From Ashes To New, Banks Arcade @ Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide 13/10/2026
Elite! It was hard not to be blown away by From Ashes To New first Adelaide show in the intimate surrounds of Lion Arts Factory. In the US this much loved band would be playing in front of thousands if not tens of thousands people in arenas which made this show all the more extraordinary. How so? I’m glad you asked! The band Matt Brandyberry (rapper and vocalist), Danny Case (lead vocals), Lance Dowdle (lead guitar, bass), Jimmy Bennett (rhythm guitar, bass) and Mat Madiro (drums) brought the big arena vibe and stage get up making it work brilliantly. It was loud! It was spectacular! It had everything!
Setting the tone for the evening was New Zealand (now Melbourne based) outfit Banks Arcade. Whatever preconceived ideas or thoughts of this band from previous conquests are vastly different now. Banks Arcade’s time is certainly now and armed with Second Place Superstar they have made an incredible transformation and the next twelve months will be without a shadow of a doubt very exciting. First song literally went bang! MOVE hit right between the eyes making their intentions loud and clear. Metalcore is etched in the heart of their DNA but it’s all the other elements they incorporate in to the music that makes you go wow! The new album is very much focused around ambition and ultimately chasing the dream without letting anyone get in the way.
Roulette fired up the circle pit but it was the likes ROCKSTAR, KNOW ME and SEVERANCE that fuelled that intensity winning over the collective minds. The new songs are winners, definitely bold and definitely a calculated move which worked perfectly. Nothing like a well executed plan. Front man Joshua O’Donnell spoke about all the stresses of being in a band and touring but it was moments like this that made it all the worthwhile. Colossal is the only way to describe WAIT and that impassioned roar at the end demanded attention. YUCK! and DON’T MISS are absolute bangers which will be set staples for a long time to come. A killer set leaving the stage smouldering.
From Ashes To New were last here in 2024 for Good Things Festival so it was even more exciting seeing them return for their own headline tour. If Lion Arts Factory wasn’t sold out it would have been extremely close, even Matt said “let’s say it is”. Their live show is up there with the best of them and will take some serious topping. They’ve got the songs, fitting them all in is a huge challenge but wowsers! The next seventy five minutes was incredible. Right from the get go there was no easing in to or getting comfortable charging their way through New Disease and Nightmare. The crowd were lively and energetic and why wouldn’t you be experiencing this show. I think you could only imagine the scale of awesomeness with their full arena show would be like judging on what was experienced at Lion Arts Factory. High energy crowd lifters Heartache, Drag Me and Black Hearts were great moments.
Already talking about planning for a return tour in much bigger venues they had the Adelaide faithful in the palm of their hands. It’s not forgotten or lost on Adelaide either playing here considering the size of the other venues on the tour and considering that so many leave us out. Kudos to you From Ashes To New. Hard to believe a classic such as My Name was going to get dropped off the set list but this one clearly means so much to so many with this one literally “blowing up”. Even a young fan down the front was promised the opportunity to sing this one with the band the next time they tour here. Matt spoke about talking to much, faking it and losing his voice and that he was “past the point of needing people to love me”. There’s no dialling it in or faking it, they’re one hundred percent a bonafide rock band.
The songs kept coming with Barely Breathing, Villain, Love Me and Through It All. Even with some tech issues that wasn’t going to derail this freight train. Encouraging people to live their best life was the theme for Die For You and the back story behind a fan’s jacket which had a monologue from Danny on it was an interesting one and scored Adelaide an extra song with Hate Me Too. There was one last song to get the demons “out of your head” with Panic and when you’re that good you don’t need an encore. Killer show and we look forward to an even bigger show next time.
Live Review By Rob Lyon