The night got off to a disappointing start for fans who had waited in line for hours, only to face delayed entry and discover that Void of Vision and The Ghost Inside were cancelled for the second night in a row. This followed similar issues at the Sydney show, where both supporting acts were also dropped due to production problems. A notice from the Parkway Drive team read:
“Unfortunately, due to production delays out of our control, The Ghost Inside and Void of Vision will not be taking the stage tonight. Please show your support by purchasing a tee and following them on their socials. Love, Parkway Drive.”
In response, Destroy All Lines quickly organized a pop-up show at Stay Gold in Brunswick for The Ghost Inside, with support from Bad Juju on Monday, September 23rd. Tickets sold out fast, promising an exciting night for those lucky enough to attend.
After a long wait, the night kicked off with I Prevail—a band that, at this point, might as well be named honorary citizens of Australia, given how often they’ve toured here. And it’s easy to see why. Every time they return, they deliver the same high energy that makes them a must-see live act.
From start to finish, the band had the crowd completely captivated. During “Self-Destruction,” the audience erupted into a massive sing-along for the line, “If You Don’t Know the Devil, Then You Don’t Know Me,” creating an electric atmosphere. Mosh pits broke out across the venue, while the stunning visuals added to the intensity of the experience, making it a full sensory assault in the best way possible.
True to form, lead vocalist Eric kept the energy flowing with his playful banter. He asked, “How many people have seen us before? Who’s seeing us for the first time? How many people just didn’t want to raise their hands?” The crowd loved it. One of the highlights of the set was their cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space.” Despite Eric joking about not enjoying playing the song, the performance was as fierce as anything else on the set list. At one point, he shouted, “Did we just have a wall of death out there? Fuck yeah!”—a sure sign that the crowd was fully in sync with the band’s explosive energy.
One of the funnier moments came when Eric squinted into the pit and said, “I don’t have my glasses on, but are there three bananas in the pit? Did you guys meet for the first time?” This kicked off a series of banana-themed jokes, including, “I need you to do a banana-split down the middle,” and a classic “That’s what she said,” which had the crowd laughing along.
In contrast to the light-hearted moments, Eric also took a serious turn when he spoke about his struggles with mental health before performing the emotionally charged track “Hurricane.” He encouraged anyone who needed help to seek it, delivering a touching and heartfelt message that resonated deeply with the audience.
As the show reached its peak, the energy soared even higher during “Gasoline,” with Eric shouting, “Can you feel it? I said, can you feel it?” “We’re here celebrating 20 years of the greatest heavy metal band to come out of Australia.” The crowd roared back, fuelling one final burst of intensity before the night came to a close.
In a fun twist, the night ended on a lighter note as the Toy Story classic “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” played over the speakers as the band exited the stage, leaving the audience with smiles after an evening filled with heavy riffs, raw emotion, and unrelenting energy.
I Prevail once again proved why they’re one of the best live bands to catch, especially for Australian fans that seem to have formed a special bond with the group.
The night culminated with the main attraction, the one and only Parkway Drive. I can still remember seeing them for the first time at the inaugural Soundwave Festival in Sydney back in 2007, when I was just 9 years old. At that age, I got away with more, and I had the chance to watch them from right up close, on the other side of the barrier. Parkway Drive was fresh on the scene back then, already with a big following. Watching them evolve over the years has been incredible, and this show was a testament to how far they’ve come.
They kicked things off with their signature crowd walk, waving their flag high, and immediately set the tone for the night. As soon as the spotlight hit them, the crowd erupted in a roar. The band jumped the barrier and made their way to the middle stage, where the drum kit rose up dramatically, signalling the beginning of the show with “Carrion” and “Prey.” The crowd was instantly electrified, jumping and singing along.
When “Prey” wrapped up, the band turned toward the main stage, where a large drape dropped to reveal an industrial set, shadowy figures lurking in the background. As a bridge lowered, dancers appeared, adding a theatrical touch as the band launched into “Glitch,” one of my personal favourites. The combination of dancers, pyrotechnics, and intricate stage design made the performance mesmerizing to watch.
Winston, the lead singer, kept the crowd fired up, teasing them with, “You guys didn’t come here to fuck around, did ya?” The energy surged during “Vice Grip,” with even the youngest fans in the seats head banging and throwing up devil horns, proving once again that Parkway Drive knows how to engage fans of all ages.
The intensity of the show was relentless, with Winston remarking, “This whole thing has been knocking me on my ass with all the energy we’ve been given!” The crowd, chanting “Parkway Drive,” demanded more.
“Boneyards” took things to another level—undoubtedly one of the heaviest songs of the night—causing four simultaneous circle pits to break out. Michael from I Killed the Prom Queen made a surprise appearance, emerging from the middle stage to add even more chaos to the moment.
As the show progressed, Parkway Drive continued to amaze with their visual elements. Pyro lit up the stage during “Horizons,” and rain fell during “Wishing Well.” A mash-up of fan favourites like “Gimme a D,” “Anasasis (Xenophontis),” and “Romance Is Dead” kept the crowd fully engaged, even during the madness of “Smoke ‘Em If Ya Got ‘Em,” where “spirit fingers” humorously appeared among the crowd.
During “Idols and Anchors,” Winston ventured into the crowd, standing on a small platform and introducing Jeff as his “partner in riff.” A circle pit formed around Winston, and toward the end of the song, he crowd-surfed his way back to the stage to re-join the band for “Chronos.” This track introduced a surprising orchestral element, with a cellist and two violinists descending onto the stage, creating a striking contrast between the classical and metal worlds. Jeff’s epic guitar solo alongside the cellist was a showstopper.
The atmosphere calmed momentarily during “Dark Still,” as the audience illuminated the arena with their phone lights. But the calm was short-lived, as the crowd was soon backing in the pit for “Bottom Feeder,” which had the floor rumbling with the stomps of thousands.
For the grand finale, dancers returned for “Crushed,” performing alongside drummer Ben, who spun in his seat while delivering a blistering solo. Lit bottles were thrown onto the stage, igniting flames and creating a jaw-dropping visual effect. Winston rose from the middle stage and ascended to the bridge, “flying” over the crowd as pyro exploded all around.
The night came to a close with “Wild Eyes,” bringing the band back to the middle stage, where they began the show. After thanking everyone who made the event possible, they apologized once more for the absence of “Void of Vision” and “The Ghost Inside” but announced a pop-up show at Stay Gold to make up for it. The show ended with a nostalgic montage of photos from over the years, set to the tune of “Tiny Dancer,” a surprisingly sentimental touch after such an intense performance.
All in all, Parkway Drive delivered a high-octane, visually stunning, and emotionally charged show that left fans buzzing with excitement long after the final note.
Thanks to the John Cane Arena crew for having us and massive thanks to Dallas Does PR for arranging media access.
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