I love a tour like this, as it’s been 4 years since Bush have been here, and a whopping 16 for Shinedown, so this pairing tonight is exciting. There are two great bands and we are in for an amazing night of live music.
Let’s get warmed up by Coast Arcade first… they did a great job and I’d be keen to definitely check out their stuff. What won many over was their cover of ‘Slither’ by Velvet Revolver that was awesome and unexpected. I dig this bands vibe and I look forward to seeing what they do.
Bush are up now and with two albums since their last time here I’m looking forward to see how this set is going to play out.
Lights down and as the Hordern is lit up by lights the band make their way to of stage and Gavin starts ‘Scars’ and totally sets the scene and people are pumped. We get higher than we’ve ever been with ‘Bullet Holes’ which is now quintessential Bush and this big rocker sounds great in here tonight. Addressing the crowd before the chunky riff of ‘More Than Machines’ kicks in and Gavin gets down with the front row to say hi while the band absolutely rock this one to its limits. Drums pound ‘The Land of Milk and Honey’ in and the rhythm section are in full force and with a guitar solo to boot this set just keeps getting better. ‘The Chemicals Between Us’ keep things moving along nicely and with the second guitar it fills it out nicely and do far it’s the one that has gotten the best reception of the night so far before its big rock ending. Ooh ‘Machinehead’ gets a sea of phones hoisted as we all breathe in and breathe out. The bass starts ‘We’re All The Same On The Inside’ and what a choice, I didn’t expect this one and it was great!
Gavin stays on stage and starts the classic ‘Swallowed’ solo before being rejoined by the band to beef it back up and close it out. Back to the newer material and Gavin has disappeared down to the front again and not just that he made his way through the crowd and shaking many hands while out there belting this one out and as he makes his way back to the stage the band are up there absolutely rockin’ out and this is metal. Gavin is back and they get the applause they deserve after that one. Now he gets to slow down after that workout as the place gets lit up by phones for ‘Glycerine’ and he does it solo even at one point doing it minus the music which was really cool. That song clearly means a lot to many here tonight. Damn, another banger with ‘Human Sand’ and these songs are perfect the stage and this one is massive. Having another chat and introducing the band “my name is Gavin, this is Bush and this is how we began” as they rip into ‘Everything Zen’ and it takes on so much more power live. Still a banger to this day and always will be. More big riffs for ‘I Beat Loneliness’ and it’s Sydney’s first time hearing this live and definitely won’t be the last. What a song. That was a highlight for me tonight. From the new to the old again with ‘Comedown’ and an awesome extended intro before they launch into it and get us all involved with some lovely singing from the crowd. That was the perfect way to close out a great set. Bush are truly an awesome live band and tonight they absolutely delivered.
I saw Shinedown on their one and only tour of Australia back in 2010 for Soundwave and their sideshow in Sydney which was beyond words. So getting to see the band 16 years on and to see how they’ve grown as a live band and to hear songs we’ve not yet had the chance to in a live environment is going to be a treat.
Here we go! ‘Sledgehammer’ is playing and a tv head guy is hyping up the crowd that’s fun but as that finishes the lights go down and the intro begins. Oh my god there’s fire!! Yes!! Opening with ‘Safe and Sound’ they sound unbelievable. What a start and welcome back to Sydney, Shinedown. Then to go into one of my favourite of their catalogue with ‘Devour’ is next level. The power this song has is insane and with a little ‘Shine’ outro before the massive ‘Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)’and I have to say that this is just beyond impressive. The sound this band is making is ridiculous. This really is a live band at the top of their game. Getting everyone to meet their neighbour was fun, and then getting everyone dancing was excellent crowd work before ‘If You Only Knew’ started and another from their monster album that is ‘The Sound of Madness’. What a record and getting to hear these songs live again is a treat. Oh wow even more of a treat we’re going back to the first album with ’45’ and it’s really great to hear so many here know it. That was epic.
Red lights engulf the stage before we get woken up by the explosiveness of ‘Devil’ and it’s about to get heavy indeed!! More fire and crazy lights make this one huge. Splitting the crowd as Brent comes through the crowd to the sound desk right next to me and he is in the middle of the crowd and commanding everyone before making his way back to the stage and getting everyone to jump leading into ‘Enemies’ and this is going off. That was huge!! Lights and Lighters (yes some actual lighters) are out for ‘A Symptom of Being Human’ slowing things down for the first time tonight and a well needed tempo drop for everyone as man it’s been intense so far and that’s what it’s all about. The way that the band can go from the high energy to a beautiful song like that is truly a talent. Ok the quiet didn’t last long as ‘Bully’ takes its place in the set. I love the Amaryllis album so hearing this from it tonight is a treat plus it’s so loud and that’s even better. ‘Cut the Cord’ is somehow even heavier and with even more fire this is a show! It’s time for ‘Monsters’ and Zach was killing it on this one! Such a big song. Now he stays on stage promising it won’t take so long to come back he gives us some ‘Kryptonite’ for a bit of a tribute to Brad Arnold and it was awesome to hear everyone singing along. Brent returns to the stage and Zach begins ‘Simple Man’ and this allows Brent to show us even more tonight just how good a singer he is. This cover is perfection when done by Shinedown. Eric and Barry return to take it to full volume. With only a couple to go you know the big guns are coming and the next one is most definitely one of my favourites, it’s ‘Sound of Madness’ and that was everything I wanted tonight. That riff and just the explosiveness of this song that is made for the stage is a pleasure to hear and to witness. Closing with the only one they could it was ‘Second Chance’ and the insane level of energy from the first note until the last note was something to witness. That is a consummate professional band.
What a night, it’s awesome to see this level of love for this kind of music still alive and very well. This pairing was brilliant, the night was brilliant, and I know it won’t be that long before we see both bands again. My ears are ringing (even more so than normal) and I couldn’t be happier.
Essential Information
Venue: Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Date: September 23, 2026
Support: Coast Arcade
Presented By: Destroy All Lines
Website: https://www.bushofficial.com/ https://www.shinedown.com/
Bush set list
Scars
Bullet Holes
More Than Machines
The Land of Milk and Honey
The Chemicals Between Us
Machinehead
We’re all the same on the inside
Swallowed
Flowers on a Grave
Glycerine
Human Sand
Everything Zen
I Beat Loneliness
Comedown
Shinedown set list
Safe and Sound
Devour
Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)
If You Only Knew
45
Devil
Enemies
A Symptom of Being Human
Bully
Cut the Cord
Monsters
Kryptonite
Simple Man
Sound of Madness
Second Chance
