It’s been about a decade since August Burns Red last visited our shores, with some fans remembering seeing the iconic act at the Kings Arms back in the day. Eager fans lined up early, with the VIP experience running over time as the doors opened. The line for merch snaked around the Powerstation from the outset, as people queued to snag a new favourite shirt.

The venue was relatively full from the outset, as Auckland locals As Colour Fades took to the stage, wasting no time launching into a blistering set including their latest single, Mirror ≠ Self, and getting the circle pit started early.

Having played in Wellington the night before, Crooked Royals looked to be amping to build on the momentum in a killer set of some of their heavier tracks. It was a fitting sendoff for vocalist Lee Mackley, who last month announced his departure from the band, with Christian Carstensen showcasing his scream prowess throughout and calling for the first ‘wall of death’ of the night. The hometown show on one of Auckland’s most iconic stages couldn’t be a better way to farewell Lee, who has been instrumental to the development of the band over the past decade.

A short wait and stage reset later, August Burns Red came out swinging – microphones, at least. The venue had filled close to capacity, and the floor could be felt to be moving as fans jumped, ran, and danced from the start. Playing a career-spanning set with tracks from the newest album, Seasons of Surrender, scattered throughout, the band knew exactly what the fans wanted, providing the fans with a masterclass in metalcore which kept the eager crowd moving throughout. This marked the final show of the Australasian tour, and we hope it won’t be ten years between visits next time.

August Burns Red

Crooked Royals

As Colour Fades