Pix by Richie Black Photography
Words by CeeCee
The night kicked off with none other than Melbourne’s own FRANKENBOK, setting the tone with their older track, Monk Discipline. From the moment vocalist Adam “Hutchy” Glynn unleashed his first guttural scream, it was clear they weren’t there to mess around.
Before launching into their second song, Dopamine, Hutchy took a moment to acknowledge the recent release of their latest EP on Friday, January 31st. He also hinted at more upcoming shows around Melbourne and expressed his gratitude for sharing the stage with two powerhouse bands—Alien Ant Farm and Drowning Pool.
Before performing iWOKE, Hutchy shared his thoughts on cancel culture and how it’s affecting everyday life. True to FRANKENBOK’s signature style, the band kept things entertaining between songs with their humour and high-energy stage presence. At one point, Hutchy jokingly told the crowd, “Subscribe to my OnlyFans,” before diving into the meaning behind We’re Not The Drummonds. With his trademark sarcasm, he explained, “This song is about sitcom TV families—the perfect envisioning of that. Anyone who grew up in a toxic family and had to watch a lot of TV to escape… yeah, me neither.”
They closed out their set with Static Wings, the final track from their new EP Irrepressible, leaving the crowd amped up and ready for the night ahead. As always, FRANKENBOK delivered a performance full of raw energy, humour, and unapologetic intensity.
After nearly a decade, Drowning Pool finally returned to Australian shores, and they wasted no time igniting the stage. Kicking off with Sinner, the band instantly transported the crowd back to their childhoods, sparking a frenzy of headbanging and singalongs. Frontman Ryan McCombs fed off the energy, handing out fist bumps to lucky fans in the front row.
By the third song, Ryan had the crowd in the palm of his hand. “ARE YOU FUCKING READY?” he roared, met with a deafening response. As Step Up blasted through the speakers, the pit erupted—fans jumping, pushing, and letting loose in pure chaos.
Drummer Mike Luce took a moment to address the crowd: “A friend of mine said Melbourne was the best city in Australia. Is that true? Is that FUCKING true?” The audience roared back in agreement, clapping in unison, before the band launched into a crushing cover of Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell.
Throughout the set, Ryan reinforced the night’s theme: unity. Between songs, he reminded everyone, “We’re all here to have a good time. Look out for each other. We all have our own fucking ideas and our own fucking mindsets—and that’s the way it should be.” The speech set the perfect tone for Feel Like I Do, during which he paused to check in with the audience, asking, “Do you wanna keep feeling with us tonight?” The venue went dark, and in a breathtaking moment, lighters and phone screens lit up like metal fireflies, creating a sea of flickering lights.
The band took the crowd on a journey through their discography, hammering through One Finger and a Fist, 37 Stitches, and Sermon, even throwing in a thunderous cover of Pantera’s Cowboys From Hell. But the night wouldn’t have been complete without one final song. As the band wrapped up their set, the crowd wasn’t ready to let go. A single chant grew louder and louder—”ONE MORE SONG! ONE MORE SONG!” And, of course, we all knew what was coming.
As soon as the opening notes of Bodies hit, the venue exploded. Fans went absolutely feral—screaming, jumping, moshing—turning the entire room into a whirlwind of raw energy. Drowning Pool’s return to Australia was nothing short of electrifying. It was a night of nostalgia, chaos, and connection—proving once again that rock and metal are very much alive.
After more than two decades, Alien Ant Farm took the stage in dramatic fashion, entering to the classic Volver, Volver by Vicente Fernández. The crowd erupted as they kicked things off with Courage, setting the tone for an electrifying night.
Before launching into Wish, frontman Dryden Mitchell playfully referenced Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, the video game that featured the song in the early 2000s. This nod to nostalgia, complete with the old PlayStation startup sound, got a chuckle from many fans. The band moved across the stage with boundless energy, reminiscent of their early days, making full use of the space and jumping around just like when I first discovered them years ago.
When they played Movies, the energy in the venue soared. The crowd sang so loudly that, at times, they overpowered Dryden himself. He reached out to fans, shaking hands and creating intimate moments with the audience. Addressing the crowd, he said, “Your time is valuable, so thank you for spending it with me.” Then, with a nostalgic smirk, he added, “Do you remember when MTV used to play videos? We did a couple of good ones… and some stinkers. I know we made some shitty videos too.“
The crowd erupted when Dryden teased, “Did anyone see the video where we were on top of that building?”—a clear reference to These Days. As the band launched into the song, the venue turned into a frenzy of moshing and jumping.
Dryden shared personal moments throughout the set, dedicating Attitude to his late mother, saying how much he misses her. He also opened up about his sobriety, celebrating “three and a half years without alcohol and cocaine” and joking, “Cocaine don’t do too much… a little bit is okay.” As they transitioned into Storms Over, he reflected on self-improvement, fatherhood, and even his new moustache, laughing, “That’s just the rules.“
The band kept the momentum going with a mix of hits and deep cuts, including Last dAntz, Stranded, Glow, What Am I Doing, and Sticks and Stones. Dryden continued connecting with the crowd, even helping crowd surfers over the barrier.
For the encore, they expressed gratitude to the audience, thanking them for creating unforgettable memories and giving a shout-out to their tour mates, Drowning Pool and FRANKENBOK. They played What I Feel Is Mine before closing with their most iconic song—Smooth Criminal. The anticipation was palpable as they played a recording of Michael Jackson discussing how much he liked their cover. The venue went absolutely wild—fans were screaming, jumping, moshing, and crowd surfing, feeding off the raw energy of the moment. As a fun twist, Dryden slipped in lyrics from Finally by CeCe Peniston, which I personally loved, considering my name!
As the band exited, Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond played over the speakers, leaving the audience singing along and riding the high of an unforgettable night. Thank you to the teams at The Phoenix and Northcote Theatre for putting on such a fun and lively show.
