Falling In Reverse, Black Veil Brides, Hollywood Undead @ Entertainment Centre, Adelaide 13/3/2025
Video killed the radio star and grunge killed the rock star. However, rock stars really don’t die. They are like monsters, or Mons (TOURS) – from horror movies. Genuine ones keep coming back. This Mons(Tour) is Ronnie Radke and Falling In Reverse. Love him or loathe him, he is a bona fide rock star.
Massive anthems and worldwide band? Check! Adoring screaming fans? Check! Prison history? Check! Controversial public comments? Check! Arrogance? Check!
In an age where every word could have you cancelled, Radke doesn’t seek out controversy, however he doesn’t run away behind a paid PR either. He confronts it, challenges it, owns it and the rocks the shit out of it.
He isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but do you want your rock stars to be? Rock N Roll after all is meant to be dangerous, confronting, anarchic and ideally, your parents hate it. Ronnie Radke has that in bucket loads.
Arguably the last two major rock stars who stuck a big middle finger to the world and didn’t care were Marilyn Manson and Axl Rose. Both displayed, at their peak, the similar attributes to Radke. Radke could almost be the musical version of a love child between them.
The arrogance to know he is the star of the show. The ‘them against us’ mentality to the world that seeps throughout his music. The extravagant performance that reaches into theatrical nirvana. It’s all here. In a world that singers don’t speak, that minimalism reigns, Falling In Reverse are rock gods.
They are not the only controversial act on the bill. Openers Hollywood Undead sound huge. A mixture of hip hop, metal and, yes, country, they are a good time party.
The multi vocalists and multi-instrumentalists, have the place bouncing during Chaos and Riot. Bringing up young Eric from the crowd, who at six years old is more than happy to announce the next song as Comin’ In Hot motherfucker’ gets a cheer. They are a fantastic start to the evening.
Andy Biersack and Black Veil Brides pop goths arrive next. Their catchy hooks that you can sing too spread across the arena like a disease you want to catch. People cannot get enough.
Dressed head to toe in black, leather jacket, rings and necklaces, Biersack has the posture of a god and a smile of a movie star. The high pitched shrill when he takes his jacket off, shatters glass.
They are showman though. There is drum twirling, bells tolling and fast paced riffs which allows Biersack to roar and sing accordingly.
With a set list that stretches throughout their whole career, the anthems, the Molotov cocktail solos and epic choruses scream 80’s rock and by the time closer In The End is on, everyone is dancing in their seats.
However, showmanship is Ronnie’s domain. The screen shows the band backstage and preparing for the show. The dramatic beginning, literally called Prequel, is a self-indulgent show of being a crucified genius. It’s theatre and it’s something sadly lacking in music today.
Technical issues on the monitors for Radke and his band hold up the first couple of songs – shades of Axl Rose storming off come flooding back – however Radke persists and turns it into a ‘punk rock’ positive.
There are flames, girls screaming, kids on stage singing, and no end of choruses so catchy that you become at one with the show.
Sure, a lot of the songs are a big ‘fuck you’ to the world, cries of being misunderstood and not caring, however that’s what you want your rock god to be. Someone who displays what you want to be.
Zombified, Fuck You And Your Friends and The Drug In Me Is You are all sung with gusto by a crowd eager for more.
The theatre of the evening doesn’t stop with a unique encore element where Radke pretends to storm off, calling everyone an asshole, before he returns for the storming and epic run home.
The grandiosity of the encore hasn’t been seen since GNR days. The country style of All My Life, the scope of Popular Monster, the absolutely brutality of Ronald – which is like a trip through hell with the flames and switches in styles – all lead to Watch The World Burn.
Before the final song, Radke states ‘you are about to join the cult of Ronnie Radke.’ The sheer audacity of the statement if I said it at work is laughable however when you watched the man have 8,000 people eat of out his hands for ninety minutes, well, maybe he has a point.
Live Review By Iain McCallum