Dead of Winter made a triumphant return after six years, transforming Mansfield Tavern into a twelve-hour celebration of heavy music, alternative culture and community. With more than 30 bands, bizarre sideshows and unforgettable moments, the festival proved it was well worth the wait.

From local favourites to exciting new discoveries, Where We Belong celebrated everything great about the live music community.

It was a night where you couldn’t take your eyes off the stage. VindictA and Terror Parade walked the line between sacred and profane with sacrilegious grins. Read the review.

Motionless In White brought the evening to a memorable close. Backed by strong performances from Currents and Make Them Suffer, it was a fitting return to Australian stages for one of modern metal's biggest live acts.

The banana costumes were on. Mario was there. And the mosh area was ready to go. A huge crowd gathered at Riverstage as I Prevail delivered their Violent Nature Australian Tour.

The crowd already knew the assignment. Circle pits, crowd surfers, crushing riffs and relentless drums filled The Tivoli as Sanguisugabogg, PeelingFlesh and Gutless delivered a sickening night of death metal.

“Poison The Well have always been able to blend heavy music, art and poetry” in their sonic soundscapes. The set delivered by Poison The Well was a vivid mix of brutality, melodic melody lines and dense lyricism.

“The band’s tone was so sharp it could cut diamonds.” Descendents blasted their way through short, sharp and fast songs as they celebrated 30 years since the release of the band’s genre defining 1996 album ‘Everything Sucks’ with “added extras”.

What an amazing night of glam, soul, piano-rock, punk, disco-rock, operatic ferocity and theatre. It was sensory overload at the surreal and chaotic brilliance of Foxy Shazam’s performance. In fact, the whole evening was amazing with three terrific bands, Whitt’s End, Big Red Fire Truck and Foxy Shazam delivering tight and different rock flavoured sets.

Escape The Fate, The Word Alive and The Gloom In The Corner created a night that felt less like a concert and more like a gathering of Brisbane's emo punk rock community. United by nostalgia, heavy riffs and huge singalongs, it was a chance to reconnect with the music that helped shape a generation.

Celebrating 25 years of Jet Age, The Superjesus delivered a fabulous night of rock ‘n’ roll in all its colours and flavours. Read Cecilia’s review of their Brisbane show.

Scottish icon KT Tunstall brought warmth, wit and nostalgia to Brisbane’s Princess Theatre, celebrating 20 years of ‘Eye To The Telescope’ with a set full of sharp storytelling, powerhouse vocals and enduring charm. Tunstall proved her stage presence and connection with fans remain as captivating as ever.

Groovin’ The Moo returned to Lismore with a diverse lineup, standout local musicians and huge crowd energy, as The Chats, Ninajirachi and Tones & I delivered memorable performances.

The crowd was let into the venue to start the night of heavy post-hardcore rock music. The three bands Of Mice & Men, Crystal Lake and Patient Sixty-Seven, delivered three different styles of metalcore, and it was loud! Travelling through your chest type of loud!

Bowling For Soup and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls brought a double headline show to The Tivoli, blending high-energy sets with a wall of hugs, jazz hands and a square pit, with Talk Heavy opening.

Maxïmo Park returned to Brisbane after 14 years with a celebratory set at The Triffid, marking 20 years of ‘A Certain Trigger’. Performing the album alongside fan favourites, the band delivered an energetic show, with Flamingo Blonde opening the night.

After a day of commemoration and rest, the Brisbane heavy metal crowd had their batteries charged at Princess Theatre as Memphis May Fire, Blessthefall and Sienna Skies delivered an unforgettable gig.

Spite’s first Australian headline tour landed in Brisbane with a sold out show at The Triffid, kicking things off on April 24. With Varials on main support and local acts DIESECT and Zuko opening, the combo is honestly violent.

Orange County post-hardcore trailblazers Saosin performed at the Tivoli to celebrate 20 years of their iconic self-titled album by playing it in full, as well as other hit songs from their back catalogue. They brought post-hardcore legends Senses Fail and Melbourne melodic hardcore band Fallweather along for the album’s birthday festivities. What a way to celebrate. This was no throwback concert, it was a return.

Amber Run celebrated 10 years of ‘5AM’ with a full album performance at The Triffid in Brisbane, marking their long-awaited debut, with Jacob Lee opening.