It’s December, it’s summer. That can only mean one thing – it’s Good Things Festival time! The lineup, as usual, is a solid one, and many arrive early to see Sydney-born Aviva open things up on Stage 4.
Unusually, it’s just her and a drummer on stage as they kick things off with The Saint and the Sinner. Fake Friends, Psycho, and even a live debut of a new song follow. It’s hard not to enjoy her pop-rock sound as she kicks off the festival in style.
Heading to the main stage, British heavy metallers Loathe are first up and draw a big early crowd. Frontman Kadeem France works the fans well.
Ultimately, I decide to move over to Stage 5 for Body Prison, who attract a surprisingly decent crowd of local supporters. Arguably the heaviest band of the day, it shows, as mosh pits break out amongst fans. It’s easy to see why they won their Battle of the Bands to earn their spot today. They work through songs from their debut album, Until Madness, and perform a new song being released later this month. If you like your music nice and heavy, check them out.
Rap rock/metal band From Ashes to New’s first time in the country has many excited, and they draw a large crowd of fans, many singing along with every word from vocalist Danny Case and rapper Matt Brandyberry. The latter gets brutally honest at one point in their set, admitting the band is losing money to come to Australia but saying it was a dream of his and the band for a long time. He urges people to follow their own dreams.
Another local act, Belle Haven, also draw a decent crowd as they perform songs from their latest EP, Something New (and More), ending with the final track from it, A Hypothetical Exit.
It’s been just over 25 years since The Living End released their debut album, and when they kick off their set with Second Solution from that album, it’s no surprise to hear the massive main stage crowd sing along to every word. The trend continues with Roll On. Surprisingly, some deeper cuts follow, such as End of the World and How Do We Know, before they perform a new song from an album being released next year. Frontman Chris Cheney is clearly having a blast. Along with Scott Owen on double bass and Andy Strachan on drums, it seems this band only gets better with age. By the time they bring things to an end with Prisoner of Society, it’s clear fans, myself included, have just witnessed one of the sets of the day.
Due to some technical difficulties on Stage 5, Killing Heidi starts late and has to cut some songs from their set. This doesn’t stop frontwoman Ella Hooper, however, as she dances her way through opening songs—and their biggest hits—Mascara and Weir. Even she admits they’ve never played both those songs so early in a set before but wanted to make it up to those who had waited through the delays.
Back to the main stage for another Aussie band—this time it’s Jet. They power their way through Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Rollover DJ, Get Me Outta Here, Rip It Up, and more. Frontman Nic Cester sounds as good as he ever has. It’s hard to believe Jet has only released three albums. Their popularity is as big as ever, and fans would surely love album number four.
I only manage to catch the end of The Gaslight Anthem as they wrap up with 45 and The ’59 Sound. Brian Fallon’s vocals sound as incredible as ever, and I wish I could have caught more of their set. Next time.
Kerry King is an act I only discovered recently. Not him as a person, of course—everyone knows him as the legendary guitarist of Slayer—but his debut solo album, From Hell I Rise. When Sum 41 pulled out (sadly due to illness to frontman Deryck Whibley), I jumped at the chance to see the legend himself live and didn’t regret it. His band, made up of some of metal’s biggest names from acts such as Death Angel, Machine Head, Testament, and Exodus, opens with Where I Reign, complete with fire shooting out of the stage. Playing both songs from King’s debut album and Slayer classics like Disciple and Raining Blood, they even include a cover of Iron Maiden’s Killers for the late Paul Di’Anno. They end with the title track off the album and a promise to return soon. I, for one, eagerly await that announcement.
Billy Corgan was an interesting addition to the Good Things lineup. Many, like myself, were unsure what his set would entail, especially without his own band, The Smashing Pumpkins, or even a backing band for his solo career. Instead, he enlisted the help of Australia’s own The Delta Riggs. Clashing with headliners Korn, it’s clear many chose to go there, but those who stayed for Corgan’s set were treated to an almost acoustic, chilled-out end to their night. His set covered tracks from his solo career (The Spaniards), covers (INXS’s Don’t Change), and Smashing Pumpkins classics (1979 and Disarm).
And thus, through the heat and then the rain, the fifth edition of Good Things Festival comes to an end. We all keenly await the lineup for its sixth year in 2025. No doubt it’ll be another roaring success.
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