Hands Like Houses, Lumens, Flow Kobra, Connections, Akira Slide @ UniBar, Adelaide 12/7/2025
Whoever said Adelaide does not have a pulse and nothing happens on a Saturday night is clearly mistaken. There were so many options of things to do and it seemed as if half of Adelaide was out and about but those in the know headed to the UniBar for massive night of music. There is no doubt that times are tough and punters are looking for value for money and this bill delivered exactly that with Hands Like Houses playing their biggest headline show here with rising stars LUMENS, Flow Kobra, Connections and Akira Slide.
Flying the Adelaide flag proudly were Akira Slide who are just starting out showing plenty of promise particularly with debut single INCISOR catching attention. Slotting in to the post-hardcore genre seamlessly I would be keeping an eye out on this band as there will be plenty more to come from Akira Slide. Similarly, progressive metalcore Adelaide band Connections are starting to make some serious inroads as well. Think Reliqa and Spiritbox and you have the gist, their set might have been short but they made plenty of the right noises with the single Home standing out.
This was just the start! Wollongong trap metallers Flow Kobra are gaining and building a solid live reputation with their set proving that. It took a bit of coaxing to get fans to move down the front to really get in to it and go hard. First instinct was thinking that Limp Bizkit were playing but that said they have a few tricks up their sleeve. Set highlights were the likes of ROLL IT OVER, slowing it down on BETTER DAYZ and SCAPEGOAT but it was the set closer and Slipknot cover People = Shit that sparked attention. Hats off to these guys, big move to cover that songs but they did it brilliantly well. This was a big moment for Adelaide progressive metalcore outfit LUMENS. The metalcore scene here is thriving with so many doing great things but no doubt LUMENS deserved second billing with an electrifying and blistering performance playing to their biggest crowd to date. It might have cold but that didn’t stop vocalist Rhys Jackson Stars getting his rig out! If you had a rig like that why wouldn’t you! Their short fired set up packed plenty of punch with set highlights including Primrose and In Too Deep.
Four bands down and this was very much Hands Like Houses show and they showed why they were top billing. It has been a while since they played their own show in Adelaide but they more than made up for lost time. In short, incredible! When you line up the very top echelon of bands in their genre Hands Like Houses surely have to be a part of that conversation. Thoroughly impressive live sound and production right up there with the best of them this was a show to remember treating Adelaide fans to new songs off ATMOSPHERICS. With singer Josh Raven saying “hello beautiful people, thanks for your time and attention, let’s playing some fucking music, hands up in the air!”
It was on from first drop with Division with Raven asking for more from the crowd saying “I thought we were in Adelaide, give me more than that!” With a little more encouragement the crowd were fired up as the band knocked over Obey, Panic, Parasite and Monster. The new sounds were killer fitting in to the set with their classics. The End was fantastic and Hollow took on far deeper meaning being about mental health. The surprise in the set was the Chris Isaak cover Wicked Game given the Hands Like Houses touch up (perfect I’d say for Triple J Like A Version). Fan fav Colourblind was awesome and one lone crowd surfer appeared in ICU. Raven got in and amongst the crowd on Paradise saying there were no excuses not to be jumping as this is a jumping song as was Heaven topped off a great night. There was plenty to like about Hands Like Houses and no doubt we will be seeing play a much bigger venue next time.
Live Review By Rob Lyon