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UNCAGED FESTIVAL REVIEW AND PHOTO GALLERIES

Uncaged Festival opened this weekend in Sydney at the Hordern Pavillion. Metalheads rocked up from all over, eager to get into the gates and storm the festival grounds.

Glasshawk were the first band to rock the stage setting high expectations for bands to come after. Glasshawk delivered impressive vocals and provided killer hooks, that left you wanting more. We couldn't wait for what was next.

The Black Cardinals were next up. The crowd was moved towards the stage as they were serenaded by the gothic southern blues sound of their hit song Love on the Rise. The Black Cardinals presented a fun, biting, rock anthem set.

Next up were Molly and the Krells who brought the crowd their killer angsty punk-rock sound reminiscent of the trending early 2000s punk that has been brought back into the mainstream. Molly and the Krells delivered heavy drums, guitars and some amazing guitar licks to the stage. They really proved that Rock n Roll is alive and well.

Banks Arcade had the whole crowd moving when they blessed the audiences’ ears with their new song Chosen. Banks Arcade even gave us a sneak peak of their new unreleased track Freaks.

El Colosso graced the stage and rocked out the crowd with fan favourite songs like ‘Leather Head’, ‘Played as One’ and ‘Backchat’. El Colosso have a magnificent frontman with killer vocals, a kick-ass lead guitarist and impressive lyrics.    

Dead City Ruins welcomed the crowd and re-ignited the fire under our metal horns and left the crowd in a roaring screaming mess. We got  grinding guitar riffs, powerful vocal ranges and mad bass that rattled our core. If you haven’t seen Dead City Ruins live you're missing out.

Next up was Frankie’s World Famous House Band. After seeing them at Frankie's Pizza it was definitely shocking to my system to see them performing live on stage but honestly, they never looked more at home. The audience was screaming and cheering the whole time as they delivered a fantastic set.

End of Fashion played there set in a way that made it feel very intimate which was only confirmed when the lead singer Justin mentioned how it felt they were playing in someone’s living room. The set was fast paced, intense and exciting as we rocked out to their grunge hard rock. 

I Built the Sky built a ground under our moshing feet as the band from Melbourne brought the sky down. If you are a fan of progressive and instrumental rock and metal music you have to check these guys out live on stage.

28 Days are a fast, knotty punk rock band with its roots firmly in the Victoria scene.
They gave the audience a moment to reflect, as they tributed a song from their first album to the place where it all started, Frankston in Victoria, where the band was formed. 

The Getaway Plan got screams from the thundering crowd when they played ‘Reckoning’ and ‘Landscapes’. Their razor sharp guitar really cut through the crowd with precision. Not a lot of bands can pull off a live show, except The Getaway Plan did.

Tex Perkins was a highlight of the day. During his song ‘Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky’ a conga line formed in the mosh pit. It certainly was not expected but it was the coolest thing we have seen at Uncaged.

One of Australia’s most loved and influential bands from the mid-’80s came on stage. The Hard-Ons came and played their hit ‘Made to Love You’. They kept it light and funny when they pulled out the maracas during their first song. The Hard-Ons delivered brutal velocity, rampaging guitars, throbbing rhythms along with headbanging.

As Twelve Foot Ninja walked on the stage the crowd roared with excitement. As metal horns were flying in the air and peoples hair was flicking back and forth and headbanging to the bass you knew it was going to be an epic set. Twelve Foot Ninja played over and out with Haylie Dickson.

Body Jar played a bone breaking set despite having a bassist fill in which they informed the audience through comedy as they showed there support for bassism. They played a stellar set with their tracks making you want to take your shoes off and dance around, completely carefree and wild.  

Shihad connected with their audience in a way that left them with their hands in the air clapping and screaming the lyrics. While playing their song ‘Do You Know What You Want’ the lead singer had the crowd jumping. It was hard to tell they hadn’t performed in two and a half years when they closed their set with ‘Pacifyer’ leaving the hard metal heads feeling sombre as they raised their phone lights to the sky and swayed with the music.

The Meanies came out next and the mood increased as both the band and crowd danced and rocked in unison. Despite their name, the only thing mean about them was them ending their set.

Magic Dirt rocked the stage as the night began to wind down. There set left the audience hungry for more.  There's a nostalgic warmth to her voice, and it contrasts well with her ability to tap back into the slightly darker side of her songwriting.

You Am I were next, and the crowd went dangerously wild. They delivered a stellar set playing some of their fan-favorite songs.  You Am I were raw and energetic as the lead singer Tim was jumping around the stage and it creating an exciting atmosphere for their devoted fans.

As the sky got darker outside and the festival came to its final act there seemed to be a buzz in the air. Each band that had entered the stage had brought their own level of rock and roll that lit the place up in an energetic haze. Suddenly the crowd could not be calmed, and it was only made worse when Wolfmother entered the stage. Nothing could compare to the energy in the room when they picked up their guitars and played the room into a mosh.

Did you miss out on Uncaged, do you wish you could have gone? well, it's not too late! Check out a killer lineup of rock and metal bands as they unite on stage in Melbourne on May 7th. 

TICKETS - https://uncagedfestival.com/

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