The fifth instalment of Good Things Festival was destined to be a whirlwind of a day from the get-go.
With over 30 acts squeezed into the sprawling Flemington Racecourse across 5 stages, the event was a spectacular collision of genres, generations and energy levels (6 December). Last-minute changes, namely Sum 41's withdrawal due to illness, added a degree of chaos that saw multiple set-time changes, yet the festival fell into place – albeit with a few frayed edges.
Liverpool's Loathe were the first highlight of the day, delivering a blistering set that fused metalcore with dreamy shoegaze elements. The last time I saw Loathe was in 2022 for their first headline tour of Australia, where they played a small pub – they work brilliantly as a festival band, and it was fantastic to see them getting recognition from a substantial crowd. The juxtaposition of Kadeem France's harsh screams and Erik Bickerstaffe's soaring cleans hit especially hard through the festival's booming sound system.
An Auslan interpreter rocking out with air guitar and riff-induced stank faces elevated the set, adding a joyous and inclusive touch. This attention to accessibility – with interpreters at main stages and raised viewing platforms throughout – was a notable feature of the festival.
Loathe - image © Chris Dy
The irreverent energy of Bowling For Soup turned Stage 1 into a three-man pop-punk comedy club. Frontman Jaret Reddick entertained the crowd with antics ranging from playing guitar behind his head to doing a shoey, with the band pausing for a brief photo opportunity soundtracked by Rick Astley's 'Never Gonna Give You Up'.
The Texas group balanced their slapstick humour with tight musicianship, prompting crowd sing-alongs to hits like '1985' and 'Girl All The Bad Guys Want'. Their live rendition of the 'Phineas and Ferb' theme song brought smiles to the faces of the crowd, proving that silliness and solid sound can coexist beautifully.
Bowling For Soup - image © Chris Dy
Australian rock icons The Butterfly Effect delivered a heartfelt and polished set, much to the delight of a devoted crowd. The band, clearly enjoying their time on stage, leaned into fan-favourite tracks like 'Gone' and 'Reach'.
Clint Boge's vocals transitioned seamlessly from smooth falsetto to impassioned screams, reminding everyone of why the band remains a staple of the Aussie rock scene. Having the crowd select their set list via Instagram was a clever nod to their loyal fanbase.
The Butterfly Effect - image © Chris Dy
Alpha Wolf brought ferocity to Stage 4 with their high-energy metalcore set. Despite their aggressive sound, their message was one of unity, with frontman Lochie Keogh shouting "I need to see you motherf...ers protect each other," to the densely packed crowd.
This wholesome vibe was a striking contrast to the blistering breakdowns. Audience members, undeterred by a large sign prohibiting crowd surfing and circle pits, embraced the chaos, making the set one of the day's most dynamic and a standout for many.
Alpha Wolf - image © Chris Dy
Trading Alpha Wolf's head-to-toe Adidas and Ibanez guitars for checkered shirts, Gretsch hollowbodies and a double bass, The Living End lit up Stage 2 with a genre-blending rockabilly-punk set that showcased why they remain one of Australia's most beloved live acts.
Frontman Chris Cheney leaned into the crowd's vibe, joking "you can tell this is a country-Western audience; I see you standing there with your cowboy boots, tight black jeans and bolo ties."
Cheney's VB bottle slide guitar solo brought a quintessentially Aussie touch, but the real highlight was the band's tight, polished performance, showcasing their solid musicianship.
The Living End - image © Chris Dy
Northlane delivered a powerhouse performance with phenomenal stage presence. Vocalist Marcus Bridge had no trouble firing up the crowd – his energy was infectious, and it wasn't long before hats and drinks were soaring high above the mosh.
Bridge's vocals shifted effortlessly between clean melodies and gritty screams, highlighting the versatility that has become a hallmark of Northlane's sound. Visually, the band was as striking as they were sonically, with sleek outfits and futuristic video projections that mirrored their electronic-infused metalcore.
The crowd belted out the words to tracks like 'Bloodline' and jumped with such force that I quite legitimately felt the ground shake. While Alpha Wolf set the bar high earlier in the day, Northlane's fiercely dedicated fanbase took it to another level.
Northlane - image © Chris Dy
A short gap between Northlane and L7 was our best opportunity to grab some food before the clashes got particularly bad. The sounds of Dragon floated over from Stage 4, with 'April Sun In Cuba' providing a pleasant backing track while I enjoyed my overpriced tofu bao. Though I didn't catch the full set, I later heard about an especially poetic moment during 'Rain', when Melbourne's famously temperamental skies opened on the crowd in a moment of synchronicity.
Stage 5 was plagued with sound issues on the day, and Killing Heidi was unfortunately one of the casualties. Singer Ella Hooper brought incredible energy, running around the stage during the first two songs of their play-through of 2000's 'Reflector', but a faulty connection or technical glitch led to a distracting buzzing, rattling sound from the speakers.
Despite the setbacks, much of the crowd remained unfazed, happily dancing along to the songs that soundtracked the early 2000s in Australia. The nostalgia of hearing hits like 'Weir' and 'Mascara' was undeniably special, and the energy of the performance made up for the technical hiccups.
Image © Chris Dy
Los Angeles punk rockers L7 delivered a captivating set at Stage 3, with the four-piece exuding fun and comfort onstage. Suzi Gardner looked effortlessly cool playing guitar in sunglasses, while Donita Sparks and Jennifer Finch had fantastic onstage chemistry with their synchronised head-banging.
