It was metal-core mania meets Aussie kitsch when In Hearts Wake, RedHook and The Amity Affliction played to a packed house at Banana Bender Pub on Friday night. Photos by Matt Warren, words by Penny Brand.

Some of my most memorable gigs have happened in the rain: AC/DC at the former QEII Stadium in Brisbane and Midnight Oil right here at Woombye’s pineapple fields. They invoke a sense of adventure, where raindrops fly off electric guitars and beers with strangers turn into instant late-night cab ride besties.

Arriving under grey skies at Aussie World felt less like bad luck and more like a familiar promise. The night had all the ingredients of a proper rain-soaked spectacle, except a last-minute venue shuffle from Blackflag Brewing to The Shed, inside the Banana Bender Pub, meant heavy metal in the rain became heavy metal under a tin roof.

After the tip-off that In Hearts Wake were unmissable (thanks Matt!), I grabbed the last remaining car park spot and headed straight towards the glorious giant tropical tiki hut.

In Pictures: In Hearts Wake

The night ran a little differently than expected with Headsend pulling out, pushing the schedule earlier. In Hearts Wake were already at it when I arrived, meaning I’d just missed Redhook (tragedy!).

But the moment was salvaged when the Byron Bay heavy-hitters welcomed vocalist Emmy Mack back to the stage. It didn’t replace the full performance I witnessed at Blackflag’s Something Cool festival last year (flying toilet paper madness), but it landed perfectly and the crowd lapped it up.

In Hearts Wake were hugely popular from the outset, delivering high-energy moments backed by a dramatic lighting show that constantly reshaped the room. The mosh surged early and rarely settled, shifting between circle pits and chaotic bursts that matched every breakdown.

In Pictures: The Amity Affliction

Then came Gympie’s own The Amity Affliction – as fun as ever and completely in their element, playing to a sold-out home crowd (did I mention getting the last car park at Aussie World?). To a room full of black-tee-toting scene veterans, their set delivered all the emotional peaks they’re known for, with crowd-wide vocals, heavy drops and heart-stinging sing-alongs.

Pictured: Pure joy mid-mosh. All photos by Matt Warren

Seeing frontman Joel Birch break into a genuine smile revealed a human moment beneath the heaviness – a brief break in the wall between band and crowd. With large parts of the room shouting every word back at them, the audience carried half the sound. That’s the way Amity shows tend to be, only they’re even louder when they’re this close to home.

As a casual listener there to support the hometown band, it eventually stopped feeling like a review and just became a night out. Both sets were elevated by a lighting production that felt well beyond pub scale, bringing a touring-level commitment to the room.

Wet shoes, reshuffled times, and surprise appearances – with a bit of homecoming magic – made this metal-core trifecta one for the history books.

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