When it comes to devotion to live music, some fans take it to another level. Meet Ali Palstralis—a true rock and roll diehard who defied medical advice and the Brisbane heat to make it to Good Things Festival 2024.
Fresh out of hospital with a bag of antibiotics and a stubborn determination, Ali traded a hospital bed for the sweltering chaos of one of Australia’s biggest alternative music festivals.
What followed was a day packed with sweat, blisters, and enough heavy riffs to last a lifetime. Here’s Ali’s unfiltered take on surviving the heat, the mosh pits, and a lineup that left fans drenched and euphoric.
If you’re looking for a textbook example of rock and roll defiance, here it is: I walked out of Royal Brisbane Hospital at 1 PM on Sunday, after being admitted for pneumonia at 5 AM the previous day. Against my doctor’s stern advice to stay put for IV antibiotics, I made my way across the road and into the searing 37°C, 87% humidity chaos of Good Things Festival Brisbane 2024. Don’t tell my lung doctor—I’m already on thin ice.
But holy sh*t, was it worth it.
The day kicked off with Bowling for Soup, aptly soundtracking what felt like a literal soup of heat and humanity. The crowd was soaked, not from rain, but from the sweat pouring out of every pore. If there were alcohol spills, they were lost in the sea of perspiration. From there, I bounced between the “big white sweat tent” for The Butterfly Effect and Frank Turner, and back out into the sun for The Living End, who never fail to deliver. The energy only climbed higher with Northlane, who cranked the heat to a blistering level.
I couldn’t resist the pull of Killing Heidi and grandson, whose sets were pure fire. Leaving grandson early for The Gaslight Anthem in the sweat tent was one of many brutal festival decisions, but it paid off as they nailed every note.
As the sun dipped, Violent Femmes took the main stage, kicking off with ‘Blister in the Sun’—a fitting anthem for the day’s crowd, most of whom were nursing literal blisters. Then Electric Callboy stormed in and surprised doubters (like me) with a high-energy, heavy-hitting set.
Decisions didn’t get any easier as Kerry King brought Slayer-level intensity to the sweat tent while Billy Corgan soothed the crowd’s collective tinnitus with a softer, hauntingly beautiful set. His cover of INXS’s ‘Don’t Change’ was a standout moment, but Korn had the ultimate pull for me.
Closing out the festival with their 30th-anniversary tour, Korn brought pure devastation. From bagpipes to deep cuts to their biggest hits, they were untouchable. The festival ended with a colossal rendition of ‘Freak on a Leash,’ complete with tinnitus-inducing volume. I’m pretty sure half of Brisbane thought it was an air raid siren.
A shoutout to Red Frogs Australia, whose welfare area kept me alive with shade, fans, cold water, and their ever-smiling volunteers. Without them, I might’ve ended up back in that hospital bed across the street.
And finally, a cheeky message to Sum 41: Deryck, I love you, but mate—you had way more time to recover from pneumonia than I did. I pulled this off on day two. Of course, I didn’t have to perform in front of 40,000 fans while sweating out a fever and playing guitar, so you’re off the hook. Wishing you a speedy recovery, and I’ll be waiting for that rescheduled tour.
Good Things Festival, you’ve outdone yourselves. Until next year, keep it loud, sweaty, and chaotic—just how we like it.
Editor’s Note: This review was lightly formatted for readability while preserving Ali’s original voice.
