On the Banks: King Stingray Concert Review

Tonight, I am so excited to be at QPAC’s first show in their new concert series, On the Banks! After a sneak peek at the set up last night, I was too eager to see the Cultural Forecourt in South Bank come alive. And who better to kick off the month-long musical festivities than adored Aussie band, travelling all the way from Arnhem Land, King Stingray! They were joined by The Buoys and Jack River, as each group took to the stage amid the blooming greenery and the sparkling city lights. The night was opened with a Welcome to Country by Tribal Experiences, who performed a beautiful set of song and dance as we joined in honouring the Traditional Owners of the land we would sing and dance upon together.

This is what happened at King Stingray’s On the Banks show on February 25^th, 2026.

THE BUOYS

Gracing the giant outdoor stage as the moon rose opposite them, these alt-rock women made an explosive appearance with I Want You. They looked gorgeous, lit up by bright fields and floral backdrops, while they delivered their powerful and cool rock n’ roll music. Consisting of Zoe Catterall (lead vocals), Tess Wilkin (drums), Courtney Cunningham (bass guitar), and Hilary Geddes (lead guitar), their music explores the rebellious spirit of youth, exploring the vulnerability and acquired toughness of growing up in girlhood and finding strength in yourself. Check Mate takes a sincere tone, contrasting with its follow up in Red Flags, even as both feature punchy beats and exciting riffs that keep the audience hooked. I regretfully missed their Brisbane date of their Bitch tour last year, so hearing the latest single and its cool, edgy tone live was incredibly satisfying, and following this up with BDSM and final song Linda proved The Buoy’s firm grip and social insight continues to inspire and entertain audiences!

Fave song: Bitch

JACK RIVER

You know we’re fans of Jack River at The LayMusic and seeing her added to the line-up tonight was the cherry on top of a beautiful cake! She returned to Queensland with her dreamy pop, starting her set with the bright and romantic Dark Star, before shaking things up with the cool and edgy vibes of Palo Alto and the psychedelic tone of Limo Song. The band was bathed in ice cream-coloured swirls and dreamlike pastel hues, brightening up the darkness of the night along with the twinkling lights of the city and South Bank. Tonight, Jack River’s took a pause from her more recent advocacy-heavy songs, emphasising the complexities of love and growth in interpersonal relationships instead. Songs like Fault Line and Ballroom were empowering, inspiring the audience to dance and, hopefully, be honest with themselves and their loved ones. As she prepared to end her set, she dedicated her cover of Tal Bachman’s She’s So High to the mothers in the crowd, before drawing her set to a close with Fool’s Gold, parting on an ethereal, triumphant note, but leaving the audience wanting more soon!

Fave song: Fault Line

KING STINGRAY

With an extended instrumental intro, King Stingray swept us all up for the ride in Let’s Go, as the band assembled on stage for their epic set. They started strong, jumping into fan favourite hit, Camp Dog, sharing stories of home and then of journeys across the land in Billy Manikay and Through The Trees. Their music carries our spirits high, making us feel as if we’re rushing along the red dirt or over the sea, the wind in our hair and the sun shining bright.

The five-piece Yolŋu surf rock band was formed by current members Dima (lead vocals), Roy (guitar) and Campbell (bass) in 2020, and has expanded to include Billy (lead vocals) and Lewis (drums) too! In addition to the classic rock instruments, Dima and Billy contribute their talents with the yiḏaki and bilma, setting the band apart with the combination of gorgeous instrumentation and a multilingual discography, singing in English and Yolŋu Matha. Their music often feels like a love letter to home, with songs like Soon As and Light Up The Path becoming less about places and more about the people who make home worth going back to.

The band’s coastal sound and solid beats create a cool, yet down to earth, rock n’ roll. This and the interplay of language creates tension in the build of songs like Hey Wanhaka, while the instrumentals shine in energy as the band riffs and builds off each other or settles in comfortably in moments like Scoreboard. During Lookin Out, the epic yiḏaki heavy intro and explosive, rolling drumming spurs the audience along as they join in with the dance! King Stingray continues to up the energy with the fast-paced lyrics and punchy timing in Raypirri.

As we retreated further into the night, it was all too soon that the band was on the last of their big hits for the evening. We were glad to have made it along with them in the sentimental, but still soaring, Best Bits, which never fails to make me smile. The band then blessed us with the disco-rock of Milkumana, which seemed designed to be played under the evening sky and danced to under the bright green leaves of the towering trees.

Things took a momentary turn as we were guided to a heartfelt place in Get Me Out. This is such a powerful example of storytelling, playing on the emotions of the audience and helping us each think of our ‘home’ and how we can find it again, if we’re not yet there. It’s a beautiful song, but I was glad to end on the more uplifting Malk Mirri Wayin, with its fun story, full on rock sound with exciting and suspenseful instruments, leading to the fiery ending with a dopamine fix that’s going to make you want a redo of the night already!

It was an awesome night, with a killer line-up of Aussie music, to celebrate the start of the On the Banks series by QPAC and South Bank! The venue is gorgeous and the bands made a formidable impression, setting the perfect tone for this new concert space. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we see them here again soon!

Fave song: Hey Wanhaka

SOUNDS GOOD?

I always enjoy a King Stingray set – how could you not?! But don’t fret if you’ve missed them or simply can’t get enough of their surf rock sound and dynamic storytelling. You might like these artists too:

Baker Boy – Baker Boy is touring soon, sharing his bubbly hip-hop sounds and showcasing his multilingual rap excellence as he also sings in English and Yolŋu Matha. Taking an edgier sound on his latest music, his show is sure to have something to impress everyone!

Thelma Plum – If you loved the sound of The Buoy’s and Jack River’s sets, you’ll probably be a fan of Thelma Plum too. The gorgeous singer’s storytelling is emotional, powerful, and beautiful upon the ears!

The Vanns – You know I love this indie rock group! They have a great rock n’ roll sound with some awesome emphasis on guitar and the same ability to hype the crowd up all night long with their music, showing sentimentality with a good spirit too!