Walking into Liberty Hall, the excitement was already building for Escape The Fate. Multiple generations of metalheads, emo kids and scene veterans had gathered under one roof for what promised to be a huge night of heavy music and nostalgia. As one of the defining bands of the 2000s and early 2010s post-hardcore scene, Escape The Fate have soundtracked plenty of teenage years, breakups, road trips and questionable fringe decisions over the years, so anticipation was understandably high.
Of course, with support from The Word Alive and The Gloom In The Corner, this wasn’t simply a trip down memory lane. It was a lineup that represented multiple generations of the scene, from established veterans through to one of Australia’s most exciting rising heavy acts. By the end of the night, every band would leave their mark on Liberty Hall in their own way.
A Lasting Impression
First up were Melbourne’s The Gloom In The Corner, who immediately started turning heads. Looking sharp in formal attire and bringing a touch of unexpected class to open a night of controlled chaos, they wasted absolutely no time making their presence known.
One of my favourite moments of their set came early. The first breakdown hit, and suddenly all around the room you could see people who clearly weren’t familiar with the band reacting at exactly the same time. There were stank faces, wide eyes, and plenty of people turning to their mates as if to say, “Where did these guys come from?” It was the kind of reaction every opening band hopes for, and The Gloom In The Corner earned every second of it.
As explosive tracks like “Nope (Hollow Point Elyisium)” rolled through the venue, more and more people began making their way toward the front. The band offered something for just about everyone, blending heavier metalcore moments with touches of punk and hardcore energy, while also showcasing choruses that feel destined to become future crowd favourites. More than anything though, they looked like they were having fun, and that energy spread throughout the room. For an opener, they brought a huge amount of charisma and confidence to the stage and left a lasting impression before their set was done.
Keeping the buzz alive
The Word Alive had the unenviable task of following that performance, but if there was any concern about momentum slowing down, it disappeared almost immediately. The entire band was locked in from the first song, with the drummer in particular putting on an absolute clinic behind the kit all night and looking like he was having more fun than the rest of the band combined.
“Trapped” sounded massive live, drawing more and more voices from the crowd, and the band’s constant interaction was fun to see throughout the set. At one point though, the crowd was told we looked like one of the smaller cities of Australia and as you’d expect, we took that personally. The response in the pit was immediate as horns went up, heads started banging harder and the energy somehow found another gear.
The Word Alive understood how to work a crowd, and there were moments throughout the set that felt almost Freddie Mercury-inspired in the way the audience was brought into the performance. It also felt like a show designed for the longtime fans. Several songs hadn’t been played in years, but the biggest reaction was when Craig Mabbitt came out to scream alongside Tyler Smith! The reaction was immediate. Seeing a member of the night’s headliner appear during a support set isn’t something you witness often, but given the history between the pair, it felt like the perfect fit!
It was another great set, but what impressed me most so far was that The Gloom In The Corner had held their own so well that there barely felt like there was a gap between opener and main support. Both bands had won over the room in their own way, and both left the stage to huge reactions.
A special moment between the fans
Before Escape The Fate even appeared, Liberty Hall delivered one of the night’s most wholesome moments. As Queens’ “Bohemian Rhapsody” blasted through the speakers between sets, the crowd took over vocal duties. Not just casually either. Hundreds of people sang every word with the same, if not more enthusiasm than what they gave the bands throughout the night. It was one of those spontaneous concert moments that reminds you why live music is special.
The stage was set
The lights dimmed and Escape The Fate finally emerged, with all the confidence and presence you’d expect from a band with their legacy. Accompanied by scattered LED columns and a dramatic symphonic dubstep intro, they immediately looked every bit the seasoned headliners and it made for an epic entrance.
The opening moments weren’t perfect, however. The mix felt a little flat early on, with the bass lacking some punch and parts of the instrumentation blending together more than they should have. Thankfully, that didn’t last long. Recent single “Déjà vu” hit hard and heavy, before fan favourites “Gorgeous Nightmare” and “10 Miles Wide” with their huge riffs and sexy solos quickly reminded everyone why Escape The Fate have remained such a big name within the scene for so many years.
What felt like a true ‘Flashback Friday’ continued as “The Flood” swept through Liberty Hall. This War Is Ours has some super riffs, and they all play fantastic live. Longtime fans made their presence known every time another classic melody rang out through the venue. You could feel just how many people had grown up with these songs.
