A look back at the ten most iconic shows at Qudos Bank Arena this year!
The thought of Qudos Bank Arena likely inspires precious memories for event-goers across the country.
For decades, the iconic venue has hosted some of the starriest events Australia has ever seen, offering attendees the chance to witness their passions, from music to sport and comedy, in a world-class arena among legions of fellow fans.
Many of them will recall approaching the venue with those insatiable pre-show jitters, and later leaving what was their bucket-list event with an unmatched sense of fulfilment.
With so many years in the game, it can be tricky to nail down Qudos Bank Arena’s most iconic moments, especially for a venue that has hosted everything from the 2000 Olympics to the record-breaking arena tours of Billie Eilish.
In 2023 alone, the venue has stacked its itinerary with the year’s buzziest events and performances, with a bucket load of mammoth shows still yet to come.
As we approach the end of the year, we’re looking back at some of the biggest names and most iconic moments to be hosted by Qudos Bank Arena in 2023. Take a trip down memory lane below, and head here to find out more information about one of the country’s most enduring event venues.
Dave Chappelle
Kicking off the year with some much-needed laughs, Dave Chappelle graced the stage at Qudos Bank Arena in February, bringing his razor-sharp wit and incisive comedy to some 34,000 attendees.
The Emmy-winning comic drummed up enough fanfare to break the record for the most tickets ever to be sold for a comedy show at Qudos Bank Arena, a feat achieved due to the venue’s size and Chappelle’s acclaimed stand-up set.
Luke Combs
The prayers of country music fans were finally answered in August, when Luke Combs stole the spotlight at Qudos Bank Arena while touring his recent albums Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old.
Demand was so high for the Beautiful Crazy singer-songwriter that the venue doled out nearly 35, 000 tickets, selling out two Sydney shows as part of Combs’ broader Australian tour.
Combs was joined on stage by support acts Cody Johnson and Lane Pittman, and blessed crowds by performing the beloved ritual that is a shoey.
UFC 293
The excitement ahead of UFC 293 in September was palpable across the country, to the point where ticket allocations for the buzzy event sold out within an astonishing 13 minutes.
The feat broke a Qudos Bank Arena record for the highest box office takings, previously held by The Rolling Stones, with the venue later hosting what will be remembered as one of the greatest upsets in recent MMA history.
Legions of fans across the globe looked on as Sean Strickland defeated Israel Adesanya for the UFC middleweight championship belt, enshrining an iconic moment into sports history.
Sydney Kings Back-To Back Championships v NZ Breakers
Hosting the full breadth of sporting events, Qudos Bank Arena is perhaps best known as the home game location of the beloved Sydney Kings.
The busiest moments for the NBL team took place in March, when Sydney Kings took to the court against the New Zealand Breakers in the best of 5 Grand Final series. After a neck-a-neck race, Sydney Kings took home the win with a heart stopping Game 5 clincher at Qudos Bank Arena on March 15.
The series broke an NBL record for the most tickets sold for a basketball game, again showcasing the venue’s role in memorable sporting moments.
Lizzo
Few artists captured the world’s attention this year quite like Lizzo. Armed with her latest album Special, the renowned singer-songwriter’s 2023 tour was one of the country’s must-see events, and she more than delivered with two sold-out, back-to-back shows at Qudos Bank Arena in July.
Amassing nearly 30,000 ticket sales and sharing the spotlight with Tkay Maidza, Lizzo blessed fans with mammoth hits like About Damn Time and Truth Hurts, joining countless fellow musicians in the Qudos Bank Arena hall of fame.
Morgan Wallen
If they hadn’t already snapped tickets for Luke Combs, then country music fans could satisfy their cravings with the warm vocals of Morgan Wallen, who sold tens of thousands of tickets for his Qudos Bank Arena shows in March.
The fanfare was so feverish that Wallen added an extra Sydney show, which likewise promptly sold out as legions of attendees basked in staple country hits like Last Night and You Proof — with the assistance of support acts Bailey Zimmerman and ERNEST & HARDY.
Florence + The Machine
The dog days were well and truly over when Florence + The Machine headed Down Under in March, equipped with a career-spanning set and joined by tour opener King Princess.
Selling nearly 15,000 tickets, the Qudos Bank Arena show was in support of Florence Welch’s album Dance Fever, a title which likely described the energy of concert-goers who attended the singer’s first Sydney show since 2019.
The 1975
Unsurprisingly given frontman Matty Healy’s penchant for eye-popping live show antics, the fanfare surrounding The 1975’s Sydney show in April was palpable among indie rock music fans.
The renowned British band stole the spotlight at Qudos Bank Arena alongside Wallice, blessing audiences with tracks from their latest album Being Funny in a Foreign Language and selling over 20, 000 tickets in the process.
My Chemical Romance
The hallowed halls of Qudos Bank Arena were graced by yet another monumental name in music this March, when New Jersey rock band My Chemical Romance took the stage as part of their first Australian tour in over ten years.
More than 20,000 emo fans attended My Chemical Romance’s back-to-back performances at Qudos Bank Arena, delivering a killer, decades-in-the-making set with the support of Jimmy Eats World.
Evanescence
Armed with a career-spanning setlist and in celebration of 20 years since their debut album Fallen, Evanescence had much to prove when they hit Australian shores in August.
Naturally, the rock five-piece delivered in spades, performing mammoth hits like Bring Me to Life, Going Under and My Immortal to well over 13,000 fans at Qudos Bank Arena.
While that’s enough to fill-out the calendar of even the most die-hard fans, Qudos Bank Arena still has a smattering of forthcoming shows before the year’s end, with 50 Cent and The Wiggles set to grace the stage and enshrine their names within the country’s most iconic venue.
Head here for Qudos Bank Arena’s full event calendar.