Despite the drizzle, the crowd was fully engaged, singing along and waving their arms to hits like 'Pretend We're Dead' and cheering loudly when anti-Trump song 'Dispatch From Mar-a-Lago' was introduced. The set ended with a high-energy performance of 'Sh.tlist'. This time of the day marked the start of some brutal clashes – I wanted to catch Mastodon, but opted to stay at L7.
As the sun started setting, Violent Femmes delivered a subdued yet enjoyable performance of their debut album in full. Opening with 'Blister In The Sun' and 'Kiss Off' ensured immediate crowd engagement, but the energy waned as their set progressed, with many filtering away from the stage as the final songs of the album were played.
Positioned before the high-octane acts of Electric Callboy and Korn, their laidback vibe felt like a scheduling misstep. Still, Gordon Gano's voice absolutely holds up. The set saw a range of instruments and musicians onstage, including Melbourne's own trumpeter Jack Howard of Hunters & Collectors fame. 'Confessions' had a fun jam that featured two saxophones, trumpet, a conch shell (nature's trumpet!), slide whistle, snare drum and even a Weber barbecue.
Violent Femmes - image © Chris Dy
Sleeping With Sirens drew one of the most enthusiastic crowds of the day, with punters gathered as far back as the food trucks to watch the set – it's surprising the group weren't placed on one of the larger stages.
The band's pristine sound and polished performance showcased frontman Kellin Quinn's vocal prowess, and their emotional connection with the crowd was palpable, especially when they stopped the set during 'A Trophy Father's Trophy Son' to address a medical emergency.
Their rendition of Goo Goo Dolls' 'Iris' added a poignant moment before their sing-along-heavy finale, with 'If You Can't Hang' seeing a sea of phones come out in full force to capture the moment. At the very end, the band threw balled-up set lists into the crowd, leaving excited fans with a memorable parting gift.
Kerry King's set at Stage 3 drew a smaller crowd than Alpha Wolf's, but those in attendance were fully engaged. The Slayer guitarist, now with a new band and recent album 'From Hell I Rise', kicked off with tracks from the record before diving into Slayer classics and a cover of Iron Maiden's 'Killers' in tribute to Paul Di'Anno, who passed away at the end of October.
Kerry King - image © Chris Dy
Surrounded by Marshall stacks, the band got an explosive response from the crowd when they launched into the opening riff of 'Raining Blood' after a lengthy build-up. Spurred on by the pyrotechnics, the crowd was now aggressively head-banging and fist-pumping.
The sign prohibiting moshing was long forgotten as a circle pit erupted in front of the stage – something that vocalist Mark Osegueda noted, telling audience members to "pay it no f...ing mind". With Paul Bostaph on drums, the band delivered a satisfying thrash metal set that stayed true to Slayer's roots.
Back at Stage 2, Electric Callboy were hosting a frenetic rave that resembled a packed club on a Saturday night, again underscoring the contrast between acts at the festival. The German trancecore group brought the energy to fever pitch with their explosive, high-energy performance.
Initially meant to play at 5:30pm, the group took Sum 41's slot and delivered above and beyond. Electric Callboy's drummer had to pull out of the tour at the last minute due to sickness, but incredibly, a replacement came through – none other than Sum 41's own Frank Zummo. He did an excellent job, and the audience was even treated to a cover of Sum 41's 'Still Waiting'. The group finished up their set with the energetic hit 'We Got The Moves', complete with an impressive explosion of confetti and strobe lights.
Image © Chris Dy
I had hoped to catch at least part of Billy Corgan's set, but the clashes made that difficult. Corgan was scheduled to play at Stage 3 on the other side of the festival from Korn, and the crowd was already packed tight well before the nu metal headliners were due to come onstage.
The excitement was palpable in the audience, and the crowd erupted in deafening cheers as the five-piece took to the stage. Jonathan Davis, clad in a red Adidas tracksuit, took his place behind his custom-made H.R. Giger microphone stand to an especially loud reception.
Korn - image © Chris Dy
Opening with a slew of favourites including 'Here To Stay', 'Dead Bodies Everywhere' and 'Got The Life', I made it my mission to work my way into the pit. I joined the chaos just in time for 'Blind', and got the full Korn experience: the heat was unbearable, I was drenched in sweat (mostly not my own) and the crowd had turned into a wild push pit. It was a visceral, chaotic atmosphere, but the band sounded incredible and the atmosphere was electrifying.
While they might not have had the same energy as they did in earlier tours, Korn put on a fantastic show, seamlessly blending old and new hits. Davis delivered his iconic bagpipe solo on 'Shoots And Ladders', which also featured a brief snippet of Metallica's 'One'. Fans screamed their lungs out for favourites like 'A.D.I.D.A.S.' and 'Twist'.
The night closed with a powerful encore, featuring 'Falling Away From Me', 'Oildale (Leave Me Alone)', and, of course, 'Freak On A Leash'. I left the pit thoroughly exhausted, drenched in sweat and absolutely stoked – a feeling that seemed to be shared by many other attendees.
Korn - image © Chris Dy
Good Things 2024 was an unforgettable day, where the heat, unavoidable clashes and technical difficulties couldn't overshadow the sheer talent and passion on display. From nostalgic anthems to groundbreaking modern acts, the festival celebrated the diversity and unity of heavy music.
For future editions, a closer eye on scheduling and stage allocations could streamline the experience. However, even with its flaws, Good Things 2024 reaffirmed its status as a must-attend event for those who love all things punk, rock, emo and metal.
More photos from the concert.
