This blog post is all about my Riley Green concert review at Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, Australia on Monday 16th March, 2026 as part of the Cowboy As it Gets tour.
Country music fans in Sydney were in for a treat on Monday night as Alabama-born country star Riley Green brought his “Cowboy As It Gets” tour to the iconic Hordern Pavilion.
The show on Monday 16 March 2026 marked the first of two sold-out nights at the venue, with Riley Green returning the following evening to do it all over again.
For a Monday night in Sydney, the energy was surprisingly high from start to finish, proving just how passionate Australia’s country music fans have become over the last while.
For me, this was my first time seeing Riley Green live, despite being a fan of his music for years.
I’d managed to grab tickets during the presale the moment they were released, so this was a concert I’d been looking forward to for quite a while.
Between the stacked lineup of support acts, a lively crowd dressed in full country attire, and a setlist packed with fan favourites, it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable country shows I’ve been to in Sydney.
Here’s my full Riley Green concert review from the night.
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Arriving at the Hordern Pavilion
The concert was held at the historic Hordern Pavilion, one of Sydney’s best-known live music venues.
Despite having been to countless gigs across the city, this was actually my first time attending a show there.
Doors opened at 6pm, but we arrived just before 7pm since we knew there were multiple support acts and wanted to catch them all while also securing a decent standing spot.
The venue was already buzzing when we arrived. Outside the pavilion, people were gathered around food trucks and the bar area, grabbing drinks and settling into the evening.
Unlike some concerts where queues stretch endlessly down the street, entry here was surprisingly smooth thanks to multiple access points and lanes.
One of the first things that struck me about the Hordern Pavilion was how large the space actually is.
From the outside it doesn’t necessarily look enormous, but once you step inside and see the full standing floor with the surrounding seating areas, you realise it holds a sizeable crowd.
We made our way into the middle of the floor and managed to secure a spot roughly ten rows from the stage, which ended up being a perfect view for the night.
The Sydney Country Crowd Always Shows Up
Country concerts always have their own distinctive atmosphere, and this one was no different.
The crowd was a mix of younger fans and groups of older women, with plenty of couples and groups of friends scattered throughout the floor. One thing that stood out immediately was the number of cowboy hats.
They were everywhere.
Black hats, straw hats, oversized hats. Some people had gone all out with boots and full country outfits, while others had simply thrown on a hat and jeans for the occasion.
Despite it being a Monday night, the crowd felt lively from the moment we arrived. People were chatting, laughing, grabbing drinks, and clearly excited for the show ahead.
Interestingly, most of the accents around us sounded Australian. At many country concerts you often hear a mix of American voices or expats, but this crowd felt very local, which says a lot about how much country music has grown in popularity in Australia.
Three Support Acts to Kick Off the Night
One thing I loved about the evening was just how stacked the lineup of support acts was.
It reminded me of Jelly Roll’s recent tour at the end of 2025, where the live music was constant from 7pm until 11pm.
Instead of a single opener, the show featured three artists warming up the crowd before Riley Green took the stage.
The first act was Bella Mackenzie, who performed a short acoustic set alongside a guitarist. Her performance was simple and stripped back, although there a few mishaps when her microphone stand kept slowly sliding down throughout the set.
It looked like the stand had been decorated with scarves and pieces of fabric, which might not have helped the stability. Despite the technical hiccup, she handled it well and delivered a pleasant opening performance.
Next up was Jake Worthington, who ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the night.
Jake Worthington walked on stage sporting the biggest cowboy hat I think I’ve ever seen, and what he jokingly described as a brutal facial sunburn from spending the morning on Bondi Beach.
The crowd immediately warmed to him thanks to his humour and his deep baritone voice, which gave his songs a traditional country feel.
By this point, the audience had really started to pay attention, and the energy in the room noticeably lifted.
The final support act before Riley Green was Braxton Keith, who may have been physically smaller in stature but made up for it with a huge personality.
His oversized cowboy hat, impressive moustache and confident stage presence made him instantly memorable.
He also had a fantastic voice, and judging by the crowd’s reaction, plenty of people already knew his music.
Mr Riley Green Takes the Stage
At 9:15pm, the moment the crowd (and myself) had been waiting for finally arrived.
The lights dimmed, and Riley Green walked onto the stage in silhouette, his unmistakable cowboy hat creating an instantly recognisable outline against the stage lights.
There was no dramatic intro or over-the-top theatrics. Instead, it was a confident, understated entrance that felt very on-brand for Riley Green’s laid-back country style.
The crowd erupted the moment he appeared.
He kicked off the show with “Different ’Round Here,” immediately setting the tone for the night.
A Simple but Effective Stage Setup
The stage design for the show was fairly minimal.
