While She Sleeps, The Forum, Melbourne
5 October 2024
Support – Boundaries, Ocean Sleeper, Stick To Your Guns
Boundaries, Ocean Sleeper, Stick To Your Guns, and While She Sleeps took over the stage at The Forum in Melbourne. After almost a year, While She Sleeps have returned to Australian soil, this time to showcase their latest album, Self Hell.
Boundaries opened the night with their signature intensity, making an instant impression on their first-ever Australian crowd. Their set was pure energy from start to finish, setting the tone for what was already shaping up to be a great night.
Next up, Ocean Sleeper brought their hometown fire to the stage, delivering fan favourites like ‘Forever Sinking,’ ‘King of Nothing,’ and ‘Heaven.’ But the live performance of their unreleased title track, ‘Maybe Death Is All I Need,’ was truly remarkable and built hype for the new EP coming out soon. There was no denying the band’s passion and dedication to their fans.
Then Stick To Your Guns stormed the stage, and we got to enjoy their rendition of the classic ‘Tequila,’ which had the crowd cheering and having a great time immediately! From the first note, the room exploded, and the energy only escalated. They had the crowd in the palm of their hands with their hardcore/punk blend, causing sing-alongs and circle pits to break out all across the floor of The Forum. Their performance delivered an energetic and impressive set that raised the evening’s energy.
When While She Sleeps finally hit the stage, the excitement reached even greater heights. The second Loz Taylor leapt into the crowd, a massive circle pit erupted, and the chaos didn’t stop. The band kept the momentum going with relentless intensity, crowd surfers, and sing-alongs that turned the whole room into a chorus. This tour, which marked their comeback after nearly a year, had the perfect blend of songs from their most recent album, Self Hell, as well as fan favourites. One of the most powerful moments came during ‘Enlightenment,’ when the message “it’s ok to not be ok” resonated deeply with the audience. It was a standout moment of the evening, with Taylor leading the crowd in an anthem of both intensity and vulnerability. It was the kind of performance that felt like a reunion between the band and their dedicated Aussie fans.
The whole night was a whirlwind of energy, emotion, and connection. The crowd fed off the energy of each band, and the atmosphere was electric from start to finish. While She Sleeps may have been the headliner, but every band left their mark on a night that Melbourne won’t soon forget. The Forum’s intimate vibe made it all the more special, turning the show into a truly immersive experience.
Words & images by Kayla Elliott
Boundaries