LIVE REVIEW: MEMPHIS MAY FIRE + BLESSTHEFALL + SIENNA SKIES @ THE PRINCESS THEATRE 26/04/26

Words by Cecilia Pattison-Levi Photos Charlyn Cameron

After a day of commemoration and rest on Saturday, the Brisbane heavy metal crowd had their batteries charged for Sunday night at Brisbane’s Princess Theatre. The venue hosted three powerhouse bands, Memphis May Fire, Blessthefall and Sienna Skies, and an unforgettable gig was delivered to fans.

The evening commenced with drummer Damon Brohier coming out onto the stage early to rev the crowd up. Then the rest of the Sydney five-piece heavy rock band Sienna Skies, Nick Musgrave, Thomas Pirozzi, Michael Sankey and Josh Wade, joined him. The band wasted no time getting the Brisbane crowd moshing and turning the circle pit with their blend of rock, punk and hardcore.

Sienna Skies delivered a seven-song set that started with ‘Let It Burn’ and moved quickly into ‘A Predetermined Outcome’. The crowd was starting to warm up as ‘Cut Me Off’ was performed. Then the band addressed the crowd and said their new song ‘Pillow Talk’ was up next and would be “released later in the year”, and it was a set highlight. The energy lifted again when they performed their 2025 track ‘Elated’.

The band got the crowd waving their hands in the air as Thomas Pirozzi expressed how much playing live music means to them, before performing the rock ballad dedicated to absent friends, ‘Don’t Let Me Go’. Sienna Skies closed out their set with ‘Mess’, delivering a big heavy rock sound with a strong melodic core that the crowd appreciated.

There was then a big stage rearrange, with the drum kit removed and cables and speakers taken off stage. A medical emergency occurred when someone fell down the stairs. The stage was made bare and ready for the Phoenix, Arizona-based band Blessthefall.

It has been a 12-year wait for Blessthefall to return to Brisbane, and it was worth it. The venue lights dimmed, there was a dramatic build-up of sound, and then Blessthefall came out on stage. The band delivered an explosive 12-song set that started with ‘You Wear a Crown But You're No King’, instantly getting the crowd jumping. By the time ‘Cutthroat’ was a quarter of the way through, lead singer Beau Bokan had jumped into the crowd and was singing with fans.

Then ‘Hollow Bodies’ was delivered, and the first crowd surfer came over the barrier and was congratulated by Beau Bokan before Jared Warth left the stage to sing with the crowd. Crowd surfers, including a banana surfer, were actively encouraged, and a wave of them came over the barrier during ‘2.0’, ‘What’s Left Of Me’ and ‘Youngbloods’. Guitarists Eric Lambert and Elliott Gruenberg were tight throughout, locking in with drummer Jared Fron to keep the clean and heavy vocals driving alongside the circle pit through ‘Mallxcore’, the fantastic ‘Venom’, ‘Promised Ones’ and ‘Guys Like You Make Us Look Bad’.

The band addressed the crowd and promised to be “definitely back before 12 years go past or we will all be too old”, before initiating a wall of death during ‘Wake The Dead’. The instructions were funny: “Right! Everyone to the sides, except the banana, you can stay in the middle”. The wall collapsed and bodies flew everywhere. Blessthefall then said the venue needed to bounce, and it did during the final track ‘Hey Baby, Here’s That Song You Wanted’. They were outstanding.

The stage was redressed again, with the drum kit swapped out, fresh towels placed around and a few setlists positioned. The large Princess Theatre crowd waited.

It is important to put this Memphis May Fire performance in context. The band were last in Brisbane at The Triffid in late 2025, and it was absolute mayhem. All five shows across the country sold out, the performances were jaw-dropping and the reviews were stellar. The excitement for this return was high.

The stage went dark and the sound of a motorcycle engine revving filled the room. A deep industrial tone followed as drummer Jake Garland took his place behind the kit. Then the rest of Memphis May Fire, Matty Mullins, Kellen McGregor and Cory Elder, entered the stage and launched into ‘Paralyzed’ and ‘Shapeshifter’ for the Brisbane crowd, with CO2 cannons firing, drums pounding and lights dancing across the stage.

The Denton, Texas-based band wasted no time moving through their 17-song set, pulling tracks from across all eight of their albums. Memphis May Fire commanded the stage from the moment they appeared, delivering a performance that blended metalcore, post-hardcore, alternative metal, rap, nu-metal and southern rock. Before ‘Bleed Me Dry’, Matty Mullins hyped the crowd and spoke about his love for Brisbane, saying he felt privileged to be able to play here and grateful for the experience.

Memphis May Fire kept the crowd engaged with a well-paced set, lifting the intensity with ‘Somebody’ and pulling it back with the standout ‘Misery’. Crowd surfers began to roll over the barrier during ‘Left for Dead’, ‘The Other Side’ and ‘Infection’. A major highlight was ‘Overdose’, delivered with precision and impact, lifting the energy in the venue even further.

The set was filled with high energy, and the crowd responded to every moment. ‘The Sinner’ hit a nostalgic note for long-time fans, while ‘Vices’ and ‘Make Believe’ showcased the band’s emotional depth and aggressive breakdowns. The venue bounced as ‘Versus’ and ‘Love Is War’ landed, with Matty Mullins’ vocals standing out throughout.

Memphis May Fire closed their set with a strong encore featuring ‘The Fight Within’ and the heavy, anthemic ‘Blood & Water’. They finished with the energetic ‘Chaotic’, leaving the crowd wanting more.

Memphis May Fire, with Blessthefall and Sienna Skies, delivered the kind of live rock experience that reminds fans why they fell in love with metalcore in the first place, the energy, the emotion and the aggression. All three bands gave it everything they had.