Live Review: Lainey Wilson Whirlwind World Tour in Perth 2026
26 February 2026 at RAC Arena, Perth, Western Australia.
Review by Sheldon Ang
Photography by Sheldon Ang Photography
Lainey Wilson’s whirlwind stop in Perth unfolded like a country-soaked fever dream; cinematic, sweaty, heartfelt, and charged with the kind of momentum that never once loosened its grip on the arena. There were plenty of cowboy hats and boots, with lots of women dressing for the yee-hah. As for the artist herself, she was everybody’s bestie for the night, oozing the country vibe with twang to match.
As the final show of her world tour, it carried a sense of culmination. There was a looseness, a gratitude, and a fire that only happens when an artist is closing a chapter, letting it go in a sense of celebration.
So at 9pm, the Lainey Wilson from Louisiana tore sparked her night with “Whirlwind,” a fitting opener for a tour that has lived up to the name. She stood high at the back of the stage under the horse shoe emblem- the logo of her Whirlwind Tour, like a cinematic montage of a country western movie, rising from the sunset. Wilson striding out under the lights, the band kicking into gear, the crowd erupting as if they’d been waiting all summer for this exact moment. Perth ignited.
She was adorned in a turquoise denim Western ensemble- sleeveless top, matching studded pants, a bold belt buckle and a beige cowboy hat, an outfit that fused rodeo grit with modern country glamour.
From there she slid down the stairs and into “Hold My Halo,” the kind of track that turns an arena into a rowdy congregation. She teased the crowd by walking to the stage extension, or the vmini carwalk. Perth responded instantly as the light beamed from the back of the RAC Arena shining onto the county superstar. There was so much glow. The energy was already climbing when she welcomed opening act Kaitlin Butts back out for “Good Horses,” their voices blending with the dusty, road‑tested warmth of two artists who’ve shared miles, meals, and music. It felt like a reunion onstage. There was a cheeky moment when Lainey held a testicle keychain, both smiling and giggling with the twist of a hens party.
It wasn’t all party central as Lainey later eased into “Somewhere Over Laredo,” not as a nostalgia grab but as a moment of elevation – her voice floating above the crowd, airy and carried by the country twang. It was the first breath of the night, following a Nashville boot scooting style party at the RAC Arena.
Once the honky‑tonk kicked in again, the arena transformed again. The hands‑clapping, boot‑stomping chaos revisited. Lainey leaned into it with a grin that said she knew exactly what she was doing. The band matched her stride for stride, tight enough to be impressive but loose enough to feel alive. “Hillbilly Hippie” was an end‑to‑end riff that rattled the rafters. Lainey strutted across the stage with the swagger of everybody’s best friend, the kind who drags you into the dance circle whether you’re ready or not.
Just when the energy threatened to boil over, she pulled everything back. The lights dimmed to a warm amber glow during Whiskey Coloured Crayon, and Wilson took a seat for an acoustic stretch that revealed the emotional backbone of the show. With nothing but a guitar and a story under a spotlight surrounded by darkness, all eyes were on her. It was a pause in the storm.
The duet with Flatland Cavalry during Meantime deepened that intimacy. Sitting side by side at the front of the stage, they looked like neighbours sharing songs in a summer’s night with a bottle of gin.
The band then returned to the verandah setup. “Counting Chickens” was hilarious – turning into a clever, tightly executed burst of personality. Each band member leaned into the bit, making chicken noises with their instruments; banjo clucks, guitar pecks, percussive scratches. The crowd roared with laughter on some occasions.
“Can’t Sit Still” kept the acoustic vibe alive but with a brighter bounce, performed right at the front of the stage like a backyard jam session that had accidentally attracted thousands.
Then the tempo surged again.“Wildflowers” bloomed into a full‑throttle singalong. And because this is Australia – and because Wilson knows exactly how to read a room – she did a shoey. It was afterall the most Australian and the crowd appreciated. Thankfully it was from her shoes.
Lainey is a master at engaging with the fans. She even waded through the crowd and got a kiss from a mature lady, and said “I’ll take that,” and taking a photo with a fan. There was also an angelic moment when she stood on a raised pier, looking like a heavenly being, superimposed against the heavenly background.
When “Bell Bottoms Up” hit, the arena turned into a dance floor. People were boot‑scooting, shoulders shaking, hats waving. Wilson commanded the stage like a disco‑cowgirl general, and the fans followed every move.
The night reached its final detonation with “Bar in Baton Rouge.” The crowd went feral in the best possible way – loud, sweaty, euphoric. By the last songs 4x4xU and Heart Like A Truck, they had the fevered unity of an evangelistic crusade- as the fans roaring back every word like a congregation in full revival
Perth was the finale, the exhale, the celebration at the end of a long road. And she treated it that way to the 10,000 fans.
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank Frontier Touring and Lainey Wilson for the Media Accreditation.
· Whirlwind — Whirlwind (2024)
· Hold My Halo — Bell Bottom Country (2022)
· Good Horses (with Kaitlin Butts) — Whirlwind (2024)
· Devil Don’t Go There — Whirlwind (2024)
· Watermelon Moonshine — Bell Bottom Country (2022)
· Country’s Cool Again — Whirlwind (2024)
· Keep Up With the Joneses — Whirlwind (2024)
· Somewhere Over Laredo — Whirlwind (2024)
· Peace, Love, and Cowboys — Whirlwind (2024)
· Yesterday, All Day, Every Day — Whirlwind (2024)
· Hang Tight Honey — Whirlwind (2024)
· Hillbilly Hippie — Bell Bottom Country (2022)
· Whiskey Colored Crayon — Whirlwind (2024)
· …Meantime (Flatland Cavalry cover, with Cleto Cordero) — Cover (original 2016)
· Counting Chickens — Whirlwind (2024)
· Can’t Sit Still — Whirlwind (2024)
· Things a Man Oughta Know — Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ (2021)
· Wildflowers and Wild Horses — Bell Bottom Country (2022)
· Bell Bottoms Up — Whirlwind (2024)
· Call a Cowboy — Whirlwind (2024)
· Bar in Baton Rouge — Whirlwind (2024)
· 4x4xU — Whirlwind (2024)
· Heart Like a Truck — Bell Bottom Country (2022)
About the writer/photographer: The founder of Perth-based Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) has been accredited to more than 200 of the hottest acts including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), Coldplay (Perth), AD/DC, Metallica, KISS, RHCP, P!NK and Suzi Quatro with reviews shared by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, Roxette, Tina Arena, UB40, Delta Goodrem, and Tina Arena on social media. He has interviewed the late Ace Frehley (KISS), John Steel (The Animals), Frank Ferrer (Guns N Roses), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Andrew Farris (INXS) plus over 100 artists. He’s also a contributor on Triple M Radio as a music journalist.
