Jesse Welles Alive Down Under
The Corner Hotel-Melbourne- 20 January 2026
We came back from our beach sojourn a day early to catch the YouTube sensation, and now Grammy-nominated Jesse Welles perform at The Corner in Richmond. If you have not come across his music online, you are not part of the algorithm. Or maybe you just aren’t online much because he has 2 million followers on Insta, millions of likes on TikTok, well over 100 million views on YouTube, and subscribers over 1/2 a million to his channel.
The visit here has been called Down Under The Powerlines Tour, and 8 of his 10 shows have sold out. The name of the tour points to the place where he records his videos in the USA. For example, this one Venezuela:
Welles is a social media content monster. He is a cute little monster online and in the flesh. He’s got a great haircut, reminiscent of David Johansen or Farrah Fawcett, muscular arms and the ability to digest the news and turn it into a political ditty. These 2-3 minute songs are soundbites of commentary. There is not a lot of melody or BPM’s, but the words spray over you like a fire hose.
It was noted at The Corner that Welles would play an hour acoustic and then an hour with his 2-piece band. The crowd was eager and diverse. This mixed bag of a peanut gallery had their phones ready and were jammed into the band room. The room erupted, and the handheld devices lit up as Jesse launched into his first volley of songs, including “Join Ice,” “The List,” “Walmart,” “United Health,” and more.
It irks me to no end that people cannot be in the moment. There was a woman in front of me live-streaming the first few songs to ONE viewer. Her phone was bright in my face, and I muttered in her ear, “Be Here Now”. I was not being mean; I was just trying to get her to do just that, but she paid me no notice.
Jesse Welles continued on and let his songs fill the room. They were lapped up, and people sang along here and there. I found it very odd that he had nothing to say to the crowd. At one point, he said, “It’s nice to be here”. Someone said to me after the show that Dylan never said much on stage.
Yeah, but Welles is not the “new” Dylan, Mellencamp, or Wainwright. His songs are firmly rooted in the 21st century and can make you laugh or nod in agreement. He was invited to Farm Aid; is that a blessing from Neil, Bob and Willie or just marketing? Unfortunately, you have little idea where this young man is truly coming from. He looked like a stunned or munted mullet when people called out for him to acknowledge the crowd and speak.
“Introduce the band!
What’s your favourite colour
“Earth to Jesse “
These were some of the jovial things people yelled at him between songs. Yes, this is probably his schtick, not to talk and let the songs fill the air. Unfortunately, it came across like you were watching a live YouTube concert of him. You wanted some interaction, some patter, some connection. Everyone KNOWS the songs.
Welles has released a dozen albums between 2012 and 2018 and lived in Nashville as so many songwriters do these days. Those albums were released under J Jes Sea Welles and Welles. In 2021, he moved back to Arkansas and started recording his songs and uploading them to YouTube a bit later. He is definitely prolific, having released 8 more albums in 2024-2025.
Welles and his band played some middle-of-the-road rock and roll, a cover of ‘Heart Shaped Box’ by Nirvana, and the majority of the audience were very pleased to be in his presence. During the last few songs my partner and I walked around the bandroom, checking out the crowd and the merchandise. We both agreed that you could find a band playing for free almost any night in Melbourne that could perform better rock and roll.
Alas, it was an interesting social gathering. We did not learn anything about Jesse Welles but we did get to hear him play his songs.
We knew Welles could play the songs live because that is what he does on his YouTube channel. People may chide me for expecting more than music from a performer. Having seen the masters like John Prine, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Neil Young and more, letting the audience see a bit of who you are can add a magical touch to a night of music.
If Jesse raises community consciousness and motivates people to take political action, that’s great.
Yes, we experienced Jesse Welles live. I don’t know if I would enter that space again when I can find the same online for free.
Peace and Love, Everyone.
Here is Jesse’s setlist from Night 1….to give you an idea of what we heard, but not exactly on Night 2.
Maybe there are reasons we don't know about. We don't know him. In smaller settings/concerts, with far fewer people, I've seen him a little differently. His music speaks for him. I can easily accept that and would always prefer seeing him live to “online for free.” The financial aspect irritated and alienated me. He is a passionate musician and a master of words. In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing him live again.
I apologize if I didn't express myself well in some places. I'm not a native speaker.
Greetings from Europe!
What a refreshingly honest review! I completly understand the frustration with performers who dont engage with their audience. Live music should be about connection, not just content delivery. You nailed the difference between watching a screen and experiencing a performance. I've felt that same disconnect at shows where the artist treated the crowd like viewers instead of participants. Sometimes viral fame comes with growing pains.