BABYMETAL’s show was an immersive experience, with brilliant use of pyrotechnics, lights and choreographed dance moves. It didn’t matter if the lyrics were sung in Japanese or English, these ladies had the crowd in the palms of their hands the entire show.

The Nordic Goddesses of Eivør and Sylvaine swept into Australian and New Zealand capital cities over the last two weeks to perform a series of headline shows. Tonight, the Autumn solstice, was their second last performance of the tour at the Princess Theatre in Brisbane before they end their tour in Perth.

A packed night at The Brightside offered a great snapshot of modern heavy music, with Ironstone, Signs Of The Swarm, and Born Of Osiris delivering curshing breakdowns, technical rhythms and brutal vocals.

Electric Six brought their high-voltage set to The Triffid stage with swagger, absurdist humour and style. The crowd wanted a cocktail of disco and that’s what they got. The 90 minutes that the band had delivered was simply a blast that left fans happy, satisfied and dripping with perspiration.

One Ok Rock’s ability to connect with fans through their emotive lyrics and electrifying stage presence was on full display, and it left a lasting impression on everyone. As the final chords echoed through the venue, it was clear that this concert was more than just a show. It was an unforgettable celebration of music’s ability to unite, move, and inspire across every border and language.

King 810 walked onto the Crowbar stage and there was no mucking around as they launched into ‘Rustbelt Metal’. Their sound was dangerous, heavy and foreboding as the band delivered overpowering metal with tortured lyricism, closing the night with the classics ‘Killem All’, ‘Boo’ and ‘Alpha & Omega’.

After a 13 year absence, Linkin Park returned to Brisbane and sold out the Brisbane Entertainment Centre over two nights. 30,000 people rejoiced in seeing the band renewed and back to where they should be: changed but relevant to modern heavy rock music.

The night saw ‘beatlesque’ screaming, synchronised dance moves and bras being thrown onto The Triffid’s stage! The sold-out and packed to the rafters’ crowd were at The Triffid to see Taylor Acorn and her band. This tour is a celebration of Taylor Acorn’s new album ‘Poster Child’. The night was a euphoric mix of joyous anthems, lyrical honesty, and unshakable hooks.

Walls of death, circle pits, stage diving and moshing filled the sold-out Princess Theatre as The Lambrini Girls exploded onto stage. The fuse had been lit. The crowd was wired and went off.

British glam rockers The Darkness brought their Dreams On Toast Tour to the Tivoli. The city’s rock fans sold out the show and gave the band a very warm, sweat-soaked, welcome back to Australia. It was a night of high rock drama: stage and balcony diving, singing lessons, fan engagement, rockstar theatrics and absolutely fantastic razor-sharp rock ‘n’ roll.

When Adam ‘Nergal’ Darski promised to bring to Australia an “uncompromising vision” of his band’s music I was hopeful at seeing and hearing the dark anti-version of the catholic faith as practiced in Poland. And that is exactly what Behemoth fans got to hear and see at the Tivoli as the band combined their signature religious referencing, black death metal with intense, theatrical, and apocalyptic stage production.

VOILÀ delivered a spicy, beautiful performance across four acts filled with CO2 cannons, sparklers and glowing bunny ears. From ‘Drinking With Cupid’ to ‘Figure You Out’, the crowd bounced, sang and clapped on command. With Yorke setting the tone early, it was playful, joyful and truly magical from start to finish.

Taken as a whole, the night never felt like a band leaning on legacy for the sake of it. Even with forty years behind them, there was no sense of coasting. Just experience, and musicians who know exactly who they are. Some bands prove themselves through spectacle. Others prove it through consistency. Dream Theater don’t need to prove anything.

Lacuna Coil’s Brisbane return drew a strong early crowd, with Melbourne’s Future Static setting the tone for the night ahead. Across an eighteen song set spanning decades, the Italian gothic metal veterans balanced fresh Sleepless Empire cuts with deep catalogue favourites, delivering a commanding performance that reaffirmed their staying power.

Lou Reed was a true master of his music, writing and art, and one of the most profound influences on modern culture. His gritty realism focused on urban life and compassion for marginalised individuals. The team behind ‘Celebrating Lou Reed, The Velvet Underground & Nico!’ delivered an immersive musical experience.

From the moment the line wrapped around the block, it was clear this night was going to be heavy. Heat and bodies packed the room as Snot hit the stage to a huge welcome. Nailbomb cranked the tension until it felt suffocating, then Soulfly blew the place wide open. No breaks, no breathing room, just raw energy all night.

Better Lovers were like energiser bunnies on speed. Loud, heavy and completely in your face, the set felt like hardcore at its most honed. This is a band that knows exactly what they’re doing, and in the close, sweaty environment of the Crowbar it hit even harder. They grabbed the crowd, shook it around and made the venue their own, draining every ounce of energy without wasting a second.

The stage went dark as introduction music played and a robotic voice welcomed the crowd before Poppy appeared and the heavy guitar riffs launched into ‘Bruised Sky’. Her high-energy, theatrical take on genre-bending heavy metal was matched with big beautiful lights, smoke pillars and performance energy that kept the crowd jumping and bouncing throughout the set.

Yungblud’s return to Brisbane felt massive from the moment the gates opened. Packed lines, oppressive heat and a crowd that refused to leave despite the rain set the tone for a high energy night at Riverstage. With Dune Rats firing up the home town crowd and Yungblud leading the night, it was a high energy night of modern rock.

The Rammstein frontman’s Meine Welt Tour opened his set in a truly spectacular cinematic style and fashion, and it was slightly bonkers – in a good way. The lights, the fog, the darkness set up the tone of the approaching musical storm - the industrial noise, the brutal theatricality, and unapologetically dark provocative, but humorous poetic world of Till Lindemann was about to be exposed and brought to life in full-colour.