Then things took a slight turn… Not quite at the halfway point came a moment that genuinely had everyone concerned. Craig Mabbitt revealed he’d felt something “pop” in his throat during “The Flood” and was clearly struggling when speaking between songs. Hearing a vocalist mention throat issues during a show is never something you want to hear. Personally, I’d much rather a singer protect their voice than risk long-term damage trying to push through.
To his credit, Craig wasn’t hiding it from the audience, but what happened next was impressive. Despite the obvious strain whenever he addressed the crowd, once the songs started again you would barely know anything was wrong. The screams still sounded vicious, the choruses remained powerful, and the overall performance never felt compromised.
The band handled the situation with plenty of humour too. A roadie eventually appeared with a tea in hand while Craig joked about consulting the world’s most trusted medical experts, WebMD. According to their calculations, he has less than 24 hours to live. At one point he also jokingly handed the reigns to one of the other band members as the lead vocalist. Don’t worry, he was kidding… mostly.
That chemistry between band members became one of the standout aspects of the show. Whether it was Craig playfully mimicking the guitarists during solos, pretending to mess with pedal settings, or simply sharing laughs on stage, Escape The Fate consistently felt like a group of mates enjoying themselves as much as the crowd was.
The newer material also provided plenty of reasons to be excited about what’s coming next. “Idle Potential” already sounded like a fan favourite, with plenty of voices joining in from the pit, while its soaring guitar work absolutely shined in a live setting. The unreleased “Last Goodbye” immediately grabbed attention too. Fast, heavy and packed with huge guitar melodies, it earned an enthusiastic response before its crushing double breakdown landed like a perfectly timed left-right combination. I can’t wait to have this one playing at home!
Another unreleased treat, “Paranoia”, followed and only added to the excitement. With an old-school Escape The Fate flavour running through its intro before descending into chaos, it showcased everything fans love about the band. Alongside the recently released singles, both new tracks suggest the upcoming material is leaning heavily into the band’s strengths; massive choruses, heavy grooves, killer guitar work and the full range of Craig’s vocal arsenal.
The biggest moment of the night arrived later in the set. Following a guitar solo while the rest of the band briefly stepped backstage, a familiar melody echoed through Liberty Hall. The Halo theme instantly triggered cheers across the venue before seamlessly leading into “This War Is Ours (The Guillotine II)”. The reaction was enormous. Every lyric came screaming back toward the stage. Every riff hit with maximum impact. By the final chorus, it felt like every voice inside Liberty Hall was singing along. It was one of those moments where the crowd becomes just as important as the band performing the song.
“The Aftermath” kept the heavy energy rolling before “One For The Money” delivered a fitting finale. Every head seemed to be moving, every voice seemed to be singing, and despite the vocal issues earlier in the night, Craig somehow continued finding another gear whenever the songs demanded it.
Worth losing your voice for
I haven’t listened to nearly as much Escape The Fate over the last few years as I did back in school, but this show was a powerful reminder of why they were a huge part of my introduction to metal, and how they became such a huge part of the scene in the first place. The guitar tones still sound incredible, the songs still hit exactly where they should, and the chemistry between the members makes them just as entertaining to watch as they are to listen to.
As fans poured out of Liberty Hall, sore throats and all (hopefully not so much Craigs), the reactions spoke for themselves. Between three excellent bands, a healthy dose of nostalgia, exciting glimpses of the future and countless memorable moments throughout the night, Escape The Fate, The Word Alive and The Gloom In The Corner delivered one hell of a show!
TOUR DATES
Friday 5 June: Liberty Hall, Sydney 18+
Saturday 6 June: Bar On The Hill, Newcastle 18+
Sunday 7 June: The Tivoli, Brisbane 18+
Tuesday 9 June: Magnet House, Perth 18+
Thursday 11 June: The Gov, Adelaide 18+
Friday 12 June: Wool Exchange, Geelong 18+
Saturday 13 June: 170 Russell, Melbourne 18+
DAL Pre-Sale: Tuesday 31 March @ 12pm AEDT
General On-Sale: Wednesday 1 April @ 11am Local Time
https://daltours.cc/ETF
