Words by: Mitch Patrick
Photos by: Luci Scott
Okay, let’s just call it: if you’ve ever been to a sold out show at Melbourne’s 170 Russell, you already know it’s basically a sauna with a stage. Last night? No different. This was my first time seeing Taylor Acorn live and apparently, every other pop-punk fan in Melbourne had the same plan. We rolled in and the place was already packed to the rafters. The merch desk? Wiped out before Taylor even showed up. If you wanted a tour tee, you had to be faster than me (and I’m quick).
Arrows in Action kicked things off and honestly, for their first ever Aussie run, they absolutely nailed it. The second they dropped into Empty Canvas, the whole crowd was instantly on board. Setlist flow? Immaculate. They kept the energy dialled up exactly when it needed to be. But the real MVP moment? Somehow getting the entire venue to pull off a perfectly synced stomp clap routine. Seeing a room that packed move in time like that was unreal.
The peak hype? Mid-set, when they brought Taylor Acorn out early for Uncomfortably Numb. Perfect move. The whole place went off and you could feel everyone getting even more amped for her set. Then Arrows closed out with Cheekbones and honestly, they set the bar sky high for the rest of the night.
When Taylor finally hit the stage with Poster Child, the energy just exploded. You can tell she’s living her best life up there, taking her time between songs to chat and vibe with everyone. At one point she beckoned the band would move to Melbourne for our ‘perfect’ weather (huge call, but I’ll take the compliment). Plus, the banter with the fans was gold—especially when people started yelling for her ab routine. Iconic.
Visually, the whole band was just wild to watch. Special mention to RickyJab on guitar—absolute menace. The guy was spinning around non-stop during every heavy track like Coma and Blood on Your Hands. That’s the kind of chaotic energy you want at a show like this.
The irony of her calling our weather perfect while clearly battling Melbourne’s finest allergy season was not lost on anyone. You could hear her voice starting to go as the set went on, but it didn’t matter at all. The crowd had her back, big time. When she played Burning House, (first time ever in Australia, by the way), and smashed through Crashing Out, everyone just sang so loud it drowned out any vocal struggles. That’s the best part of these gigs—when the singer’s struggling, the crowd just turns into a giant choir and carries them through.
They smashed through a huge 15-song set, then wrapped it all up with a killer encore, Shapeshifting and Psycho, leaving absolutely everything on that stage. Even with allergies trying to take her out, it was an epic night. The crowd got exactly what they came for… and then some.
GALLERY
Arrows In Action
Taylor Acorn
