Review and pictures: Nate Rose

By the river, under the clouds, thousands of metal fans gathered for something special tonight — to celebrate 20 years of Bullet For My Valentine’s breakthrough album The Poison. Bringing with them storms and support bands that could headline in their own right, you just knew this show was going to be one for the history books.

As dusk fell over Brisbane, an ominous lightning storm flickered on the distant horizon. The sky crackled just enough to stir anticipation, but not enough to break the atmosphere. Instead, the thunderclouds only added drama — a cinematic opening act for what was to come.

First to take the stage were The Devil Wears Prada — a band I have loved for a long time but for some reason have never managed to catch live until now. From the opening riff of Watchtower, they exploded into their set with pure, unrelenting aggression. There was no easing in — it was all-out warfare from the start. Frontman Mike Hranica didn’t leave a piece of the stage untouched as he stalked from side to side, making sure none of the crowd missed a thing. Musically, they were razor-sharp, shifting between chaotic breakdowns and melodic interludes with seasoned precision.

New cuts For You and Ritual were more than well received — the crowd belted every word with clean vocalist/guitarist Jeremy DePoyster, whose cleans are some of the most epic I have ever heard. Especially tonight during one of my favourites, Chemical — you could feel the emotion.

Each song was delivered with surgical accuracy and unfiltered energy. The crowd responded accordingly — circle pits opened, limbs flew, and the ground vibrated with the rhythm of the storm. “I think I can say that this is the best show of the tour,” stated DePoyster.

This felt like more than a warm-up — TDWP were here to stamp their authority and prove they, too, can easily headline next time they hit our shores. If this performance and the response to the newer songs is anything to go by, Flowers could be a career-defining album.

For me, the set was over far too soon. Closing with Sacrifice, DePoyster told the crowd — right before the heaviest breakdown of the night — “Alright motherfuckers, this is your last chance. Show me some fucking action.” The decimating breakdown hit and the crowd went H.A.M. Let’s hope a headlining tour from TDWP is not far away.

Next up, While She Sleeps took the stage with unmistakable fury. From the first chord of SYSTEMATIC, they turned the Riverstage into a battleground of bodies, sound, and emotion. Frontman Loz Taylor’s charisma and swagger were on full display from the moment he set foot on stage, holding the crowd in the palm of his hand through songs like THE GUILTY PARTY and ANTI-SOCIAL.

“We’ve done this at the other shows on this tour and it’s gone alright. Let’s see how you guys go — I want to see as many bodies fly over this barricade as I can. Let’s make the security up front work!”

Challenge accepted. Within minutes, a non-stop human conveyor belt flowed over the barricade, with security scrambling and smiling in equal measure.

Guitarist Sean Long was totally locked in, not missing a note while jumping and spin-kicking his way around the stage, while drummer Adam Savage was razor-tight — handling tempo shifts and breakdowns with machine-like precision.

“Let’s hear it for a band we go back 10, maybe 15 years with. The reason we’re all here tonight. Give it up for Bullet For My Valentine!” Loz’s shout-out to tonight’s headliners was heartfelt — the bond between bands was clear, and the respect mutual.

Their setlist was a powerful mix of old and new — whether it was the anthemic Silence Speaks or fan-favourite SLEEPS SOCIETY, While She Sleeps delivered with conviction. Technical, emotional, ferocious — a masterclass in modern metalcore.

Then — the moment thousands had waited for.

Bullet For My Valentine.

The lights dropped, and the massive screen above the stage lit up with The Poison era footage — grainy live clips, backstage chaos, press reels from two decades ago. The crowd erupted. This was it. One by one, each band member made their entrance — and as soon as they were all in place, chaos detonated as they launched into Her Voice Resides.

The bar was already sky-high after the opening bands, but Bullet somehow raised it even further — immediately proven as 4 Words (To Choke Upon) tore the place apart. After 4 Words, frontman Matt Tuck remained alone on stage under a single spotlight.

“Tonight is a celebration of something special that changed our lives,” he told the crowd — aware of just how much it had changed ours too — before gently strumming the opening chords to Tears Don’t Fall. The entire Riverstage sang every word before the band roared back in, unleashing the full sonic assault.

What followed was a meticulous, nostalgia-fuelled, full run-through of The Poison — start to finish. No filler. No shortcuts. Before launching into All These Things I Hate, Matt addressed the crowd:

“When we did this in Sydney and Melbourne it was biblical. You’re going to be better than Melbourne, right? You’re gonna be better than Sydney?”

If energy was the measure — Brisbane passed with flying colours. Backing it all was a full-scale pyro show that felt closer to a stadium spectacle than a Riverstage show. Fire jets hit every breakdown. Smoke plumes. Dramatic lighting. Room 409 felt like watching war unfold in real time.

Performance-wise, a huge standout for me was bassist Jamie Mathias — his harsh vocals were crisp, powerful, and frankly, as a vocalist myself, envy-inducing. The entire Bullet lineup were flawless — still very much at the top of their game. Highlights for me were The Poison, Cries In Vain, and an absolutely massive album closer in The End. They returned for an encore of Your Betrayal, Scream Aim Fire, and fan-favourite Waking The Demon.

This show was a celebration. A reunion. A rite of passage. For longtime fans, it was a rare chance to relive an era that defined their youth. For newer ones — a baptism into why The Poison still matters 20 years on. It is a timeless record. A landmark.

If you were there tonight — you won’t forget it. And if you weren’t — don’t make the same mistake twice.