“Gooood morning, party people.” Good Things Festival Brisbane was a perfect closer to 2025’s run – and we were there to check it out.
Words by Zac Wattus.
The sun is out, the vibes are high and the beach balls are plentiful, this can only mean one thing – Good Things Festival 2025 is in Brisbane, ready to take on the city for another year, and with a lineup like this year – it’s going to be a fantastic day.
This year, gates have opened up earlier than expected (sparing the attendees the dreaded wait undercover), which is so welcome. Upon entering the festival grounds, people are milling all over the place: buying merchandise, running straight to the water, and making their way to the stages to be ready for all the action.
It’s time to make our way to the first band(s) of the day – Sydney pop punkers Yours Truly are opening up Stage 1 for the very first time (previously closing out Stage 5 in 2019), and what a great decision. Starting out with ‘Sour’ from their 2024 release TOXIC, the energy changes the moment the band comes in, and vocalist Mikaila Delgado becomes electric onstage. She makes sure the mosh pits get started while fans are screaming along to their catchy choruses. Before long the band closes out, we’re told how special Brisbane is to them and how it’s is more of a “hometown” show, more than anything.
Scene Queen is up next and people have been REALLY anticipating this performance, fans in pink outfits and pink cowboy hats are strewn across the Showgrounds ready to catch a glimpse of the “Bimbo Queen”. Running out to ‘Barbie Girl’, fans go crazy as she enters the stage and the drop pedals uh…drop(?). Now we’re getting warmed up, standing on the edge of the mosh pit, it’s so easy to see how much fun everyone is having – the endless smiles truly was something I didn’t expect to see so soon. The band is on the top of their game, with Scene Queen initiating a “Twerkle Pit” during ‘Pink G-String’ and fans obliging, delivering screams throughout.
Florida heavyweights New Found Glory are finally back in Australia for the first time in 8 years (according to vocalist Jordan), so many people were experiencing them for the first time (along with myself) so there was plenty of anticipation building up in the crowd. The band has the crowd in their hands, the circle pits are in full force and New Found Glory show exactly why this festival is here – for good times.
Tonight Alive, Dayseeker (who very much deserve a spot on the main stage next time), Machine Head, and All Time Low are up next on the stacked schedule for the day, and they don’t disappoint. Before long though, it’s time for Garbage. They’ve been quite the talk of the festival this year and unfortunately, not for good reasons, with vocalist Shirley Manson “outing” a die hard fan for throwing beach balls around (which is a pretty normal activity at a festival) at Melbourne’s Good Things Festival earlier in the run. It’s safe to say the Australian public were ready to respond in the best way – more beach balls.
As the band come out on stage to ‘There’s No Future In Optimism’, the band “cleverly” re-worked the lyrics to reflect that beach ball situation singing “If you’re ready for balls, if you’re ready for balls-“ which WOULD have been funny, if it was just left at that. After declaring that she’s the “antichrist” this week, we get a couple more songs before what I would describe as a confusing apology about the beach balls. While plenty of the crowd leave after this for one reason or another (including myself), they continue on with ‘#1 Crush’, ‘Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)’ and ‘Push It’ which sound great. They really know how to handle a large crowd and are masters at their craft. I’m sure for Garbage fans, this was a great show and I’m sure they will have fonder memories than others.
Before long, it’s time to walk over to the (well, my) main event of Good Things – Lorna Shore.
The lights darken, the strings start and before we know it, Lorna Shore are walking out onto stage to a roar and cheer I haven’t heard in a while. ‘Oblivion’ absolutely rips through the crowd as vocalist Will Ramos shows us exactly why he’s regarded as one of the best deathcore vocalists of this generation, snarling, growling through their tracks. The band never stops for a moment as the crowd goes ballistic, unlike anything I’ve seen. Drummer Austin Archey is an automatic machine gun behind the kit, effortlessly delivering blast beats and not once flinching at the speed he’s playing at, the same goes for the rest of the band.
What makes this even more special are the people in the crowd themselves, looking after one another in the mosh pits which isn’t always the case particularly for a heavier band at the end of a long day at a festival. ‘Glenwood’ is arguably the slowest track of the set, but still extremely impactful, and is truly a new fan favourite. We end the night with the monstrous ‘To The Hellfire’ which is almost like a sucker punch to the face as we all know the breakdown. I’d be remiss if I didn’t say they should be main stage, the pyrotechnics would have elevated the show ever higher, however I may just need to see them at their own headliner with their full production.
We have arrived at the end of the day, we’re all sore, we’re all sunburnt, we have heatstroke (me), so all in all, a fantastic day. Well done to Good Things Festival for providing yet another unforgettable day, my only complaint would be to add even more seating around the Showgrounds. I cannot wait to see what is in store for next year, thank you to everyone that attended for keeping this one alive.
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