Good Charlotte returned to Sydney on February 25 with a full-scale arena show at Qudos Bank Arena that proved exactly why they’ve remained staples of the genre for more than two decades.
Earlier in the evening, Joel Madden made a surprise appearance during Yellowcard’s set for ‘Bedroom Posters’, a crossover moment that caught the early crowd off guard. Once the lights dropped for Good Charlotte, the focus shifted entirely to the main event.
They opened with ‘The River’, flames shooting skyward as the first riff tore through the arena. It was an immediate statement of intent. No slow build, no easing in. From there, the band powered through ‘Dance Floor Anthem’, ‘Girls & Boys’ and tour debut ‘Riot Girl’, delivering a set that balanced polish with punch. The production was tight and explosive, but it was the band’s presence that carried the room. They ran the arena like true professionals.
The setlist leaned heavily into nostalgia without feeling stuck in it. ‘The Chronicles of Life and Death’, ‘The Motivation Proclamation’, ‘Predictable’ and ‘Hold On’ had entire sections of the crowd shouting every word back at the stage. Deeper cuts like ‘Actual Pain’ and ‘Mean’ kept longtime fans locked in, while ‘We Are Done’, originally by The Madden Brothers, added an unexpected twist.
The merch line sat at capacity for most of the night, and the crowd was a genuine mix of generations. Fans who grew up on ‘The Young and the Hopeless’ stood alongside younger listeners discovering it live for the first time.
Closing out with ‘Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous’ before returning for encore ‘The Anthem’, Good Charlotte delivered a show that felt less like a throwback and more like a reminder. They have not lost their touch. Not even close.
PHOTO Gallery – Good Charlotte Sydney Shot by James Miller
RELATED
MORE IN Music
