Review: Good Things @ Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane

The crowd at the Brisbane edition of Good Things 2022. Image: Tyler Jenke

Review: Good Things festival at Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane, 4th December, 2022.

After launching its long-awaited return in Melbourne on Friday, 2nd December and heading north to Sydney the following day, the 2022 edition of Good Things was set to wrap up its final leg of the festival on Sunday as it ventured behind the banana curtain to Brisbane’s Showgrounds on Sunday.

Again, with numerous TISM fans making the pilgrimage around the country, I’ll admit I’m viewing the festival through the eyes of a weary fan who spent the last two days in the thick of a marathon weekend of music. Once again, a more relaxed approach was taken in order to facilitate meet-ups with Queensland fans, and even a pair of Canadians who had ventured south for their first-ever live experience with the band.

Following a rather lengthy wait for many to get into the venue, the Showgrounds’ impressive architecture and wide open spaces undoubtedly made it the best location of the three festivals, though the crush of fans was indeed a slight, albeit forgivable, downside to the day.

But from a musical point of view, it was indeed one of the best editions of the entire 2022 run. Maybe it was the cloud coverage, the Sunday festival, or the lack of daylight savings, but even the vibe of the entire experience was different, and for the better.

As Swedish punks Millencolin showed why they’re a beloved staple of local stages, Melbourne's The Gloom In The Corner helped to ensure high-energy was a feature of the early afternoon. Though it was definitely Cosmic Psychos who were one of the day’s early highlights, with their effortless yet ferocious approach to the pub-punk genre helping to prove why they’re one of the most enduring outfits on the bill.

The Psychos’ crowd was swiftly replaced by fans of Germany’s Electric Callboy, whose appearance on the lineup should be considered one of the most impressive. Not necessarily for their high-energy music, but for their status as one of the most overachieving bands on the bill, having exceeded all expectations in regard to crowd size at every turn, and playing before bands which surely would go against workplace safety regulations.

As Chasing Ghosts again proved their worth as powerful and passionate performers, so too did Japan’s ONE OK ROCK find themselves receiving a warm reception from local fans.

Now here, my dear reader, is where I must divert into personal experiences for a while as I explain the experience of witnessing what is ostensibly TISM’s final performance. Such explanation much begin with mention of Queensland’s own The Amity Affliction, whose main stage set was paired with me working my way through one of the most intense, sweaty, and passionate mosh pits imaginable in order to gain a prime position.

Consummate performers as always, their emotionally cathartic songs landed with widespread appreciation from their dedicated home state crowd who sang back every lyric with visceral energy. But as the pyro died down and the sweat began to dry, I found myself at the front of the barrier, perfectly primed for TISM as France’s Gojira wrapped up their trio of Aussie performances with impressive proficiency and trademark good humour.

By now though, the moment many of us diehard fans had waited for had finally arrived. A sea of masks and band shirts signified the arrival of TISM, who would perform before one of their favourite crowds, Brisbane. As the sign which suggested Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass would instead be in attendance was removed, the energy immediately kicked into overdrive, with Ron Hitler-Barassi racing into the crowd to launch into ‘The Art/Income Dialectic’. Returning to kick off the first proper song with ‘I Drive A Truck’, it felt like TISM were ensuring their last hurrah was one to remember.

The silver suits, the onstage incompetence of tradies, tennis balls, and a misspelt foam TISM sign resulted in one of the most intense crowds of the day. Crowd-surfing on said foam, moshing, and routine de-maskings by fans saw the set turn into a classic, leaving many to wonder if this was truly the end of TISM’s live existence. Surely, a band performing at their impressive best before a voracious crowd could never look back and say farewell like this could that? Well, they’d done it before, so maybe it’s time to look ahead with realistic hope, prepared to look back on this as the last time TISM showed why they are one of the world’s greatest live bands.

Of course, everything afterwards felt like it could only pale in comparison. But as the evening sky made itself clear, so too did NOFX to again provide the classic pop-punk hits with a run through of their Punk In Drublic album. Fellow Californians Deftones kept the vibe going with a memorably-passionate on the next stage over, and again showing why – in the world of alternative metal – they’re not necessarily the leaders, but the elder statesmen who command your respect for what they do.

But when it comes to bands stealing the show, that award needs to go to Regurgitator, whose presence before a hometown crowd may indeed have been a highlight of the entire run of festival dates. Their catchy songs, intense performances, high-energy interaction with the Brisbane audience, and ever-hilarious stage banter saw them transcend their status as one of Queensland’s finest bands and enter the real of one of Australia’s best. If ever you need proof of why Regurgitator are a must-see band for any music fans, this festival set might hold the answer for you.

And just like that, it was over as quickly as it had begun. With three days of festivals serving as the return of Good Things for the first time since 2019, it was clear that this is an event that is a necessity for the Australian musical calendar. Across its three days, it cemented itself as one of the year’s best thanks in part to its overall organisation, eclectic vibe, and stellar lineup.

Would I do it all again if I could? You bet, but in the meantime, I’ll resign to looking back on the trio of shows that prove that Good Things truly do come in threes.

This review is part of a series of articles on the 2022 edition of Good Things. For reviews of the Melbourne and Sydney legs, click the appropriate links.