Behind Riley Green and his band was a large screen that changed visuals throughout the set, occasionally even showing the music videos for some of his songs.
The band itself, made up of around five members, filled most of the stage.
A small catwalk extended out into the crowd, allowing Riley Green to step closer to fans during certain songs.
There weren’t any elaborate lighting effects or country-themed props like neon signs or bar sets. Instead, the focus remained firmly on the music and the performance.
Riley Green’s Calm Stage Presence
One of the most noticeable things about Riley Green as a performer is just how calm and confident he appears on stage.
On a side-note, he also has a noticeably great set of teeth. I would love to know the contact details of his dentist. Now, back to the review.
He doesn’t rely on big theatrics or exaggerated movements to hold the audience’s attention. Instead, he lets the songs do most of the talking.
Throughout the night he interacted with the crowd several times, signing drink coolers and tossing them into the audience for lucky fans.
He also joked about a slightly alarming incident that had happened during his Melbourne show two nights earlier.
A fan had thrown a mobile phone towards the stage which clipped Riley Green’s ear and left him bleeding enough to require five stitches.
Unsurprisingly, he asked the Sydney crowd to try and avoid throwing anything his way after a t-shirt made its way onto the stage.
Standout Songs of the Night
As expected, several songs drew huge reactions from the audience.
One of the biggest singalongs came during “Worst Way,” which had the entire crowd singing along word for word.
Another highlight was “You Look Like You Love Me,” Riley Green’s collaboration with Ella Langley, which also generated a massive response from the crowd.
From his past live performances of this song, he usually brings someone on stage to sing Ella Langley’s part, so I was surprised he didn’t bring Bella Mackenzie as he’s done before.
I would have happily volunteered to sing Ella’s part, so it was fine by me to be part of the crowd to fill in instead.
But the emotional peak of the evening came during “I Wish Grandpas Never Died.”
When the chorus arrived, the crowd took over singing duties, filling the entire venue with their voices. It was one of those concert moments that genuinely gives you goosebumps.
Special Guest Appearances
One of the most fun parts of the night was the number of guest appearances Riley Green brought on stage.
He invited Bella Mackenzie back out to perform “Don’t Mind If I Do,” which gave the audience a chance to see the two artists share the spotlight together.
Jake Worthington also returned to the stage to sing the classic country cover “Where Corn Don’t Grow.”
But perhaps the biggest surprise came when Randy Houser appeared as a guest.
Randy Houser joined Riley for multiple songs including “Cowboy As It Gets,” his own hit “Like a Cowboy,” and the legendary country anthem “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.”
His powerful voice instantly elevated the energy in the room, and it was clear many people in the crowd were thrilled to see him.
A Storytelling Moment
Midway through the show, the mood shifted slightly when Riley Green performed “Jesus Saves.”
The song, which tells the story of an army veteran, was performed in a stripped-back format with just Riley Green and his guitar.
The crowd fell almost completely silent as he delivered the lyrics.
It was a reminder of country music’s storytelling roots and provided a thoughtful contrast to some of the more upbeat moments of the evening.
The Encore and End of the Night
After closing the main set with “Worst Way,” Riley Green briefly left the stage before returning for a short encore.
One of the standout songs during this final section was “I Wish Grandpas Never Died,” which again had the crowd singing loudly along.
The show wrapped up with a celebratory group performance of “Dixieland Delight.”
For this final moment, Riley Green brought several of the night’s artists back on stage, creating a fun, collaborative ending to the concert.
The performers were clearly enjoying themselves, and the crowd responded with huge energy.
When the music finally stopped around 10:45pm, the band played a little longer while the audience lingered, soaking up the last moments of the night.
Final Thoughts: Riley Green Concert Review in Sydney
Overall, Riley Green’s Sydney show delivered exactly what fans were hoping for.
Between the strong lineup of support acts, the enthusiastic crowd and Riley Green’s relaxed but confident performance style, the night felt like a genuine celebration of modern country music.
While the stage production was fairly simple, the strength of the songs and the atmosphere in the room more than made up for it.
Australia’s country music fanbase has grown enormously in recent years, and nights like this show just how passionate those fans are.
For me personally, it was a long-awaited first opportunity to see Riley Green live, and it definitely won’t be the last.
If he returns to Australia on a future tour, I’ll be rushing to be back in the crowd.
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By Orlagh Shanks
Orlagh Shanks is the Editor of Orlagh Claire, an award-winning travel and lifestyle blog.
After working in the PR & Influencer Marketing industry, Orlagh quit her job to travel Asia for 12 months and moved to Sydney, Australia where she is now a full-time travel blogger and content creator sharing travel tips and recommendations for all 30 of the countries she’s visited so far.
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