The evolution of Kingswood should be studied.
Way back in December of 2012, I first saw the Melbourne rockers support The Living End on the Retrospective Tour, performing an epic hard-hitting set as the evening’s support act. I was hooked! To this day, I relish every opportunity to see these legends live.
Since then, Kingswood has seen a shift in genre and sonically evolved into the country band we know today. After the success of their 2023 release Home, that I had on repeat for an extended period of time, I was more than excited to see what the local lads would produce next.
Now, in May 2026, Kingswood return to the Corner Hotel in celebration of the release of their eighth studio album, Midnight Mavericks. Aptly titled The Midnight Mavericks Tour, the iconic Corner Hotel slowly filled up as support acts Misty Harlowe and Jay Santilli warmed up the eager audience. Then, the infamous Corner Hotel stage curtain closed, and the excitement started to build.
Before long, the house music faded out as Kingswood prepared to reveal themselves to the Melbourne audience. Now, most bands have an entrance or hype up track they play as they hit the stage, but in a move that I have never witnessed before, Kingswood decided their hype track would be the opening fanfare and score from Star Wars: A New Hope. As a complete Star Wars nerd, I found this was both amusing and greatly appreciated.
The curtains pulled open as Kingswood performed the second single from the new album, ‘Two Lovers’. I was surprised and pleased to see an addition to the Kingswood line-up. Stephanie Greenwood has returned on backing vocal duties. Also joining the band was Shane Riley on guitar and pedal steel, Ben Cremer on drums and Jack Davies on bass. And of course, the Kingswood duo that is Alex Laska and Fergus Linacre.
Debut single of the new album ‘Lovin a Girl’ and brand-new track ‘The Action’ were played and it was a treat to hear ‘The Action’ live for the first time. I could feel the crowd vibe as they happily sung along. Other new tracks from the album included ‘Mary Jane’, ‘Faith’ and ‘Joanie’. But one of the biggest stand outs from the album was ‘Jenny’ that was performed towards the tail end of the set. For a song on an album that was only released to the public that morning, I was surprised to see so many in the Melbourne crowd dancing along and even singing the lyrics proudly out loud. A true testament to the dedicated Kingswood fanbase that this legendary band has formed over the years.
This Melbourne gig was more than just new album tracks though. Kingswood brought out some goodies from previous albums including ‘Good Whiskey’ and crowd favourite ‘Mercy’ from their 6th studio album, ‘Home’. An album that I’ve had on repeat for a very long time. From the same album, with one of arguably the best songs that Kingswood have ever written, ‘Burning Holes’ was performed, complete with a singalong that Laska challenged the Melbourne audience to literally make his dream come true.
Yes, in classic Laska fashion, he rambled on about a dream he had the night prior, where the audience’s sing-along slowly levitated his body out of the bed. The exchange was amusing, and the crowd happily obliged to make this dream come true as they sang back. This track is already sonically sublime, and the live performance made it even better with the insane harmonies that the full band produced, creating a truly amazing version.
Continuing with the insane harmonies, my clear favourite from the new album would be ‘Highway Signs’. Having listened to Midnight Mavericks on repeat during the day beforehand, this track stood out and is even more stunning when heard live. Even the drummer, Cremer blew a chef’s kiss to Greenwood in complement to her vocals at one point. The harmonies were that good!
A Kingswood live show wouldn’t be complete without their crowd singalong staple, from their debut album Microscopic Wars, ‘Ohio’. This time, Cremer put the full band to task by speeding up the song faster and faster, challenging everyone to keep up! Even Riley on the pedal steel guitar and Greenwood with a tambourine were thrashing it out!
With a change of pace, Linacre took a seat at the keyboard and played the first few bars of one of my favourite tracks, ‘Golden’. I have heard so many varied versions of this song live, and each time is a new experience. With the additional vocals from Greenwood and even Cremer on drums, this version may just be my favourite one yet.
As the night went on and the band mixed up old tracks with the new ones and I found myself appreciating just how well everything melded together. Even with the shift from rock to country, sonically, their entire catalogue fit together well in a live setting, showcasing Kingswood’s ability to perform a cohesive set, even with differing sounds. Midway through the show, Greenwood stepped up to lead vocals with a cover of Vince Gill’s 1994 country classic ‘What the Cowgirls Do’. This cover was fun and had the Corner Hotel audience dancing and singing along.
Leading into the end of the set, Fergus Linacre and Alex Laska showed their appreciation to everyone present that had thrown their support behind their new album. They thanked the opening acts for providing two killer performances and the Melbourne audience for continuing to turn up even when the cost of living is taking its toll on all of us.
One of the final songs of the set, aptly titled ‘Last One’s Kicking In’ is easily one of my favourite live tracks from Kingswood. It’s a wonderful mix of their new country sound melded with their rocking roots. The solo always blows me away and Laska is a wizard on the guitar. The full band has this incredible synergy that no matter how long Laska decides to make the solo, they each rally around him to keep the rhythm going.
For the encore, Laska entered the Corner Hotel stage all on his own. I knew, before he even played a single note, that we would be treated to ‘Big City’ from their second studio album, After Hours, Close ‘till Dawn. An album that turns 10-years-old in 2027! Eventually, the rest of the band joined Laska on stage to close out the number.
As the concert drew to a close with classic Juveniles track ‘Cigarettes In Bed’, I noticed that these legends run an entire 90-minuite set without a setlist at their feet to queue the next song, and it is not like they were using in-ears to get off-stage queues on what is coming up either. This alone proves that Kingswood is one of the best live acts going around. From their professionalism, insane technical ability, killer vocals to their genuine love for the art of touring, Kingswood truly are at home on any stage, especially a hometown one.
Even after the Melbourne gig had finished, the whole band and a beeline to hang out at the merch desk, were beaming, gleefully chatting and keenly meeting with fans old and new, taking the time to happily take photos and signed albums. Kingswood’s passion and love, not just for their music and the stage, but for the deep genuine connection that they have with their fans is admirable to see. This is one of the many reasons that, I, like many others, adore them as artists.
In the almost 14 years since I have known this band, I have witness them evolve. Although members have come and gone, Alex Laska and Fergus Linacre remain the beating heart of Kingswood. Together, their songwriting, their constant drive to release new music, their deep devotion for touring, and their undeniable brotherhood is what keeps Kingswood alive.
Kingswood performed in Melbourne at the Corner Hotel on Friday May 22nd to celebrate Kingswood’s eighth studio album Midnight Mavericks, as part of their Midnight Mavericks Tour. The tour heads next to Port Douglas, Brisbane, Sydney, Buttai, Cairns and Cooktown.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://www.kingswoodband.com/kwtour
https://orcd.co/midnightmavericks
Photography by Grant Alexander.
