5 Seconds of Summer’s Rod Laver Arena show leans into irony and new material

Mock‑documentary sets the tone

Guitarist Michael Clifford opened the show with a deadpan line, “There’s us, The Beatles and Jesus,” delivered in a pre‑filmed segment styled after a 60 Minutes mockumentary. The clip portrayed the band conquering the world, falling apart and reuniting, framing their fame as both an “elixir of life” and a subject of satire.

Set‑list swings between old and new

Fans heard long‑standing anthems including “Voodoo Doll” and “She Looks So Perfect,” which prompted “a collective delirium” among the crowd. The newer album Everyone’s a Star! contributed tracks such as “Not Ok” and “Telephone Bus,” described as “different and slightly slower to heat up” yet still capable of “exaltation.”

Other moments noted were the emotional response to “Amnesia,” which “makes her cry every time,” according to a woman beside the writer.

Musical chops on display

Lead vocalist Luke Hemmings and guitarist Michael Clifford delivered “blistering guitar solos” that “send shockwaves through the arena,” reminding listeners that “boy bands can be punk rock, too.”

Surprise guest appearance

Late in the evening the band welcomed The Wiggles for an “Everyone’s a Star! dance party,” encouraging the “Tree of Wisdom” to do the worm on stage. The collaboration highlighted the group’s ongoing “refusal to take themselves seriously.”

Audience reaction

The writer, who has followed the band since their “side‑bangs and floppy beanie days,” described the night as a resurgence of teenage enthusiasm, noting that “older tracks … have everyone … screaming along to lyrics we’ve sung a million times.”

Overall, the Rod Laver Arena concert blended self‑referential humor, a mix of classic and new songs, and an unexpected guest, delivering a night that both celebrated and poked fun at the boy‑band label.