Katy Perry
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, VIC
June 5th
Katy Perry brought the second Australian show of her completely sold-out ‘Lifetimes’ tour to Rod Laver Arena last night (June 7th). The tour kicked off in Sydney earlier this week, and it’s safe to say the energy carried straight through to Melbourne.
Opening the night were Kinder — Ghanaian-Australian sisters Briony and Savannah Osei — who delivered a high-energy set that fused dance-pop with Afrobeat influences. They were a great warm-up, and one that got the crowd on their feet early.
Perry’s return to the spotlight hasn’t come without its critics, but on this stage she made one thing clear: she’s still got it. She didn’t just show up — she owned the room, reminding us why she’s earned her place as one of pop’s biggest names.
The production was massive — arguably too massive at times — but with artists like Perry, you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Scale was expected and she delivered it in spades: giant visuals, elaborate set pieces, crisp lighting design, multiple costume changes, and yes, a full-blown flight around the arena on a giant butterfly. Subtle? No. Effective? Absolutely.
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The AI-themed storyline woven throughout the show did feel a little clunky in parts, but it pulled together by the end in a way that felt surprisingly sincere. And that’s kind of Perry’s whole vibe at this stage of her career: sincere, a little cheesy, but refreshingly real. She used more than a few moments between songs to drop bite-sized pep talks about chasing dreams and believing in yourself. Sure, some of it might’ve veered into inspirational Instagram caption territory, but it felt genuine coming from her.
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And while the show leaned big on spectacle, Perry’s personality never got lost in the smoke and lights. She was goofy in a good way, open about the realities of motherhood, professed her love for Bluey, and made heartfelt nods to Pride Month and the criticism she’s faced over the years — all delivered with charm and a sense of humour. She even brought a fan onstage for a touching performance of “Thinking of You”, which landed as one of the night’s most memorable moments.
The newer material didn’t always hit with the same force as the classics — there were a few moments where the crowd energy dipped — but her back catalogue is deep enough that no one was left feeling short-changed. The hits kept coming – “California Gurls”, “Teenage Dream”, “I Kissed a Girl”, “Roar”, and “Firework” – and the crowd knew every word.
One surprising takeaway? The number of kids inside the arena. Whether it was millennial mums dragging them along or the other way around, the generational spread in the crowd reinforced just how far Perry’s reach extends. She’s not just a pop star — she’s part of pop culture’s furniture.
Perry’s show was far from perfect, but was it a fun, feel-good night with a generational superstar still giving it her all.
Ticket information for Katy Perry’s Australian tour can be found here.
