It was 2012 when I saw The Living End on their retrospective tour, and saw them perform their debut album in full. It was outstanding, now here we are thirteen years later on the steps of the Sydney Opera House to see them do it again. I never miss a chance to see these guys live and tonight with them performing two sets. This is going to be spectacular.
My unexpected find of the night if not year was the opener Southeast Desert Metal. Man these guys are great, this is bloody heavy and I’m loving it. This sound is huge and I will be definitely checking these guys out again.
Coming on and they rip straight into ‘Alfie’ from their newest album and this sounds big. How this three piece do this is so good and these seasoned veterans could do it in their sleep. With a 4 count it’s time to ‘Roll On’ and this big hit this early is perfect. That’s how you get a crowd warmed up! From roll on to ‘Roller’ and as Scott climbs his bass the crowd laps it up as seriously it’s just so cool. Explaining how the night will run, we’re settled in and the hits keep coming with ‘Pictures in the Mirror’ and it’s always good to be reminded of how good this song is. “Tonight it’s the Rock Opera House” Chris tells us before absolutely blasting into ‘Carry Me Home’ and what a rocker that is!! To the White Noise album with ‘Hey Hey Disbeliever’ keeping things rolling, then ‘Wake Up’ and these songs are so damn good. ‘Who’s Gonna Save Us’ is one of my favourite Living End tracks and I’m stoked it’s in the set tonight. Back to their latest album with ‘Strange Place’ and these new ones fit in nicely. Damn, when ‘How Do We Know’ starts you just shake your head as this sound is on point. Going back to 1996 with their first song that ever got played on the radio ‘From Here on In’ and look how far they’ve come. Chris starts ‘Misery’ and Scott and Andy join in to rip this one out from the new album. With that the first set is done and time for the intermission before we get into the debut album.
They’re back and as a video montage plays going through events of 1997 through the making of the album and how it took them to major heights they walk on to play this album for us. ‘Prisoner of Society’ starts off set two and of course this classic is being shouted back at the stage. What a song. ‘Growing Up (Falling Down)’ keeps it going and what a tune, then ‘Second Solution’ send the crowd wild and this is loud hearing them sing this back. My god this band is tight. ‘Bloody Mary’ and its chunky riff is so damn good, ‘Monday’ is a song I haven’t heard for ages and I forgot how much I enjoyed it. ‘Trapped’ has that summer beach vibe and is smooth, ‘Save the Day’ was a single from the album and they all love this one. What a banger. ‘Fly Away’ fits in nicely and is a slower tempo for the band to have a rest while playing. The breather is over as ‘Have They Forgotten?’ turns things back up and rocks the place. The big hits are back as ‘All Torn Down’ is introd by Chris on the guitar before it kicks in and the recognition was great from everyone and they are lapping this up. Still such a good song this many years on as they extend this one and jam. Chris throws on a telecaster for ‘I Want a Day’ then ‘Sleep on It’ is another one that you forget how good it is. One you definitely never forget how good it is is ‘West End Riot’ and as you can imagine this went off. Amazing live song that is. It’s made for a stage and tonight this iconic one was graced with it. ‘Closing In’ is some musical mastery as the band do what they do best.
A very quick break before a quick encore and a thanks to everyone, we’ve got two more, the first being ‘White Noise’ and it was the only place it could be this late in the set. Closing the show with ‘Uncle Harry’ which is always wild, a mid song shoey before rounding it out and with that they’re done. I mean I could just sit here and praise this band over and over again, so I will… The Living End, might just be the best live band in Australia. There, I said it. That was an experience tonight, and one I was very happy to be a part of.
Essential Information
Venue: Sydney Opera House Forecourt
Date: December 12, 2025
Presented by: Face to Face Touring
Set list:
Alfie
Roll On
Roller
Pictures in the Mirror
Carry Me Home
Hey Hey Disbeliever
Wake Up
Who’s Gonna Save Us
Strange Place
How Do We Know
From Here on In
Misery
Prisoner of Society
Growing Up (Falling Down)
Second Solution
Bloody Mary
Monday
Trapped
Save the Day
Fly Away
Have They Forgotten?
All Torn Down
I Want a Day
Sleep on It
West End Riot
Closing In
White Noise
Uncle Harry
