The Age’s Eliza Westhusing reviewed Benson Boone’s November 12 concert at Rod Laver Arena, awarding it two stars and noting a lack of crowd engagement and visuals she described as an amateurish mess, while crediting the singer’s vocals and stamina.
In a review published across The Age, WA Today and Brisbane Times, Westhusing described the audience as resembling a census sample more than a fan base. The crowd was largely unresponsive, with only a few pre-teens in the nosebleed seats standing during the show. The review highlighted a stark contrast between the crowd’s engagement during Boone’s viral hits such as Beautiful Things, Mystical Magical and Cry and his sombre piano melodies. The visuals were described as an amateurish mess of animated fireworks and twisting strobes, and Boone’s outfit, plain denim, was a far cry from his signature sequined bodysuits. Boone’s vocals and stamina did the heavy lifting, while the seven backflips almost saved the day.
Boone, 24, is a TikTok sensation known for backflips and Beautiful Things. The concert was in the second Australian city on the final leg of his Wanted Man Tour.
During the show, Boone paused to workshop baby names with a fan who revealed she was pregnant, promising an answer by the end but forgetting. “I look like everybody else here,” Boone told the crowd, referring to his signature moustache.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The review illustrates the difficulty TikTok-famous artists face in translating online popularity to live performances, a challenge referred to by the reviewer as the TikTok-to-superstar pipeline.
- The muted audience response suggests that a fan base drawn by viral songs may not sustain interest through full-length concerts, raising questions for the music industry.
Background
Benson Boone rose to fame on TikTok with songs like Beautiful Things and Cry. His Wanted Man Tour is currently in its final leg; the Melbourne show was night one at Rod Laver Arena on November 12, following performances in Sydney. Boone is known for his backflips and signature moustache.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedBenson Boone’s Melbourne concert received a two-star review.WA Today - Latest News: “★ ★ Rod Laver Arena, November 12”
- SupportedThe crowd was subdued.WA Today - Latest News: “House lights exposed rows of stony-faced punters for the majority of the show”
- SupportedThe visuals were described as an amateurish mess.WA Today - Latest News: “the visuals felt more like a primary-school project than a professional production – an amateurish mess of animated fireworks and twisting strobes.”
- Partly supportedEliza Westhusing reviewed the concert for The Age.WA Today - Latest News: “Reviewed by Eliza Westhusing”
- SupportedWesthusing’s review covered the November 12 concert at Rod Laver Arena and awarded it two stars.WA Today - Latest News: “Benson Boone | Wanted Man Tour ★★ Rod Laver Arena, November 12”
- SupportedBoone told the crowd, “I look like everybody else here,” referring to his signature moustache.WA Today - Latest News: ““I look like everybody else here,” Boone exclaimed, not without crediting his signature ’stache.”
- Not in the sourcesThe review was published across The Age, WA Today and Brisbane Times.WA Today - Latest News: “Reviewed by Eliza Westhusing”
- SupportedThe audience looked more like a census sample than a fan base.WA Today - Latest News: “The crowd looked more like a census sample and less like a fan base.”
- SupportedThe crowd was largely unresponsive, with only a handful of pre-teens standing in the nosebleed seats.WA Today - Latest News: “House lights exposed rows of stony-faced punters for the majority of the show, save for a handful of pre-teens on their feet in the nosebleed seats.”
- SupportedCrowd engagement shifted between Boone’s viral hits and his sombre piano melodies.WA Today - Latest News: “The jarring shift in crowd engagement between Boone’s TikTok-viral triple threat (Beautiful Things, Mystical Magical, Cry) and his sombre piano melodies”
- SupportedBoone paused to workshop baby names with a pregnant fan, promised an answer by the end of the show, then forgot.WA Today - Latest News: “Boone paused to workshop baby names with a mum-to-be who revealed he was only the third person to know she was pregnant. The singer promised an answer by the end of the show before promptly forgetting.”
- SupportedBoone performed seven backflips.WA Today - Latest News: “The seven backflips almost saved the day.”