Fleshwater Live at 170 Russell Melbourne 2026

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Published November 9, 2026 by Alexander Hallag

Fleshwater brought their blend of crushing guitars and melodic passages to Melbourne’s 170 Russell, joined by hardcore heavyweights Ingrown and Australia’s Secret World for a night that balanced intensity with connection.

Sunday night at 170 Russell began with Sydney hardcore outfit Secret World, who had a milestone worth celebrating. The band announced that this was their 100th show together, with vocalist Ryan Pond reflecting on how playing hardcore since the age of 13 had allowed him to travel the world.

He encouraged everyone to meet someone new, reminding the audience that music was about more than shared culture. There was also a birthday acknowledgement for his friend Aaron and a heartfelt thanks to Fleshwater for bringing them along on tour.

Next came Boise, Idaho’s Ingrown, making their first Australian appearance according to vocalist and guitarist Ross Hansen. Their approach was considerably more confrontational, with crunching bass, thunderous double-kick drumming and Hansen’s piercing stares matching his relentless delivery. The band thanked Melbourne for turning out, then got straight back to business.

By the time Fleshwater took the stage, the evening had already delivered two distinct approaches to hardcore.

The American outfit launched into a set that moved between explosive heaviness and more restrained, melodic moments. The contrast was particularly noticeable when a comparatively mellow passage offered some breathing room amid the heavier material.

Crowd surfers made their way overhead throughout the performance, while one of the vocalists suggested that everyone put their phones away and spend more time jumping around instead.

In another memorable moment, the bassist extended his microphone towards the audience, giving fans the opportunity to contribute their own screams to the performance.

The band’s 14-song printed setlist included ‘Raging Storm’, ‘Green Street’, ‘Jetpack’, ‘Kiss the Ladder’, ‘Woohoo’ and ‘Closet’, with ‘Standalone’ listed as the closing number.

Fleshwater thanked the Melbourne audience before finishing their set. There was no encore, just the conclusion of a night where three bands demonstrated different sides of contemporary heavy music.