18 October 2025 – Riverstage, Brisbane – words by Lucas Bell – pictures by Luke Petty
Bullet for My Valentine are a band that are no strangers to Australia. Having been here so many times, it makes sense that when an announcement of a 20th anniversary tour for The Poison would be going world wide, it made sense Australia would see some of that action. Having released in October of 2005, the fact that not only we got the tour, but in the anniversary month of its release, meant these three Australian shows would be special. And what could make it even more special? Bringing two absolute titans of metalcore to support them, in While She Sleeps, and The Devil Wears Prada. Two bands, with their own history and long lineage with Australia. Tonight was always going to be a special night. And it was.
As to be expected, the fun began straight out of the gate, as openers The Devil Wears Prada walked out on stage. Guitarist Jeremy DePoyster screamed for circle pits as the intro to ‘Watchtower’ hit. This will be the fifth time I’ve seen Prada, and the third time at this venue, and the energy both the band was giving, and the crowd was giving, easily made this already feel like one of the best times I’ve seen them live. Vocalist Mike Hranica then asked “what’s up Brisbane?” as ‘Danger: Wildman’ kicked off. DePoyster encouraged the rowdiness during the track, as the pit was moving like crazy. Hranica then dropped a “Holy God damn shit” before being blown away with how many people had shown up in the rain. ‘Salt’ was played next, before requests for giant, slow circle pits for ‘Broken’.
The Devil Wears Prada – Riverstage – photos by Luke Petty
Hranica mentioned being in this venue 15 years ago with Parkway, and also with A Day to Remember in 2013, and how cool it was to be back playing The Riverstage. The band were also so far behind, they didn’t even know what day it was, which the crowd yelled “Saturday” at them, which was kinda hilarious. DePoyster hyped up ‘While She Sleeps’ and ‘Bullet’, before we got ‘Ritual’, as DePoyster called for even more pit action. Brisbane was then named as the favorite of the three shows, which is funny because Prada don’t normally conform to the “favorite city” thing. But any mention of Sydney gets notoriously boo’d in Brisbane and they thought it was kinda funny. We then got ‘For You’ off the band’s upcoming record, Flowers, which was dedicated to the ladies, and ‘Chemical’, which was dedicated to DePoyster’s friend who passed away, as DePoyster asked for phone lights, which lit up the entire hill. The set closed on ‘Sacrifice’, and Hranica got the Wall of Death going for the final part of the song. Prada never disappoint, and tonight, they were incredible.
About 20 minutes later, the lights dimmed as While She Sleeps slowly made their way out on stage. Guitarist Mat Welsh gave Brisbane a big scream, before the band launched into ‘SYSTEMATIC’. The pit was going mental for this track, and it’s a song I do like, but never loved. After seeing it live, it’s now a favorite. Lawrence “Loz” Taylor then gave Brisbane a shout out, before asking how the sexy motherfuckers of Brisbane were. Like Prada, Loz also mentioned the amount of bodies in the venue and how it was cool to see people as far as the eye could see. He asked for horns to the sky for ‘THE GUILTY PARTY’, and the song even got a Wall of Death right at the super heavy part. Welsh then mentioned if you didn’t know who While She Sleeps were before tonight, now you know.
While She Sleeps – Riverstage – photos by Luke Petty
‘ANTI-SOCIAL’ was up next, as Loz was ripping out crazy high kicks on the breakdown. Welsh then got the crowd jumping for ‘RAINBOWS’, and Loz asked for bodies to come flying thick and fast for ‘Four Walls’. Loz even got in on the action in a really sick moment, when during the chorus towards the end, he was lying on his back, crowd surfing, as the crowd surfed him around the floor. Watching from the hill, this was probably the sickest moment of the night. ‘Silence Speaks’ came with a quick dedication to Oli Sykes, who features on the studio recording of the track, and While She Sleeps gave a massive thanks to Bullet, and the 15 years of friendship the band has shared. The set closed out with ‘TO THE FLOWERS’, and finally, ‘SLEEP SOCIETY’.
