HILLTOP HOODS – ROD LAVER ARENA – MELBOURNE – 07.03.2026
Review: Craig Eriksson. Photos: David Harris
Make some noise Melbourne! Australian hip hop veterans Hilltop Hoods performed at Rod Laver Arena last night as part of their Never Coming Home Australian Tour. It was their second consecutive sold out show in Melbourne and had a huge party vibe about it, featuring special guest artists throughout the evening.
Hilltop Hoods are from Blackwood, Adelaide and formed back in 1994. MC Suffa (Matthew Lambert), Pressure (Daniel Smith) and DJ Next were the founding members and in 1999, DJ Debris (Barry John M. Francis) replaced DJ Next. They are widely considered the pioneers of Australian hip hop, taking it from an underground subculture into a mainstream force and putting it on the world stage, playing festivals globally.
Australian hip hop artist Trials (Daniel Hendle Rankine) opened the show, performing a short bass solo before playing his own music to warm up the audience. During the break, renowned turntablist DJ Total Eclipse span some classic hip hop, funk and soul that created a great party atmosphere, which ignited the crowd. Irish singer-songwriter and rapper Maverick Sabre (Michael Stafford) was the second support artist playing a soulful array of his own songs, finishing his short set with an Oasis cover of Don’t Look Back In Anger that had the huge crowd singing-along. DJ Total Eclipse kept the vibe alive and span some classic rock songs like Joan Jett’s I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll and some Acca Dacca. It was the perfect vibe and adrenaline buzz for the crowd to fill in the half hour wait for Hilltop Hoods.
A giant red curtain covered the stage and the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as fans chanted Hilltop Hoods while waiting for their champions to appear. The lights dimmed, the crowd roared and then the stage curtain dramatically dropped as Hilltop Hoods made a grand entrance performing the high-energy classic LEAVE ME LONELY. It was a huge intro that saw Suffa and Pressure bounce around the stage performing hip hop dance moves while DJ Debris span his tunes and was joined by a drummer and 3-piece brass section. Confetti and smoke cannons filled the air and created a celebratory vibe sending the crowd into a frenzy. The energy in the arena was electric! CHASE THAT FEELING followed and showed that Hilltop Hoods are still at the top of their game with incredible stage energy. Suffa asked for a show of hands who had seen the band before, which seemed to be 90% of the crowd. “Who wants to hear some old shit?” he said as they led into fan favourite and anthem THE NOSEBLEED SECTION which was the song that propelled the band’s album The Calling to become the first platinum-certified Australian hip-hop album. It is an upbeat, high-energy ode to performing live and connecting with fans in both the front row and the ‘nosebleed’ sections of the venues.
The Hoods then invited their first guest Nyassa on stage to sing FALL FROM THE LIGHT, which is the title track from their latest release. Nyassa has a soulful, powerhouse voice that blends in beautifully with Suffa and Pressure’s rap vocals. Nyassa remained on stage and stood up the back front and centre providing wonderful backing vocals. The next guest was the amazing Montaigne who joined them for the smooth, melodic and dreamy hip-hop song 1955 with her soaring, operatic vocals that contrast with the Hoods rap verses. Sounded beautiful!
Marlon joined the Hoods for THE GIFT with his soulful melodic hook that evokes a 70’s-esque feeling and the crowd lit up the arena with a sea of lights from their phones. Maverick Sabre joined them for WON’T LET YOU DOWN and LIVE AND LET GO. The special guests just kept on coming with Adrian Eagle joining them on stage for CLARK GRISWOLD with the large backing screen displaying the words ‘World’s Greatest Dad’. Illy came on for the high-energy hip-hop anthem EXIT SIGN which blends the Hoods signature ‘infectious beats’ and sharp lyricism with a melodic chorus.
The Hoods set had no lulls and was so lively and energetic, showcasing their 3o-year-plus career. Nyassa joined them for SOMETHING BIGGER THAN THIS and DON’T HAPPY, BE WORRY was playful, serving as a reminder to embrace life even during challenging times. Pressure asked the crowd if they wanna get high as they led into HIGHER. A funny moment of the evening was when Pressure asked everyone to take off one piece of clothing, cap or shoe and wave it in the air during THROUGH THE DARK. A woman in front of me was waving her bra in the air and another guy was waving his cowboy boot.
One of my personal faves of the evening came when Matiu Walters from Six60 joined the Hoods for NEVER COMING HOME, a triumphant moment of the show that included pyros and lasers. RATTLING THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM was a climatic encore proving the Hoods are still at the top of their game. Hilltop Hoods returned to the stage for a 2-song encore with their 2009 classic STILL STANDING and a big finale with COSBY SWEATER, which saw all of the guests return to the stage one final time including indigenous hip-hop artist Rulla (best known as one-half of the Adelaide-based duo Marlon X Rulla). This was a standout song that had fans jumping about and singing along while confetti and smoke cannons created a party atmosphere.
I have seen Hilltop Hoods half a dozen times over the past 20-plus years and I felt this show was so monumental, it was the best I have seen them perform. The music united everyone together, transcending individual differences and having the special guests join them on stage enhanced their live performance enormously, creating a feeling of unity and collective strength.
SET LIST:
LEAVE ME LONELY
CHASE THAT FEELING
THE NOSEBLEES SECTION
FALL FROM THE LIGHT (with Nyassa)
1955 (with Montaigne)
THE GIFT (with Marlon Motlop)
I LOVE IT (with Nyassa)
WON’T LET YOU DOWN (with Maverick Sabre)
LIVE AND LET GO (with Maverick Sabre)
CLARK GRISWOLD (with Adrian Eagle)
EXIT SIGN (with Illy)
DON’T HAPPY, BE WORRY (with Nyassa)
SOMETHING BIGGER THAN THIS (with Nyassa)
HIGHER (with Nyassa)
THROUGH THE DARK (with Nyassa)
NEVER COMING HOME (with Matiu Walters) & with Nyassa, Montaigne, Adrian Eagle & Marlon)
RATTLING THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM
Encore:
STILL STANDING
COSBY SWEATER (with Illy, Trials & Rulla)
