Saturday 23 May
Support: Bad/Love
Manchester alternative/rock outfit Hot Milk wrapped up their whirlwind three date Australian run in Brisbane this weekend. While the loyal diehards showed up, passionate as ever, the numbers told a different story.
Opening the night were Melbourne’s Bad/Love, bringing in some punchy metalcore and post-hardcore that on paper was a perfect warm-up for the evening ahead. IT started off soft, but the standout moment came with ‘Deadweight‘, which opened with a cool underground club-style intro before erupting into the kind of energy that made it clear why the track has cut through on streaming platforms recently. It’s a song that translates super well with electronic styles embedded into dark and grimey guitars. When the vocals locked in though, the room responded enthusiastically.
The wall of death call in their set didn’t quite land tonight, but honestly that’s less on Bad/Love and more on the half-filled room. While they committed to their set with professionalism, on a fuller night, it would’ve hit differently. The band were great, but I’d love to catch them when the crowd matches the energy.
Crowbar may not have been at full capacity on Saturday night, but those who made the trek into the Valley were unmistakably the die-hards and the kind of fans who know every word and make any room feel alive. It’s worth noting that Enter Shikari were playing the Tivoli that same night, which isn’t ideal when two UK acts are competing for the same alternative/rock community. If anything though, the more intimate setting worked in everyone’s favour, as the energy between band and audience felt more personal, and Hot Milk embraced every second of it.
They didn’t disappoint either. Just as impressive as their appearance supporting Foo Fighters at Suncorp Stadium was a couple of years ago, the intimacy of Crowbar made for a very different experience in the best possible way. They opened with ‘Swallow This‘ before rolling straight into ‘I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I’M DEAD‘, an early statement of intent that set the tone for the night.
Throwbacks ‘Wide Awake‘ and ‘Candy Coated Lies‘ were the fans’ moment to shine, every voice in the room singing back every word. The latter got a slightly heavier makeover from its original version, a welcome twist that gave a familiar favourite some new teeth.
The undisputed highlight of the night belonged to Han Mee during ‘Breathing Underwater‘ when she gave an empowering, commanding performance that swelled into something genuinely special when the crowd became the harmony section towards the end. Han took a moment to acknowledge it too, calling it something close to the most on key crowd they’d had yet on the run. It was honestly a moment that felt truly earned.
‘Bloodstream‘ and ‘Zoned Out‘ were pure joy. Dancing felt not just appropriate but inevitable, both songs carrying that carefree, couldn’t-give-a-fuck energy that makes them so infectious on record. Hearing them live was exactly as imagined after first listening to those songs three years ago. Throughout it all, the dual vocal dynamic between Han and Jim remained the heartbeat of the show. It’s simply the best reason to catch Hot Milk live, two voices that push and pull off each other in a way that doesn’t translate on record alone. Jim joining the crowd on the floor during a guitar solo on ‘The American Machine‘ was a moment of pure rock abandon, while Han continues to grow into her role as a genuinely fiery frontwoman, commanding every inch of the stage.
The one head-scratcher of the night came at the very end. While the set rightly leaned into Corporation P.O.P., closing the night on ‘Chase the Dragon‘, a deeper cut that hasn’t had as much time to stick in fans’ minds, felt like an odd call. For a band wrapping up a three date Australian tour, a finale that the crowd could grab onto and carry home with them would have served the moment better. ‘Wide Awake‘ or ‘Candy Coated Lies‘ would have been the perfect encore, the kind of send-off that leaves a room buzzing. Slotting those earlier in the set instead of last feels like the one missed opportunity of an otherwise strong performance.
The bigger picture is abundantly clear though. Hot Milk simply haven’t fully cracked Australia yet, which is particularly surprising given their past tour history here. They were introduced to the Australian emo/pop punk community in 2022 with State Champs and The Maine, and in 2023 they were opening Foo Fighters in stadiums across Australia. Both opportunities should have planted serious seeds with Aussie audiences and as much as it pains me to admit it, this headline run felt like a move made too soon.
The good news is the path forward is obvious. A slot on a festival like Good Things Festival would do more for their Australian profile than anything else right now, and given how many heavy textures are woven through Corporation P.O.P., a co-headline or support run with a heavy act would also be a natural fit. Their potential is absolutely there because Hot Milk are too good not to eventually connect here in a big way. As someone who has followed them since 2020, last night was a reminder of just how special they are live. Australia just needs to catch on to UK musical imports better. If we can do it with Enter Shikari and Neck Deep, then I have zero doubt in my mind that Hot Milk’s time to shine is on the horizon.
Review by Tamara May
Photos by Mariyah Shahrin
