Words and photo gallery by Luci Scott
Special thank you to Destroy All Lines
A Sunday night gig is usually a test of endurance once you’re in your late twenties, but descending the stairs into the neon-lit basement of 170 Russell made it abundantly clear that no one was sitting this one out. Holding Absence finally locking in their first proper Australian headline tour was entirely non-negotiable, and the atmosphere in the room was buzzing with anticipation before the house music had even cut out.
Stepson took the stage to hold it down for the locals, and they wasted zero time establishing the pace for the evening. Kicking off with Eraser, the Brisbane outfit demanded full engagement from the jump, calling for an ambitious wall of death barely ten minutes into their set that the pit happily obliged. Their fiery rendition of Linkin Park’s Faint had the entire venue singing along at deafening volume, prompting frontman Brock to crack a smile mid-song and admit he wished they’d written it themselves. Between the nostalgic energy, they dropped an unreleased track titled Parting Words, delivering a lethal blend of raw, punishing screams and soaring melodic hooks that instantly cemented it as an upcoming release to watch. By the time they tore through their closer, Come with Me, the floor was properly warmed up, sweaty, and primed for the chaos ahead.
Shortly after, Kingdom of Giants made their entrance to Rihanna’s Needed Me, setting a ridiculously cool vibe before unleashing absolute auditory destruction. Their distinct blend of synth-heavy metalcore translated brilliantly through 170 Russell’s sound system, sending thick, punchy basslines straight through the floorboards. Tracks like Collide had the entire room moving in seamless sync, while Burner sparked a frenzy of circle pits and heavy bodies crashing together. Frontman Dana Willax paused mid-set to deliver a heartfelt thank you, speaking directly to the crowd about the importance of fiercely backing authentic, human-made live music in an era where AI-generated noise is becoming more prevalent – a sentiment met with resounding cheers across the venue. After sending the night’s first major wave of crowd surfers soaring across the barrier during Night Shift, they wrapped on Wayfinder, closing beneath a glowing canopy of phone lights that abruptly snapped into one last punishing breakdown.
I hadn’t caught Holding Absence live since they supported Void of Vision back in 2022, and the sheer evolution in their stage presence and musicianship since then was breathtaking to witness. Glancing past the barrier before their intro rolled, the fact that their merch desk had been stripped almost completely bare before the headliners even plugged in told you everything you needed to know about Melbourne’s appetite for this tour.
The Welsh outfit burst out with their latest single, Whisper of a Dream, and the energy shift in the room was instantaneous. Every single person on the floor seemed to know every syllable, matching Lucas Woodland word for word. Lucas remains easily one of the most vocally pristine and captivating frontmen in alternative music, nailing impossibly high, emotive belts while throwing himself across the stage. The emotional weight of the night peaked during Like a Shadow, which turned into a moment of pure collective catharsis – looking around the room, it was impossible to miss the genuine tears welling up in people’s eyes as the room sang in unison.
Lucas took a generous breather between songs to heap praise on Melbourne, playfully roasting and celebrating our coffee snobbery while talking candidly about the sheer logistical madness and immense gratitude tied to touring down under. He made sure to pay homage to the local heavy scene that welcomed them years ago, giving huge, heartfelt shoutouts to Void of Vision, Thornhill, and Alpha Wolf before launching into their fresh track Reflections.
They closed out the night with a massive one-two punch: the anthemic Afterlife, followed by my personal all-time favourite, Wilt. Hearing Wilt delivered with that much raw intensity in an intimate headline setting was pure perfection. Screaming every line back at the stage while a relentless stream of crowd surfers tumbled over the barrier toward the security crew was the exact kind of emotional release you chase at a live show.
With their new record Modern Life Is Lonely slated to drop on September 18th, this show was a masterclass in modern post-hardcore and an undeniable reminder that Holding Absence are operating at the absolute peak of their powers.
PHOTO GALLERY
STEPSON
KINGDOM OF GIANTS
HOLDING ABSENCE
