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CKY
Max Watts
Friday 23 Jan 2026
CKY (abbreviation of Camp Kill Yourself) is an American rock band from West Chester, Pennsylvania. The lights go down at Melbourne’s Max Watts, and a chant “CKY, CKY,CKY” comes over the loudspeakers, and out saunter, Chad Ginsburg, Mike Leon on guitars and Jess Margera as the crowd takes up the chant. Wasting no time, the band are straight down to business, opening with Rio Bravo.
The crowd, awash with nostalgia shout al0ng to top favorites – Attached at the Hip, Sporadic Movement and Escape From Hellview, barely taking a breath as they pump out song after song.
Ginsburg is a fun front-man to watch – he’s energetic, excited and charismatic – he amps up the crowd at every opportunity, fist pumps and leg kicks get the already excited crowd into an almost frenzied like state. The crowd are loving it, and he doesn’t let up, clearly enjoying seeing his songs sung back to him. Adding to the energy is bass player Mike Leon, who is dynamite to watch.
Stopping mid- set to ask if anyone remembers Bran’s Asian Freestyle, a fan is dragged on stage and to the amazement of the crowd raps the entire song in expert fashion. It’s hilarious, unplanned and unscripted but is really funny. Fans jaws drop as he absolutely nails it, not taking a breath. It’s politically incorrect and these days would probably get the band cancelled, but with this audience and in the right context it’s a hit.
At the end of Close Yet Far, the lights go down and the band sort of walk off stage in what might be the end of the show, but it’s a bit unclear as thirty seconds later they’re back- in what was the shortest encore break ever. Finishing up with crowd request Plastic Plan (Half), Bite It You Scum (GG Allin cover) and All My Friends Are Dead the night comes to an abrupt halt.
CKY are an exceptionally fun band to watch, that engage with their audience, get people pumped up and deliver a solid set list over an hour and a half long. They’re inexcusably politically incorrect, sing songs that would likely get anyone else cancelled and are extremely talented musicians that are simply enjoyable to watch. The rest of the tour continues.
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