LIVE REVIEW: POPPY + OCEAN GROVE + INERTIA @ THE FORTITUDE MUSIC HALL 20/01/26

Words by Cecilia Pattison-Levi

The Fortitude Valley Music Hall hosted Poppy’s Constantly Nowhere Tour with Melbourne’s Ocean Grove and Sydney’s Inertia in support. It was a fantastic line-up of bands who are pushing the boundaries in their music in exploring heavy metal’s potential for genre-blending.

The night commenced with a metalcore 7-song set from Inertia. The amazing four-piece band comprises of Mark Williamson (guitar/production), Julian Latouche (vocals), Oliver Smith (bass) and Sebastian Schaber (drums). Their sets with Imminence and at Good Things 2025 were terrific so expectations were high.

Inertia was loud, heavy, and full of energy. There was a full-on energy as they performed ‘Counterfeit’ and ‘Leviathan’. The mix of the humming bassline and drums resonated through the venue and the crowd. Julian Latouche delivered incredible dynamic range between his soaring cleans and guttural screams especially on the face-melting heaviness of ‘Dominion’ and ‘Enrapture’. Mark Williamson and Oliver Smith completed the wall of sound with guitar precision.

Inertia had the circle pit going early to the delight of the crowd. They had the crowd in the palm of their hands as the band played them new music. Inertia then delivered the impressive songs ‘Too Far Gone’ and ‘Lament’ that closed out the set. Inertia is a band that you should be watching.

Ocean Grove were up next on stage, and they exploded right from the opening with ‘OG Forever’. The band jumped and spun out as they delivered their high-energy nu-metal rap-infused rock. The live band comprises of Dale Tanner (vocals), Brent "Twiggy" Hunter (bass), Sam Bassal (drums), (bass/vocals) with Todd Andrews (guitar).

Ocean Grove wasted no time in delivering an exciting set. They got the crowd bouncing and jumping to ‘Cell Division’, ‘Superstar’, ‘Stratosphere Love’ and ‘No Offence Detected’. The 13 track setlist slammed with heavy songs. Dale Tanner’s vocals brought raw power and emotion to the set from ballads to nu-metal rockers. The band’s synchronised stage presence and energy proved why they are a fantastic live band.

Ocean Grove did it all from high-octane songs like ‘My Disaster’ to the affecting ballad of the ‘Last Dance’. The crowd surfers got going and the circle pit was turning from the opening beat. The songs ‘Guys From The Gord’, ‘SoWhat1999’ and ‘Raindrop’ showed the band’s versatility as they swapped roles to share the singing duties.

The band closed out their set with three rollicking songs: the crowd favourite ‘Sunny’, ‘Fly Away’ and ‘Junkies’. Ocean Grove’s grooves ricocheted around the venue with electric energy and swagger. Not to be missed!

Then, the stage was totally changed for Poppy and her band (drummer, bassist and the amazing guitarist Johnuel Hasney). Equipment was removed and the setlist stuck down. There was an amazing rhinestone covered microphone stand put into place and its reflection off the amazing lights was beautiful.

The stage went dark; the microphone stand glittered, introduction music played as a robotic voice welcomed the crowd to the idea of hidden secrets and the masks people wear in life. It had the feel of Ancient Greek tradition about it. Then, it was time for the show to begin. Poppy’s band entered the stage first, their faces were adorned with creepy, skin-like masks that fit the eerie artistic vision. Then, Poppy appeared on stage and the heavy guitar riffs launched into ‘Bruised Sky’.

Poppy (aka Moriah Pereira) started her musical career early in the 2010s with her sweet pop songs. She was a YouTuber and Vlogger and she posted covers and her original songs. It led to her debut EP ‘Bubblebath’ in 2016 with the breakout hit ‘Lowlife’. It seems like a world and lifetime away from the massive transformation she has undertaken in her musical life with her journey leading to heavy metal. She is blending genres as she fuses pop and metal and has now secured a deal with Sumerian Records. 

Poppy’s set was focused on delivering her high-energy, theatrical take on her genre-bending version of heavy metal music from her 2024 album ‘Negative Spaces’ and the soon to be released album 2026’s ‘Empty Hand’. Her setlist of 17 songs catered to old and new fans with songs from the albums and quite a few covers. The theme of the evening about what lies beneath the mask was held throughout the set with all the robotic interludes.

Poppy did not engage in much banter, in fact she hardly addressed the crowd at all. The band had an unusual strategy of performing. After delivering ‘Bloodmoney’, the band walked off stage. Then, they returned in about a minute and performed ‘Scary Mask’. Then, the band moved off stage again and then returned for ‘The Cost Of Giving Up’ and then it was exit stage left again, only to return within a minute to play the new song ‘Public Domain’. After a while, the crowd got used to the stop start motion of the set delivery.

The crowd was having fun with impressive circle pits that Poppy joined in at the end of the set. There was crowd surfing, big beautiful lights, and smoke pillars that helped set the scene for some of the serious songs like ‘Concrete’. It was so much fun live, with all its musical twists and turns with lighting and performance energy to match. ‘The Centre’s Falling Out’, the rhythmic metal jam of ‘Anything Like Me’ and the fabulous ‘Have You Had Enough?’ got the crowd jumping and bouncing. It was great to see a lot of young women crowd surfing.

Then, Poppy launched into a cover of Babymetal’s ‘From Me To U’ before she left the stage and then returned and launched into the crowd favourite ‘Crystallized’. Then, ‘Time Will Tell’ and the cover of Bad Omen’s ‘VAN’ with her soft vocals in focus against booming bass and drums followed. The crowd was loving it and had worked themselves into a sweaty mosh.

Poppy played another new song ‘If We’re Following The Light’. The lights and smoke pillars really went off in ‘Never Find My Place’ and ‘They’re All Around Us’. Then, the last song was ready to be performed. The creepy, disembodied voice talked to the crowd about the light and dark in people as Poppy returned to the stage, with her sparkly microphone in her hand and delivered ‘New Way Out’. It is a song about finding yourself in a world that wants you to be anything, but what you are. It was the perfect closing song and message complete with confetti cannons of white covering the crowd and the stage.

The large crowd filed out of the Fort - sweaty and happy. It was an earnest performance from Poppy. She is still finding her voice in metal, but her fans are there for her, as they explore the genre. Poppy and her fans want fun at the centre of their music and gigs.