REVIEW | Sam Fender at Riverstage: A Sold Out Night of Euphoria Under Brisbane Skies - November 19, 2025

🎵 Sam Fender 📍 Riverstage in Brisbane, Australia 🗓️ November 19, 2025 📝 Review by Carly Villiers

There’s something magical about a week-night gig at Brisbane’s beloved Riverstage being sold out. The atmosphere was electric ahead of the second Australian stop on Sam Fender’s ‘People Watching’ tour, celebrating his third studio album. 

From the pit to the amphitheater’s hill, the venue was packed to capacity with fans of all generations - many proudly adorned in Newcastle United jerseys in tribute to Fender’s hometown roots in North Shields. 

Following brilliant opening sets from Sycco and Holly Humberstone, Fender and his eight-piece band ignited the stage with the wistful anthem ‘Angel in Lothian’.

“Are there any aussies here? Heheh,” Fender cheekily called out, scanning the crowd of over 9000 attendees. 

The band surged through hits including ‘Will We Talk’, ‘Getting Started’ and ‘Wild Long Lie’, each met with roaring enthusiasm from the audience. 

Then came ‘The Borders’ - a deeply moving track that chronicles a childhood friendship fractured by circumstance. The performance became even more memorable when Fender invited audience member, Izzy, on stage to accompany the track with an electrifying guitar performance.

Each member of the band performed with effortless precision - the guitarists whipping the crowd into a frenzy, while scorching saxophone solos and soaring backing vocals elevated every moment. Together, they formed the perfect foundation for Sam's Geordie charm and commanding stage presence.

Album title track ‘People Watching’, intensified as the dense rhythm swelled to its peak.

The chorus lyrics flashed in neon yellow text, and the venue echoed with thousands of voices singing along, merging into one. 

‘Spit of You’ explores the complexities of a bond between father and son. The screen opened on a polaroid of a baby Sam and his late father, slowly zooming out to reveal a mosaic of memories, and eventually forming that first initial image - amplifying the emotional concept that deeply resonated with the crowd. 

“Alright, we’re gonna do this thing called an encore… dumbest f*cking thing I’ve heard of,” Sam bellowed in his unmistakable accent, before launching into his most-streamed track ‘Seventeen Going Under’. The amphitheater absolutely erupted, voices united until even after the song, chanting the chorus, “Oh-ooh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh”, until - to everyone’s surprise - the band returned to the stage. 

After the orchestral sweep of ‘The Dying Light’, the evening reached its peak with ‘Hypersonic Missiles’. A colossal burst of confetti exploded overhead, showering punters perched on shoulders and friend groups lost in a state of pure euphoria - a fitting finale to an unforgettable concert experience. 

A big thank you to Great Company Collective & Live Nation for having us.

Review by Carly Villiers