I See Stars | The Crowbar Review
The Inner West of Sydney has never felt more of an intense and palpable energy. Following the highly anticipated release of ‘The Wheel’ and a mostly sold out Australian Tour. I was lucky enough to witness the hypermetal successes I See Stars perform in the iconic Sydney venue Crowbar on the 21st October 2025.
Although I wasn't able to catch Australia’s own Inertia, I was able to witness the last few songs of US sensation ELIJAH. The crowd was split in two halves and running at each other more than anything else. The way ELIJAH controlled and interacted with the crowd was so enchanting. The mixture of deep growling and clean harmonies brought great power and projection that left not only a lasting fascination but a new artist addition to my spotify.
Devin Oliver put on a monumental performance featuring a 17 song setlist. We were graced with the outfit's 2016 hit songs “Calm Snow” and “Running With Scissors” as well as some newbies “carry on for you” and “SPLIT” from their newest album ‘The Wheel’ that was released on the 12th September. I See Stars have not been to Australian shores in 14 years since their last performance at Soundwave, so you can believe they were ready to go all out on this tour.
There was not a single song where the crowd stood still. The stage presence was unmatched and completely captivating. From walls of death, circle pits and crowd surfing you could tell on every person's face that they were enamored and happy to be there. You could hear almost every voice singing along cathartically and letting go of any stress and anger from the day. It was truly breathtaking to have stood in this room surrounded by a quiet kind of belonging.
During the show Devin had encouraged safe crowd surfing which unfortunately ended up with the show stopping for a concert goer who had gotten injured. Thankfully they were okay and the show could resume as planned after the band made sure they were okay. There is nothing better than witnessing artists genuinely and compassionately caring for their fans. There was a sense of community and understanding during this time which quite often you don't get enough of at most metal concerts. There was no whining, just concern for whomever got hurt.
The most sentimental and wholesome moment of the night was just prior to “carry on for you”. Devin had explained that he had written this song during a time where he faced some personal battles and this was a reminder for himself to keep going no matter how hard things had gotten. He often asked and repeated throughout the night “Are you ALIVE” expressing how tonight was the night to let everything go and be fully present. You could feel the gratuity in his voice as he spoke and thanked the audience in between songs.
Even with a jam packed setlist, we got more of an insight into the beginning of I See Stars, with how they first formed when Devin was just 11 years old and how money was not why they did this but for following their dreams and continuing to do what they love. All members of the band with the exception of their drummer have been there since day one which you rarely see in this day and age. They aren't just bandmates, they're family.
With the captivating lights and glittery stage outfits this was truly a memorable night. The night drew to a close with the smash hit “Anomoly” which influenced the room to roar and sing their hearts out like you'd have never heard before. You dreaded leaving this night as a mere memory. All in all, it was a night that reminded everyone why live music still matters. The lights dimmed and as the crowd spilled into the night, it was crystal clear that I See Stars had delivered more than just a performance. It was a celebration of their dreams being realised and Australia was lucky enough to celebrate with them.