Bullet For My Valentine | John Cain Arena
The Melbourne heat has finally started to make a comeback, with a sunny day that rolled into a warm night. It was the perfect setting for Bullet For My Valentine’s 20th anniversary tour of The Poison. Joining them were The Devil Wears Prada and While She Sleeps, creating a lineup that had heavy music fans eager from the start. The last time I saw Bullet was at Good Things Festival in 2023, but seeing them in a headline show was a completely different experience.
Photo Credit: Drew Hill
While She Sleeps kicked things off with intensity. I’ve been following them for about eight years now, first discovering them when they supported Bring Me The Horizon at Margaret Court Arena in 2017. It’s crazy to see how far they’ve come since then. Their set mixed in new tracks like To the Flowers and Systematic with fan favourites such as Four Walls from Brainwashed. When Silence Speaks began, the crowd erupted. Even without Oli Sykes there, every word echoed through the arena. For anyone who wasn’t ready for the night to end, the band even announced they’d be spinning a DJ set later at Cherry Bar.
The Devil Wears Prada followed with the kind of confidence that only comes with two decades of experience. With their ninth studio album Flowers set to drop on November 14, they’re clearly still at the top of their game. Their stage presence was huge, and the connection with the crowd was instant. During Broken, they called for “the biggest and slowest circle pit,” and the crowd more than delivered. Drummer Giuseppe Capolupo stole the spotlight during Sacrifice, managing to shoulder press the hi-hat with one arm while still keeping perfect rhythm on the rest of the kit.
Towards the start of the set, the band took a moment to honour their former drummer, Daniel Williams, who tragically passed away in a plane crash earlier this year. He was one of their founding members and helped define their early sound before leaving in 2016. They dedicated Danger: Wildman from With Roots Above and Branches Below to him, and it was a powerful, emotional moment. My condolences go out to the band, his family, and everyone who knew him.
Photo Credit: Drew Hill
By the time Bullet For My Valentine were ready to take the stage, the floor was completely packed. You could feel the excitement building as the lights dimmed and a two-minute video began playing, showing the band’s early days, their rise, and everything they’ve achieved over the past twenty years. It wasn’t just a highlight reel; it felt raw and personal, showing the human side of their journey and setting the tone for what was about to follow.
Since this tour celebrated The Poison, the band played the album in full from start to finish. They opened with Her Voice Resides, and as soon as that first riff hit, the stage erupted with enough pyro to make the whole arena feel like it was on fire. It honestly felt like they’d used up all of Melbourne’s pyro reserves by the end of it. Every track hit with the same force it had two decades ago, with the crowd belting out every word.
One of the most memorable moments of the night came during Tears Don’t Fall. The band stripped back the opening, easing in softly and letting the crowd take over the opening chorus. Thousands of phone lights filled the air, turning John Cain Arena into a sea of glowing faces and raised voices. The crowd became the light, completely lost in the moment as every word echoed through the venue.
The rest of the set flew by in what felt like minutes. Before long, they had reached The End, both literally and figuratively. But the crowd wasn’t ready to leave yet. The cheers brought the band back out for a three-song encore, powering through Knives, Scream Aim Fire, and Waking the Demon. The energy in the room hit a new peak, and by the time the final note rang out, everyone was drenched in sweat and still shouting for more.
Photo Credit: Drew Hill
Walking out of John Cain Arena, it really hit me how special the night was. The Poison shaped an entire generation of heavy music fans, and hearing it played in full twenty years later felt like a celebration of everything Bullet For My Valentine have built. After two decades, they still sound fierce, tight, and passionate. Their legacy won’t just live on, it’s still growing stronger every time they hit the stage.