Good Things Festival Sydney – photos and review

Good Things Festival took to Sydney Showground with one of its strongest and most eclectic lineups to date, transforming the venue into a scorching melting pot (literally and figuratively) of metal, punk, hardcore, and alternative brilliance. With temperatures blasting to 41 degrees, the heat was brutal, unrelenting, and impossible to ignore, yet it barely made a dent in the energy. Fans packed the grounds from gates-open to Tool’s final note, and every band delivered like the heat was just another reason to go harder. In spite of the conditions, the day was a massive success and a perfect showcase of why Good Things has become one of Australia’s premier heavy-music festivals.

Scene Queen

Scene Queen kicked things off with a burst of glitter-soaked chaos and pink-tinged brutality. Their blend of heavy riffs and hyper feminine attitude instantly grabbed the early crowd, who didn’t let the heat stop them from screaming along. A confident, theatrical opening set that injected personality straight into the day. Their song Twerkle Pit is sure to have won over some new fans.

New Found Glory

Pop-punk royalty New Found Glory brought pure sunshine to an already blazing venue. The band’s upbeat energy and nostalgia-drenched hits like My Friends Over You coupled with some new ones off their upcoming album had fans bouncing despite the rising temps.

Overcoming some ongoing technical issues, the band powered through, showing why they are time-tested performers.

Refused

A bittersweet set for Refused fans, with this being their final run of shows in Australia before the band calls it a day.

They delivered a politically charged, razor-sharp performance, anchored by the ever-electrifying Dennis Lyxzén. Even as the heat shimmered across the pit, the crowd erupted for New Noise, sounding just as revolutionary in 2025 as it did decades ago. Their precision and message-heavy set cut through like no other.

Stand Atlantic

Sydney locals Stand Atlantic took full advantage of their hometown crowd, blasting through a set loaded with hook-laden emo-pop-punk and high-energy charisma.

Bonnie Fraser worked the crowd with ease, and the fans responded with loud singalongs and nonstop movement. A standout for the younger crowd.

Dayseeker

Dayseeker offered one of the most emotionally powerful sets of the day. Rory Rodriguez’s soaring vocals on Neon Grave and Sleeptalk were stunning, layering heartfelt vulnerability over shimmering post-hardcore instrumentation. Their performance provided a welcome late-afternoon catharsis.

GWAR

GWAR’s outrageous theatrics were the perfect antidote to the oppressive heat. Outlandish costumes, grotesque props, and blood-spraying absurdity made for a hilariously chaotic spectacle. Their fans leaned all the way in, finding out that white shirts were a rookie mistake, making the diehard fans easy to spot for the remainder of the day.

Machine Head

Robb Flynn and Machine Head hit the crowd like a sledgehammer. Their massive riffs and thunderous grooves kept the pit moving, and even in the extreme heat, the band played with relentless intensity.

This was a set that many claimed to be their top pick for the entire festival, showing that Machine Head are still as influential as ever.

Goldfinger

Goldfinger brought the ska-punk joy with their infectious horns, breakneck energy, and classic throwback vibes, turning the Showground into a giant, sweaty dance floor.

Their cover of 99 Red Balloons, always a crowd favourite, lifted spirits at what felt like the peak of the heatwave.

Fever 333

Fever 333 delivered one of the most explosive sets of the entire festival. Jason Aalon Butler remains a force of nature – sprinting, leaping, climbing, and screaming with political intensity. Their fusion of hip-hop, punk, and hardcore created a firestorm of movement in the crowd.

With his young son joining them on tour, Butler preached messages of respect and unity, hoping for a better world for his son to inherit.

Kublai Khan

Crushing breakdowns, punch-to-the-chest riffs, and an absolutely savage pit, Kublai Khan showed no mercy. Their set was big, funny and one of the heaviest of the day.

Despite teasing fans about Texas being hotter than the current scorcher we were experiencing, the crowd was all-in despite a few more technical sound issues forcing a few pauses in the set. Another band who many said were the highlight of the day, with The Hammer and Boomslang absolutely going off.

High Vis

A refreshing change of pace, High Vis brought Brit-post-punk grit and heartfelt sincerity. Their melodic but urgent sound resonated strongly with fans needing a break from the heat at their undercover stage. Within the group of people I knew attending the day, I encouraged those unfamiliar with Hi Vis to come and watch and as a result, they now have a handful of new fans. They are stepping up for a headline sideshow on Tuesday at Mary’s Underground after Knocked Loose cancelled, giving fans another chance to catch their passion-fuelled set.

Definitely an underdog on the line-up, deserving of much more kudos.

Weezer

Weezer delivered the singalong set of the evening. Rivers Cuomo and co. rolled out hit after hit with Buddy Holly, Say It Ain’t So, Island in the Sun getting the whole stadium in alignment for a nostalgia soaked singalong.

A special treat for the sweltering fans came in the form of a cover of Hole by Celebrity Skin. Their signature deadpan charm worked perfectly as a golden-hour palette cleanser before the night turned heavy again.

Lorna Shore

Lorna Shore’s set was a masterclass in modern, extreme metal. Will Ramos’ demonic vocal range was jaw-dropping, and the band’s symphonic brutality thundered across the Showground like a storm for those not interested in Tool. Despite their set clashing with the main stage headliners, they drew a considerable crowd. Their performance left many in the crowd stunned, showing why Ramos is often put up on the pedestal of one of the best modern metal vocalists on the scene.
I happened to be located near some of the local Police keeping an eye on festival goers and could tell by their reactions to some of the gutteral sounds coming from the stage that this was a spectacle to behold.

Tool

Closing the night, Tool delivered a hypnotic, immersive set that transformed the festival grounds into a surreal sonic landscape. With stunning visuals, tightly controlled musicianship, and Maynard James Keenan’s enigmatic presence, the band held the massive crowd in a trance.

Tool truly are one of music’s biggest enigma’s based on the crowd and reactions seen during their set. I witnessed a group of men in their 40s and 50s, arms around one another screaming the lyrics back at the band, while a group of women in their early 20s danced nearby to them as if they were at an electronic festival. The only common denominator being pure joy and a love of music.
It was a climactic and transcendent end to a blisteringly hot, but unforgettable Good Things festival.

Review by Aidan Willis. Photos by Adam Davis-Powell.