Kendrick Lamar and Doechii performing at Spilt Milk at Claremont Showground on Sunday.
There was no doubt Kendrick Lamar brought the energy from his Super Bowl spectacle earlier this year to Perth on Sunday night as the headliner for the summer music festival Spilt Milk. The US hip-hop legend is traveling around Australia on his Grand National Tour in support of his sixth album, GNX, released last year, and his performance at Claremont Showground was everything one would expect from a global superstar, fireworks included.
Lamar emerged on stage just after 8:30 PM in a cloud of smoke to start his set with “Wacced Out Murals” in front of thousands of cheering fans, excited to see him again following his last Perth concert on December 1, 2022. The atmosphere intensified as pyrotechnics went off, lighting up the rap legend, who was wearing stylish streetwear, a baseball cap, and glasses. His performance reached new heights as fireworks burst into the night sky while he rapped “Squabble Up” and talented dancers filled the stage.
A Night to Remember: Highlights and Crowd Favorites
Highlights of Lamar’s 75-minute show included the crowd belting out his popular 2017 track “Humble,” which featured a group of women dancers on stage owning the moment. “You having a good time tonight? We’re gonna make some noise,” Lamar told festival-goers. “Perth is one of my favorite places in the world, it’s good to be back.”
Lamar then told his fans he was going to throw it back to “day one” with his huge hit “Swimming Pools (Drank)” from 2012, continuing the party in the mosh and elsewhere across the venue. “I feel the energy up here tonight,” Lamar said as he continued to engage with the crowd. “We’ve got something special going on.”
Another impressive feature of his mini concert was the graphics and visuals plastered across the massive LED screens on either side of the stage. Some artists’ concerts too often lack entertaining visual aids, with boring video clips played on rotation and not varied enough. Lamar’s production team went above and beyond, making his set as engaging as possible with a live Lamar at times superimposed on creative art, a mock interview of Lamar being questioned over song lyrics, and a funny clip of him and SZA arguing over a takeaway order before he launched into their song “Luther.”
Doechii’s Electrifying Debut in Perth
Earlier in the day, the Claremont venue was filled with thousands of music lovers from 10:30 AM who donned colorful festival outfits as they danced the day away to huge hits from popular Aussie and international artists. Sunday night’s line-up also included ScHoolboy Q and Doechii — who are supporting Lamar on tour — as well as Sara Landry, Dominic Fike, Chance Peña, The Rions, Sombr, Mia Wray, Ninajirachi, Genesis Owusu, Rebecca Black, Rum Jungle, and Nessa Barrett.
When Doechii took to the main stage after 7 PM, the crowd surged forward to see the 27-year-old rapper who rose to fame via TikTok in 2021 before taking out this year’s Grammy for Best Rap Album. Coming all the way from New York City for her first Perth show, she got the crowd hyped by chanting “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi” while wearing a red bikini, mini denim shorts, and a corset as her long crimped hair flowed out behind her.
The crowd went wild as she twerked around on stage, turned into a swamp, and belted out hits like “Denial Is A River,” “Alter Ego,” and “Anxiety.” Doechii — her stage moniker she came up with in school to combat bullying — proved she is an ultimate performer born for the stage as she oozed star quality lyrically and physically with her dancing, never missing a beat.
Festival Vibes and Future Prospects
Throughout the afternoon, all three stages provided entertainment for all types of music lovers. American singer Sombr, 20, was a huge favorite with fans keen to see him perform his best hits “Undressed,” “Back to Friends,” and “12 to 12.” Fellow American native Dominic Fike also had the crowd dancing to his catchy tunes despite needing to restart two songs and then lying down on stage while his band played the last song before he got up and walked off.
This year’s Spilt Milk really cemented that summer feeling as people celebrated incredible music and artists who proved Perth isn’t missing out in terms of live gigs. The festival marked the start of a killer summer of music in Perth when more huge international acts like Chappell Roan, Lorde, and Ed Sheeran are coming to town.
The announcement comes as Perth continues to establish itself as a key destination for major music tours, reflecting a growing appetite for diverse musical experiences in the region. As the city gears up for more international acts, the success of Spilt Milk 2025 sets a promising precedent for future festivals and concerts.
