Review and pictures: Nate Rose

Neck Deep‘s triumphant conclusion to their Dumbstruck Dumbf!*k Australian Tour at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall was a pop punk dream. The Welsh band’s set delivered a night that was nothing short of euphoric, bolstered by the electric energy of New York’s State Champs and Perth’s rising heroes Late 90’s.

Entering the Arena to ‘Time Is Now’ the John Cena theme song, Perth’s own Late 90’s set the tone with a raw and energetic performance. This was the first time I had heard these guys, I would say if you put Basement, the Seattle Grunge scene and some heavier elements together it would come pretty close to describing their sound. Opening their set with ‘Title Track’ the lads wasted no time with their short 25 mins or so set. Blasting through the likes of ‘Respawn’ and the killer new single ‘Intrepid’.

“We came all the way from Perth and this is pretty fucking rad.” Said Frontman and guitarist Stephen Loreck with a smile from ear to ear. Stephen had a cool charisma, connecting instantly with the early crowd.

“Metamorphosis” Easily the heaviest song in the set saw the venue start to move. Guitarist Zaac Morgan and bassist Brody Morgan brought tight harmonies and bouncing chemistry, while drummer Elliot Lee hammered through each track with furious precision. It’s cool to see a Perth band on a show of this calibre, Late 90’s may have been the openers this time around, but be sure they will be headlining this place one day.

Entering the room to massive cheers, New Yorkers State Champs know how to bring a polished and infectious energy to any room they play, and tonight was no different. Opening with the bouncy “Silver Cloud,” Derek DiScanio’s vocals were spot-on — soaring, passionate, and effortlessly cool, Doning a Patrick Ewing Knicks jersey a clear homage to their hometown.

Their setlist was a whirlwind greatest-hits ride, “Outta My Head” and “Light Blue” had the crowd singing along in unison taking in everything the band had on offer, although the frontman knew the crowd had more to give. “How can we make this better?” asks DiScanio, “Open it up, Circle Pit, Lets go” as State Champs fly into “Criminal” and the crowd opens things up, slightly.

The guitar work of Tyler Szalkowski and Ryan Scott Graham’s thundering bass lines elevated the room’s intensity, while drummer Evan Ambrosio was a force behind the kit, throwing in flashy fills without ever missing a beat. Graham’s stage presence was a huge highlight, with the bassist moving, spinning and jumping all over the stage and was an absolute joy to shoot.

A special moment came when they played favourite “Everybody but You” with Neck Deep frontman Ben Barlow joining them onstage and the crowd joining in with a huge sing along.

Neck Deep and State Champs have a long-standing touring relationship that dates back over a decade and multiple tours of Australia together, these tours have become hallmark events for pop punk fans, with the high energy performances and a celebration of pop punk camaraderie and tonight was no exception.

Finally, it was time for the Welsh kings of pop-punk. With a huge bubble backdrop adoring their name they enter the stage. Neck Deep exploded into “Heartbreak of the Century” off their latest self-titled album and the floor became a sea of jumping bodies.

Ben Barlow‘s presence is magnetic, his two step, animated movements and sly grin made it clear he was having just as much fun as the fans. “Sort Yourself Out” and “We Need More Bricks” showcased Neck Deep’s heavier side, while “Take Me With You” — with its sci-fi escapism lyrics and accompanying Alien balloons had the crowd singing along.

“Brisbane where are my Lowlifes at?” Kicking into their hit ‘Lowlife’ off their 2020 release ‘All Distortions are Intentional’. It was pop punk hit after pop punk hit and the crowd couldn’t get enough. The set struck a perfect balance between new material like ‘Dumbstruck DumbF!*k’ and deep cuts ‘The Beach is for Lovers (Not Lonely Losers)’ which briefly broke out into Blink 182’s ‘Dammit’.

Guitarists Matt West and Sam Bowden cranked out chunky, punk-tinged riffs with precision, while Seb Barlow’s bass was a thunderous, groovy anchor. Matt Powles behind the drums is an absolute machine; his fills on “STFU” were jaw-dropping live.

Their encore consisted of fan favourite ‘December’ and a song the band hadn’t played in a long time until this tour thanks to a lively online follower who bombarded the band with messages to play ‘A Part of Me’ this tour. Barlow stated he is only going to help in parts so the crowd must sing this at the top of their lungs which they were more than obliged.

Closing out the set was my favourite Neck Deep track ‘In Bloom’ — It was nothing short of spine-tingling. Thousands of voices soared together in the chorus, and you could feel the love for this song in the room as all members from State Champs and Late 90’s invaded the stage for some last show of tour fun and dancing. What better way to finish off a tour.

Neck Deep’s self-titled album tour is not just a victory lap — it’s a statement of evolution. They’re tighter, heavier, and more heartfelt and fun than ever. Pairing them with the vitality of State Champs and the hungry spirit of Late 90’s made this an unforgettable night. The Fortitude Music Hall witnessed pop-punk at its most alive, and if this show is any indicator, the genre is thriving and growing with a new, fiery heartbeat.