Good Charlotte — A Bucket‑List Blast of Pop Punk.
Good Charlotte were my favourite band when I was 11. I absolutely loved their first two albums, so naturally they were on my list to see. They came out with some good energy, the stage props and visuals were exceptional, and they started off with a bang!!
They hit the stage with real spark — big grins, big energy, and stage visuals that felt straight out of a scrappy, sweat‑soaked punk club blown up to arena size. The opening run was a proper jolt. I always knew Good Charlotte songs were catchy, but hearing those choruses explode live for the first time, with a few thousand people belting them out in unison, was something else.
The twins work well together and the bass guitarist is a shredding machine. I did find there was a bit of a lull in the middle, I think due to playing back‑to‑back new tracks — which I thoroughly enjoyed and think will be growers in time for the die‑hard Good Charlottens.
The girls around me were also excited when the drummer took his shirt off; to his credit he also had the drums humming! A bit like Yellowcard, they were very humble and grateful to Australia for giving them their first real breakout, and you could see in the crowd how much Australia loves Good Charlotte.
I’m glad I got to see them. It’s another band ticked off my bucket list, and it truly took me back to sitting in my bedroom with their CDs on, belting out the lyrics.
Yellowcard - The voice that surprised
For a band that’s been through a couple of breakups and lineup changes, you wouldn’t have known it. They came out looking settled, energised, and genuinely happy to be back onstage. No drama, no tension — just a band enjoying the moment.
The vocals were honestly the biggest surprise. I knew he could sing, but it sounded ridiculously good — clean, powerful, and the kind of voice that could jump genres without blinking. One of those “oh wow… okay” moments.
The crowd was into it from the start. Even though I didn’t know many of the songs going in, they pulled me in straight away with the energy and stage presence. And then they brought out Joel Madden for Bedroom Posters, which sent the place up another level.
They wrapped things up with Only One and Ocean Avenue, and the whole arena just lost it. Proper sing‑along moment, everyone belting it out like it was the soundtrack to their teenage years.
They took a moment to talk about last year’s unexpected cancellations, and you could tell they meant it when they said they were grateful to be back. It felt humble, not rehearsed.
And honestly — the violinist? Unreal. You don’t see that every day in pop‑punk. One minute he’s shredding, the next he’s hyping up the crowd. Such a cool part of their sound and vibe.
Kisschasy — Melbourne’s Punk Lads Return With Fire in Their Gut
Kisschasy, the punk lads from Melbourne who carved out some huge moments in the early 2000s, are officially back — and sounding like they never left. Seventeen years after their last album, they’ve returned with fresh music and a renewed spark, and their set proved exactly why people have missed them.
They kicked things off with a run of old bangers, the kind that instantly yank you back to sweaty all‑ages shows and triple‑j‑fuelled summers. The nostalgic crowd didn’t hesitate — as soon as those opening chords hit, everyone rushed the floor like muscle memory. And honestly, Kisschasy rewarded them. They sounded crisp, clean, and locked‑in, delivering a tight 10‑song set that felt both familiar and freshly energised.
A few tracks absolutely punched through the mix: Do‑do’s & Whoa‑oh’s hit with that classic Kisschasy bounce, Spray on Pants had the whole room shouting along, Opinions Won’t Keep You Warm at Night landed like a time capsule cracking open, and Face Without a Name reminded everyone just how good their melodic side always was.
Stagecraft? Still there. Instrumentally? Absolutely on. You could tell they’ve been itching to play again — they worked the stage with the confidence of a band who know exactly who they are and why people still care.
My only gripe: no Parasite from the new album. A tiny disappointment, but only because the rest of the set had me excited for what their full headline tour is going to feel like.
As a warm‑up for Yellowcard and Good Charlotte, they were a perfect fit — nostalgic enough to unite the crowd, sharp enough to stand tall on their own. It’s genuinely good to see them back, thriving, and reminding everyone why they mattered in the first place.
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