Dead at 8:30pm, the entire venue lights went out, as a light board started to play videos of a very young Bullet for My Valentine. The video went over their accomplishments from when The Poison was released, and showed clips of them from the 2004-2005 era. The video ended, as the stage bathed in red lights, and showed the skull from the 2021 self-titled record, which seemingly has become the band’s logo. The intro to The Poison played over the speakers, as Michael “Padge” Paget and Jamie Mathias took places on some high rise platforms at the back of the stage, flanking drummer Jason Bowld. Matt Tuck then walked out to the front of the stage, as the initial scream for ‘Her Voice Resides’ kicked off the anniversary playthrough. Fire cannons were going nuts through the song, and it felt like the entirety of Brisbane was with us at the venue, the crowd was that loud. Padge and Mathias joined Tuck down front as the crowd mosh and sang loudly.
Bullet For My Valentine – Riverstage – photos by Luke Petty
Tuck then led a clap for the intro of ‘4 Words (to Choke Upon)’, which I sang VERY loud, as it’s one of my favorite tracks from the record. Tuck has such a commanding presence in his live form. The man didn’t even need to say a word, and had the fans losing their minds. Tuck mentioned how tonight is going to be another special night they share, with a record so deeply connected to the band’s mythos. He asked for Brisbane to set the vibe with phone lights and lighters. Tuck then sang alone on stage, strumming along, to the first verse and chorus of ‘Tears Don’t Fall’. Genuinely, the most beautiful thing of the night. After the chorus, the rest of the band resumed their normal positions, as they started the song from the beginning as the full band. Right before the “let’s go” lyrics and guitar solo, Tuck did an Aussie, Aussie Aussie chant, which the crowd went ballistic for.
Tuck asked if we were ready for a fast one, as ‘Suffocating Under Words of Sorrow (What Can I Do)’ played next, which sent the crowd into a frenetic, chaotic mess. Tuck then unloaded about how amazing it has been to get out and play The Poison to everyone. The album holds a special place in the band’s hearts, and even though Tuck said this to us, he almost didn’t need to. There was a beautiful energy exchange throughout the night between band and audience, where it showed Brisbane loved this record just as much as the band did. Tuck called tonight a celebration of a piece of work that changed their lives forever, and has kept them relevant 20 years on, and how appreciative he and the band are, that we keep coming back for them. And now, “it is time to get back to business and play some fucking songs”. ‘Hit the Floor’ was next, and the key change in this song towards the end gives me chills. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this song live, but it needs to be part of the bands rotation moving forward. So good live.
Bullet For My Valentine – Riverstage – photos by Luke Petty
‘All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)’ typically had the biggest moment of the night, as the crowd sang it so very loudly. There was a bit of hilarious irony when the couples in the crowd were cuddling and kissing to this song, which the lyrics are a bit of a polar opposite. But alas, it’s the biggest song and it was always going to draw love. Next was ‘Hand of Blood’, which is the band’s best song in the entire discography and I will not hear otherwise, or any slander towards it. This is the track that got me into the band, and live, is an absolute beast. ‘Room 409’ popped the crowd, and Tuck asked for singing on the “killer chorus” that is The Poison. One final ask for noise and crowd participation as they ran through the final songs, ’10 Years Today’, ‘Cries in Vain’, and fittingly, ‘The End’, to close out the tribute to one of the best metalcore records of the 2000s.
But the show wasn’t quite over yet. With begging and pleading from Brisbane, the boys walked back out for not just one more song, but three. In Sydney and Melbourne, the first song of the encore has been ‘Knives’, which is a newer song from the 2021 self-titled record. I was fully expecting that to play, but instead, we got something different. Venom is a record that I am very split on. Some of the songs I love, some I don’t. But we got ‘Your Betrayal’, which is the best song on that record, and holy shit I lost my freaking mind. The show closers were then the standard, of ‘Scream, Aim, Fire’, and ‘Waking the Demon’. The band stuck around for a minute to hand out picks and sticks, as ‘Break Stuff’ by Limp Bizkit played on the speakers, hours before the announcement of the passing of Sam Rivers. It feels spooky now, going back and looking it over. But overall, the show was incredible, and all three bands need to come back as soon as they can.
