14 December 2025 – Riverstage, Brisbane – words by Lucas Bell – pictures by Bec Harbour
It is pretty mental that we are at the very end of the 2025, and you can look at a line up and go “this is easily a contender for show of the year”. December is notoriously a quiet month for shows in Australia, but not this year. Not only were the metalcore giants Architects bringing Australia their final shows of the year, but they were bringing along two of the most exciting bands of recent times with them, with a returning House of Protection, who were only here in January supporting Bad Omens, and debut Australian tour for PRESIDENT, in what is only their eighth show as a concept. Three bands I love, and am really excited to see.
Six pm hit, and after some old timey music played through the Riverstage speakers for the entire hour the doors had been open, PRESIDENT slowly made their way out onto stage. The masked collective have a simple, yet effective presentation. The band’s vocalist, known simply as The President, stood behind a podium, and for 25 minutes, delivered a six song address to Brisbane, which Brisbane loudly received. The first song the band played was ‘Fearless’, which has a sing along part just before the chorus, where the crowd was SO loud. It was cool, considering the venue was about half full for these guys, which still, is nearly 5000 people.
After ‘Dionysys’, we got a small interlude with political style messaging throughout the speakers, before ‘RAGE’ played. The back half of the set was my three favorite songs, with ‘Conclave’ first, before the absolute banger that is ‘Destroy Me’. Another interlude played, before ‘In the Name of the Father’ got the crowd loud and moving, as that 5000 crowd number was creeping closer to about 7000, as Brisbane watched PRESIDENT rock their final song, and graciously exit stage to mass applause. It’s actually insane this is their eighth show ever. The set was tight, as were all the performances.
Out next were California metal punks, House of Protection. It’s no secret I’ve been a fan of Stephen Harrison and Aric Improta for over a decade. These two guys are machines at live shows, and the last time they were here, is a show I still talk about to this day. Crazy to think that last show at the Riverstage, was their fifth show, ever. Walking out earlier than I anticipated, they immediately ripped into the track ‘Pulling Teeth’. As is tradition, the second song was ‘Learn to Forget’, and Steve jumped into the crowd as the crowd almost knew exactly what to do, which was to rip a circle pit around him as he performed with a mic stand and guitar in the middle of this huge pit. Any time the circle slowed down, we got a deep “run, run, run motherfucker run” from Steve, which pushed the crowd to expend as much energy as they could. Steve returned to the stage for the “no moshing allowed song”, ‘Being One’.
House of Protection – Riverstage – photos by Bec Harbour
Steve then asked who had seen House of Protection before, to which a decent chunk of the crowd said yes too. More than I was honestly anticipating. Steve mentioned the last Brisbane show, where they opened for Bad Omens and Poppy, is a show that he and Aric still fondly reflect on to this day, which yes, I totally agree on. Steve then said that only being three songs in, tonight is shaping up to be an even better show, as they launched into the first new track, ‘Afterlife’. This song got a big wall of death at the starting breakdown, which was so sick. Steve then asked for bodies over the barricades as ‘Fuse’ kicked off, and Aric jumped off the kit to be a frontman for a song, as ‘Godspeed’ kicked off. This was easily my favorite song of the live set, as the energy of Aric running around, doing flips, and even jumping off a container lid and flipping into a crowd surf was just such gnarly shit,
House of Protection – Riverstage – photos by Bec Harbour
Steve called for no moshing again, as ‘Better Off’ played, and Steve got back onto the rail to sing with Brisbane the huge chorus. Up next was ‘Fire’, which was played at the last Brisbane show as an unreleased track. So hearing it, knowing what I am listening to, was kinda sick. Absolute banger of a track too. Steve then mentioned tonight caps off the band’s final show of 2025, and they want to do it in style, asking for people to push back the pending wall of death so far that people get pushed into the woods, which was funny, as we’re surrounded by the Brisbane River. The set closed off with ‘It’s Supposed to Hurt’, as we got lots of “love ya’s” and kisses from Steve and Aric to close out an insane set.
Just as things hit 8pm, Richie Hardcore from Team Hardcore came out, who has been coming to Architects shows in Australia for a few years, to talk about the importance of speaking up against domestic violence. It is great that Architects are using their platform to advocate for an end to violence, and have consistently done it for the last few tours. After Hardcore walked off stage, ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ rang through the speakers, a sign that they were on their way. As the track finished, the stage lights flickered and strobed, as drummer Dan Searle took to the kit first, his first Brisbane show in six years, before the rest of the band walked out, as a single spotlight hit the middle of the stage, for vocalist Sam Carter to open, with ‘Elegy’.
