Picture: King Stingray on their regional tour, via Facebook.

Australian royalty King Stingray stole the Sunny Coast music scene spotlight over the weekend with two sold-out shows at Maroochydore’s Solbar.

The boys from North-East Arnhem Land gave 900 punters a night to remember, showing off a couple of fresh tracks from their soon-to-be-realeased album, and ripping through all their biggest hits to a welcoming crowd.

Full disclosure: I am huge King Stingray fan. I even got my own ticket because I didn’t want any work-related pressure other than to soak up the good times.

However, it was such a vibe I couldn’t help myself. It just means this review comes without photographer (AKA iPhone happy-snaps is where we’re at).

I arrived a bit ealier to catch support act Colbey who I’d just seen promoted on Instagram, and thought this Northern Rivers singer/songwriter would be worth seeing. He was! 

Colbey’s band is FUN. With a real country, hoe-down jig with energy of sky-high proportions.

One guy even played the spoons, which later turned into an epic solo, which I’m sad I didn’t film.

I did capture their drummer warming up Lewis Style’s drum kit though! See our TikTok videos here.

That boot-legged Northern Rivers thang

Colbey has that hip, boot-legged, western-Byron Bay thang going on, but these guys are all pro-level musicians and this aint no country club, either.

I don’t know if they were just really high or had been riding the ‘red-eye surf plane’ all day, but the audience was lapping up all their bohemian merriment, something only a real travelling band could provide.

While both supporting acts had incredible audience engagement, the segue to country music sweetheart Jem Cassar-Daley was a little unexpected, as Colbey‘s band basically danced off the stage taking their energy with them.

Having done their job of revving the audience into cahoots, everyone was ready for more shots at the bar by this stage, yeehaw!

However, the 23-year-old pop star quickly won over her rowdier revellers when she broke out into beautiful song, radiating an enviable warmth with some ol’ country charm, putting everyone at ease.

Jem (or JCD as my friend calls her) is a music industry darling and was raised in the scene by her famous dad Troy Cassar-Daley and TV presenter mum Laurel Edwards.

Her parents met at the Gympie Music Muster in 1993, so cute!

You could hear a pin drop

JCD had everyone eating out of the palm of her hands, as she giggled and chatted to us like we were all besties. LOVE her.

When Jem’s personality shines through her perfect tones, she shows sincere thanks and adoration to her audience with a genuine smile.

JCD’s voice is impressionable, soft and strong, with clever lyrics to boot.

CAN sing a country-indie song.

Fans requested Jem to sing Gwen Stefani’s “Sweet Escape” (Triple J, “Like a Version”) to which she happily obliged, even though she was “without AKON“.

Whether or not there needed to be a support act switcheroo with Colbey to suit the transition of the night and opposing music styles, it didn’t matter in the end.

The main thing is that we all came out knowing more music and were better for it.

“Bring them on” chants fire up

I can’t help but to be really fanging to see King Stingray at this point of the night. SQUEE!

After a huge build-up from their supports, eager fans grew more and more desperate to see their on-stage heroes.

Thankfully, the boys just missed a glass being thrown at them when one much-too-eager-fan tossed an empty cup into the middle of the stage, right before they walked on.

D’oh, drunks.

After a few glares from surrounding fans, with looks of “don’t mess with our mob”, it was time for the show to go on.

As the lights dimmed and the spotlights took over, the “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” theme played, beckoning the boys from the bush to the floor.

In an instant, everything was right in the world, as our superstars entered the stage to cheers and whistles.

King Stingray is the stuff of legendary Australian music folklore.

Steeped in history from an ancient culture, lead vocalist Yirrŋa Yunupiŋu is the nephew of Yothu Yindi frontman Dr Mandawuy Yunupingu, and guitarist Roy Kellaway is the son of Stuart Kellaway, who played bass in the iconic 90s pop group.

Yirrŋa and Roy grew up together in Yolngu country in the Yirrkala community, forming King Stingray in 2020 with another Yolngu native, guitarist and didgeridoo player Dimathaya Burarrwanga, and Brisbane bassist Campbell Messer.

Gold Coast drummer Lewis Styles jumped on board in 2021 and didgeridoo-master Yimila Gurruwiwi (pictured) arrived in 2022.

The six-piece group has flawlessly combined two cultures, with flecks of Red Hot Chilli Peppers funk and Midnight Oil flair, complemented by the emotive and soothing, traditional vocals from frontman Yirrŋa’s Yolŋu Matha language, and native instruments such as the didgeridoo and clapsticks.

The only problem with being a super-SUPER fan is it’s probably not that normal to stand right up the front for the entire show.

It actually felt like I was sitting ON the stage so towards the end of their set I made sure to step back a little and boogie with the people, so as to really take in the full experience.

I guess the punter has to be connected to the audience too!

Drumming up the energy

While we missed out on hearing the band’s iconic covers of “Land Down Under” and “Yellow”, we did get to experience some top talent, especially from Lewis who seriously stood out with high-voltage energy.

The drumming sensation is a true entertainer and really proved his Gold Coast roots, complete with showmanship and swagger.

Pictures: That’s me with drummer Lewis Styles who generously handed me his setlist at the end of the show (I told him I liked his NSYNC tee).

Thank you, Lewis, for handing me that setlist, you made my bloody night.

And you probably contributed to the exciteable midnight dancing that ensued at my house later…

I probably won’t ever see these guys from such an epic vantage point in an intimate regional venue setting ever again, because if they weren’t already on top of the pops now, they will only continue to rise to greater heights from here.

Thank you for an incredible show, King Stingray.

I really hope I am wrong and that it’s not a long time between drinks (and shows) next time.