship, and charm.

With a new album set to drop next month and hopes high for a swift return, Brett Young has well and truly cemented his place in the hearts of Aussie country fans.

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BRETT YOUNG / Photo – @cambrownvisuals

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Check out Cam Brown’s (@cambrownvisuals) full gallery of this event HERE

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BRETT YOUNG / Photo – @cambrownvisuals

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BRETT YOUNG
BACK TO BASICS
WORLD TOUR 2025
AUSTRALIA

WITH SPECIAL GUEST SAM FISCHER

Saturday 17 May 2025 – Metropolis Fremantle, Fremantle
Monday 19 May 2025 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne
Wednesday 21 May 2025 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney – SOLD OUT
Thursday 22 May 2025 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney – NEW SHOW
Saturday 24 May – Great Western Hotel, Rockhampton – SOLD OUT
Sunday 25 May – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane – SOLD OUT

Tickets on sale now

Visit BrettYoungMusic.com or livenation.com.au for more information.

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BRETT YOUNG / Photo – @cambrownvisuals

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Press Release 20th April 2025 (below) HERE

BRETT YOUNG
announces special guest
SAM FISCHER
on his
BACK TO BASICS
Australian tour

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AMNPLIFY – DB