Architects – Riverstage – photos by Bec Harbour
The energy set by PRESIDENT and House of Protection only escalated, as by song two, the crowd was in an absolute frenzy. Shows like this make me miss being in the pit. The chaos, the uncertainty, the fun. Carter asked if we’re ready for the whiplash, as ‘Whiplash’ kicked in, and moved straight into when we were young. Carter encouraged a crowd that didn’t need encouraging, with a big “fuck yes, let’s keep this shit moving” as the crowd bounced to ‘Black Lungs’. Carter then spoke at length with a massive lore drop about the band, talking about the bands first Australian show being at the Riverstage, a show I can proudly say I was at. An incredible show with Wish for Wings, August Burns Red, and the headliner, Parkway Drive. Carter shouted out Parkway for letting them play to the metalheads of Australia, and that tonight was special for them, to headline this place for the very first time, all because of the fans.
Carter asked for the energy to remain high, and the party to keep going, as ‘Curse’ kicked in.
Architects – Riverstage – photos by Bec Harbour
After A Match Made in Heaven, Carter asked for everyone to get off their feet for deep fake, before we got the biggest moment of the night. Carter dedicated the next song to Parkway Drive; ‘Impermanence’. The studio version of the song features Winston McCall from Parkway Drive, so it was only fitting that the man himself came out and played the track with the band, which drew one of the loudest reactions I’ve ever heard at the Riverstage. Winston sounded incredible, as Carter and McCall put on a masterclass of metalcore live vocals. We then got some deep cuts, with ‘Red Hypergiant’ and ‘Gravedigger’, the oldest songs in the set. Songs that Sam dedicated to the “old heads”.
Carter then talked about the Winston feature, and how it’s cool to have friends you can just shoot the shit with. Carter mentioned how it’s nice to have friends in bands that care about each other, that don’t get jealous at the success of others, and keep a circle around themselves as well as others, of love and support. Architects are not a band that gets jealous. Parkway Drive is not a band that gets jealous. It’s all love and support for the scene to thrive. A truly amazing sentiment. Carter also mentioned how Winston coming out felt like a pro wrestler walking out on stage to a monster ovation, and how cool it is that 16 years ago, Parkway gave Architects a platform to support them, and all these years later, Winston shows out to come support them with love and respect. Carter then mentioned how it’s time to stop being emotional with feelings, and be emotional with songs instead, and they did ‘Broken Mirror’.
Architects – Riverstage – photos by Bec Harbour
Next was my most anticipated song, as ‘Brain Dead’ kicked in, and the chaotic energy of Aric and Steve was brought back one more time as Aric picked up Sam and ran him around the stage as Steve activated a level of gremlin mode not ever seen on the Riverstage before. This was a sick moment, in a series of incredible moments tonight. Carter asked if the crowd was warmed up as House of Protection left the stage, and mentioned the next song was made for the audience, as ‘Meteor’ kicked in. Carter said let’s make this special as the song kicked in, and it was truly special as the crowd sang loudly, and even did the big clap along in the bridge. A beautiful moment. Another fuck yeah from Sam, as he mentioned how they have to fly back to miserable weather, and how wonderful Australia is. Carter said Australia is the first place outside the UK that ever gave a fuck about the band, and how special it is for them to come back.
Architects – Riverstage – photos by Bec Harbour
Carter also talked about how cool it is to see the shows get bigger every time, and that they appreciate people spending their money to allow them to live their dreams. Carter asked for phone lights so bright, it makes the Riverstage look like outer space, as the stage lights disappeared for ‘Everything Ends’. Damn near brought a tear to my eye. So beautiful. The stage lights came back, as we got the chorus for ‘Gone with the Wind’, seamlessly into the intro to ‘Doomsday’, which absolutely destroyed me. Two of my favorite songs, combined like that. Just gorgeous. The final song of the set was ‘Blackhole’, but Carter stopped the band playing it, because the pit wasn’t big enough. He kept asking the crowd to go bigger, pushing the pit so it ran the width of the Riverstage. It didn’t get all the way there, but it got really close. ‘Blackhole’ then rang out the speakers, before the encore of ‘Seeing Red’, a photo with the crowd, and the song dedicated to the fucking animals of Brisbane, with Animals, closing out the best show I’ve seen all year.
