Colin Hay – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Like most people, I was well aware of Down Under long before I knew much about Colin Hay.

It’s one of those songs that has become part of popular culture, instantly recognisable from the opening notes. For years, that was pretty much the extent of my knowledge of his music.

That changed thanks to a friend of mine.

Many years ago, whenever we’d end up sitting around his house having a smoke, there always seemed to be a Colin Hay album playing in the background. Gradually, the songs started sinking in and I realised there was far more to him than just being the guy from Men at Work.

The songwriting was thoughtful, melodic and often surprisingly moving.

Ever since then, I’ve kept an eye on what he’s been doing.

Before Colin took to the stage, support came from Glen Phillips.

He did an excellent job warming up the audience and set the tone perfectly for the evening ahead. Like Colin, he has a relaxed, conversational style that makes you feel as though you’re spending time with an old friend rather than watching a formal performance.

Then it was time for the main event.

What followed was part concert, part storytelling session and part comedy show.

In fact, I’m not entirely convinced Colin Hay had much of a setlist at all beyond one obvious instruction: play Down Under at the end.

Everything else seemed to flow naturally from story to song and back again.

The remarkable thing was how engaging he was throughout. Some musicians tell stories between songs because they feel obliged to fill the silence. Colin tells stories because he’s genuinely brilliant at it. Every anecdote seemed to lead effortlessly into the next song, creating a performance that felt completely relaxed and spontaneous.

And he was hilarious.

Before the show started, a friend spotted me in the crowd and we ended up chatting afterwards. His verdict was that he’d spent half the evening in stitches laughing and that Colin should seriously consider becoming a stand-up comedian.

I couldn’t really argue.

There were points where the audience were laughing as hard as they would at a comedy club.

What seemed particularly unfair was that he also happened to be an excellent musician and songwriter.

Most people spend a lifetime trying to get really good at one thing.

Colin Hay appears to have mastered several.

The songs themselves were every bit as strong as the stories surrounding them. Whether performing material from his solo career or revisiting songs from earlier in his career, he held the audience’s attention completely. There was a warmth and authenticity about the whole performance that made the evening feel remarkably intimate.

By the time he finally reached Down Under, the audience was more than ready.

It provided the perfect ending to a wonderful night.

Looking back, this was exactly the sort of concert I enjoy most. No elaborate production, no unnecessary gimmicks and no giant video screens trying to distract you. Just a gifted songwriter sharing songs, stories and a healthy amount of laughter with an appreciative audience.

As we left, I noticed that Men at Work are touring America in 2026.

Here’s hoping they decide to make the trip to Scotland as well.

If they do, I’ll definitely be there.

God willing.

The videos below include Glen Phillips’ support set along with Colin Hay’s wonderfully entertaining mix of music and storytelling. If you’ve only ever heard Down Under, you’re missing out on a lot more than you realise.

The gig was a mixture of stories and songs and I don’t think he had a setlist other than play, Down Under, last. His stories were both engaging and really funny. A friend who spotted me in the crowd before the show started and whom I met afterwards said he was in stitches and Colin should do stand up comedy. I thought it unfair how someone could be so good at both.

All in all a very enjoyable night and I see that Men at Work are touring America in 2026. I hope they come to Scotland because I’ll definitely be going, God willing.