Post Malone at Melbourne Showgrounds
Photo Credit (Post Malone on Australia Tour): Bill Prendergast
Post Malone delivers once-in-a-lifetime performance twice in one year.
Nine months after touring with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers across Australia, Post Malone returned to Melbourne – gracing the Showgrounds in addition to his headline dates with Spilt Milk Festival. This return marked a special moment for his dedicated fans, who were delighted to experience the wonder that is his live performances twice within a single year. With incredible vocals, astounding production, a rainy backdrop and countless shoeys, we spent some quality time with one of the nicest and most humble men in music.
Angus Stone and his band Dope Lemon opened up for Post Malone in Melbourne; delivering the ultimate jam session as they performed a mix of Angus’ hits. Everything from their old but loved track Marinade to closing track and personal favourite Uptown Folks, in addition to Angus and Julia Stone mega-hit Big Jet Plane. Sharing stories between songs, Angus recounts meeting Post Malone in Houston for a game of beer pong that lead to the forming of their friendship, and ultimately this tour. It was great to see such love between the artists, supporting one another and having a fun time on tour.
As the rain continued to fall, it was now time for Postie to join the stage with a dramatic orchestral entrance paired with fireworks and sparks for opening track Better Now. Donning an Amyl & The Sniffers tank top, we see Post launch straight into Wow. dancing along as the crowd sings to every word with passion and adoration. Zack and Codeine continued the good times as Post expresses thanks to those who caught him earlier in the year with RHCP; joking after him this time around it’s just an Uber to look forward to. Before performing Goodbyes, he tells us, ‘I came here with beautiful talented musicians to play you some shitty songs and party hard with some shoeys’ as he invites a fan onto the stage – asking, ‘Can we get two shoes up on stage?’.
Having seen Post Malone earlier in the year, it’s always the most wholesome experience, and no one appreciates their success more than Austin. The fans adore Post as much as Post adores the fans. Joking about spending 28 years growing out his beard, Mourning brings us to a standstill while I Like You (Happier Song) has the crowd back to dancing as more fireworks blast both on and to the side of stage. Jonestown (Interlude) leads us to Take What You Want – mirroring Ozzy Osbourne’s original contribution with more pyro, guitar solos and overall rock vibes – not to mention keeping us warm.
Politely asking, ‘Is everyone having fun so far, ladies and gentlemen?’ we hear Post ask if all the flames make him look cool and badass as he talks about everything from fancy Aussie hats to how much he loves Hungry Jacks as he performs Over Now and transitions straight into rockstar where we all lose our collective minds. Slowing things down for Stay as he drinks out of a normal cup for the first time in the evening, we receive a special treat when the Kid LAROI joins him on stage for a cover of BLEED and their collaboration track Wasting Angels. Chatting about everything from collaboration tattoos of a dolphin with the Kid LAROI’s face and Postie’s glutes, to how they don’t really ever rehearse anything they just kind of ‘do stuff’, we are treated to a special moment in an already special performance. The pair elevate the crowd to a level previously unseen and keep things going for Overdrive as Post invites more fans onto the stage – who describe the night as ‘the best night of my fucking life’.
The most memorable quote of the night was when Post exclaimed, ‘Who would’ve thought drinking beer out of a shoe would be such a great fucking time, I love you guys so much’, followed closely by his assessment of one of the shoes provided for a shoey with, ‘8 on taste, 4 on smell and 2 on appearance’, before correcting himself with a 10 on appearance because the shoes were fire. Playing tricks with the mic stand for I Fall Apart with a full crowd sing-a-long, we continue to launch into a barrage of hits with Wrapped Around Your Finger, Circles and Too Young – which was written when he was 19 years old.
All good things must come to an end and with a two hour plus performance at the highest of energies throughout, we end the main set with famous track White Iverson and Congratulations, with a final shoey out of what he describes as ‘rocket boy boots’ (Big Red Boots). Thanking the crowd for their love and support, the encore involves the intro of Broken Whiskey Glass before we sing and dance to Sunflower and Chemical to close out what was the perfect night. Austin’s reputation as the Kid LAROI describes it as ‘the kindest and most beautiful motherfucker in the world’ seems like an understatement as the night comes to a close, and we depart ecstatic that we got to spend such quality time with one of our favourite artists.
Here’s to hoping Post returns again to Australian shores soon.