Photography: Nate Rose
Review: Josiah Malouf 

It was another storm-soaked Sunday night in Brisbane, but that didn’t stop the city’s heavy music faithful from lining the streets outside The Tivoli — one of the most beloved venues in the Australian alternative scene.

The steel doors loomed, the line wrapped around the block, and the air was thick with that unmistakable pre-show buzz.

Rain, hail, or shine, the people were here to party — and this lineup had something for everyone, with The Ghost Inside returning to our shores for their first headline run here in years. Tagging along on their long-awaited first-ever Australian tour were the legendary Scots Bleed From Within and, icing on the cake, Australian hardcore kings Day of Contempt.

Kicking off the night were Aussie hardcore veterans Day of Contempt, proving that over twenty years of riff-slinging hasn’t dulled their edge one bit. Returning last year from a lengthy hiatus, this was DOC’s first Brisbane show in a very long time.

Their set drew heavily from the 2003 breakthrough album See Through the Lies, ripping through “Comatose,” “One by One,” and “Tear You Down” with raw aggression. Guitarist Kevin Cameron’s stage performance fueled the crowd, who wasted no time throwing down — two-steps, circle pits, and gang vocals in full swing.

Frontman Ben Coyte was unstoppable tonight, constantly bouncing from one side of the stage to the other, holding the crowd in his raised fist through the crushing song “Condemned.” Coyte did slow things down mid-set to speak about the dark side of social media and how doom-scrolling causes a disconnect from reality — whereas going to a show connects you with friends and like-minded people. “It’s a place where everyone can belong.” It was one of those moments where the noise stops, and you remember why heavy music matters.

“No matter where you come from, everyone’s here for the same reason — to enjoy heavy music,” the frontman shouted as he jumped down to the front barrier for the crowd to sing the opening line to fan favourite “Drain.”

DOC sounded huge on the big stage — the mix was spot-on: gritty, punchy, and thick with that classic HXC tone.

From start to finish, Day of Contempt set the night’s pace with unfiltered passion and showed why they are still held in such high regard within the heavy music scene. Here’s hoping this is more than just a reunion run.

After a brief intermission of pop hits echoing through the PA, the lights dimmed, and thunder rolled across the room.

Red siren lights strobed from left to right as orchestral samples built tension for Bleed From Within’s first-ever Brisbane show.

Drummer Ali Richardson emerged first, greeted by a wall of cheers, before the opening sample of “Violent Nature” hit — and suddenly, the Scots were in control.

Bleed From Within came out swinging with a ferocity that left jaws on the floor. Blast beats and circle pits erupted within seconds. Vocalist Scott Kennedy is a force to witness. He charmed the Brisbane crowd with his trademark banter, joking about how Aussies and Scots share an unfiltered love for the c-bomb.

“I can say it here without getting cancelled… You’re a good bunch of c**ts!”

“I Am Damnation” had the floor shaking, while the pit hit fever pitch during “God Complex.”

Richardson signaled to Kennedy that he had something to say, and as he took the mic, the band turned local tradition into spectacle. Richardson called for five shoes to be thrown on stage, and after tossing a few too-gross pairs back, the whole band downed shoeys to the crowd’s delight.

The night peaked with “The End of All We Know” — the chorus shouted back so loud it nearly drowned out the PA — before Kennedy closed the set surfing the crowd, knees on shoulders, beer in hand, belting the final lines of “In Place of Your Halo.”

The Scots left Brisbane sweaty, smiling, and begging for more. Their first Australian tour might be over, but they’ll be back — and next time, the walls might not survive.

By the time The Ghost Inside were due, the atmosphere inside The Tivoli was electric.

Having been here as little as 12 months ago as part of Parkway Drive’s massive 20-year anniversary shows, the Los Angeles metalcore giants had returned to treat us to a huge headlining set.

Drummer Andrew Tkaczyk stepped onto the riser, removed his prosthetic leg, and sat behind his kit to a standing ovation. This guy is a huge inspiration on and off the kit.

As Jonathan Vigil, Zach Johnson, Chris Davis, and Jim Riley joined him onstage, they launched into “Going Under” from their 2024 album Searching for Solace, and the sing-along began.

From “Death Grip” to “Wash It Away” and “Wrath,” the set was a relentless display of energy and emotion.

TGI delivered one of the tightest, most inspiring displays of musicianship imaginable — every fill and blast beat landing with precision and power, every riff and bass line cutting through like a knife.

Vigil paused the show briefly to share a deeply personal story about his late father and how this venue, The Tivoli, held a special place in that memory. You could see the tears in his eyes as he thanked the crowd for their energy and love, before throwing it back to the diehards with “Faith or Forgiveness” from Fury and the Fallen Ones, a move that sent long-time fans into nostalgic chaos.

As the set drew toward its end with “Between the Lines,” “Aftermath,” and “Avalanche,” the entire venue seemed to move as one.

Every word, every riff, every breakdown hit harder than the last.

“If you keep coming out to shows… we’ll keep coming back.”

And then, as tradition demands, the band closed with “Engine 45.”

Arms raised, voices cracking, the crowd shouted the final lines like gospel. TGI just delivered a set for the ages.

The Ghost Inside didn’t just play a show — they reminded everyone what resilience sounds like.

From Day of Contempt’s gritty hardcore foundations to Bleed From Within’s modern ferocity and TGI’s emotional weight, the night was a masterclass in heavy music and community.

Tonight was a celebration of survival, connection, and the sheer power of heavy music — one of those nights you’ll talk about for years, maybe decades, to come.

 – GALLERY –