Rolling Coverage: Good Things Fest 2023 Confirms, Clues, Predictions and More…

Posted on August 7, 2023 by Paul 'Browny' Brown

It’s time to start saving your dollars because Good Things Festival is officially starting to hype up their return for 2023 – which already has the dates confirmed for the East Coast run so you can book your leave now.

As always we’ll keep this page updated with all relevant information surrounding the festival as it comes into us, so think of it as your one-stop shop for all Good Things-related info in the lead-up to the December tour.

Keep this article in mind for any/all questions surrounding the festival including up-to-date lineups, must-know info and more!

Ticketing Options and On-Sale Date

General Public tickets on sale Thursday 24 August @ 10am AEST Time http://goodthings.oztix.com.au/

Approx price: $225

Dates and Venues

Friday December 1st – Melbourne – Flemington Racecourse (LIC AA 15+)
RSVP to the Facebook Event for local updates

Saturday December 2nd – Sydney – Centennial Park (18+)
RSVP to the Facebook Event for local updates

~~Sunday December 3rd – Brisbane – RNA Showgrounds (LIC AA 15+)~~ – SOLD OUT
RSVP to the Facebook Event for local updates

Timetables & Maps

Melbourne

Sydney

Brisbane

Stage 666 – New

Leveling up the entertainment alongside the incredible acts already lined up to dazzle you throughout the festival, Stage 666 will feature a karaoke band, circus/freak show performers, AM/PM DJs and more, all helmed by Stage 666 MC Dave ‘Higgo’ Higgins.

Prepare to be marveled by sword swallowing, whip cracking, knife throwing, and fire eating! See the human marvel of the man who hangs bowling balls from his private parts! Gasp as the contortionist squeezes their body through impossible small tennis rackets! And compete for prizes with karaoke, watermelon eating, air guitar and the world famous human pinata! All that and more awaits at Stage 666.

First Lineup Announcement

Fall Out Boy, Limp Bizit, Devo, I Prevail, Bullet For My Valentine, Corey Taylor, Pennywise, Spiderbait, Slowly Slowly, Enter Shikari, Behemoth, Sepultura, Taking Back Sunday, PVRIS, Bloom, Boom Crash Opera, Eskimo Joe, Frenzal Rhomb, Hanabie, Jebediah, Luca Brasi, Magnolia Park, Make Them Suffer, Ocean Sleeper, Royal & The Serpent, Short Stack, Slaughter To Prevail, Stand Atlantic, Tapestry, The Plot In You and While She Sleeps.

Poster

Features

Good Things Festival Promoter/Programmer Chris O’Brien discusses the eclectic lineup and always striving to make Good Things Festival a unique experience for all ages in our latest interview.

Sideshows

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒏𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅.

Several sideshows have been announced including Limp Bizkit, Devo, I Prevail, Corey Taylor, Pennywise, Enter Shikari, Behemoth, Sepultura, Taking Back Sunday, PVRIS, Slaughter To Prevail, While She Sleeps, Hanabie and Royal and the Serpent.

Tickets on sale Friday, Oct 20th via www.goodthingsfestival.com.au/sideshows/

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Our Predictions

Fall Out Boy – [True] UPDATE: A new tweet/X post states they’re coming soon – It’s been YEARS since they’ve been down under and since the HellaMegaTour was canned, maybe it’s about time they come back for a festival to make up for lost time.

PVRIS – [True] They were supposed to be on the ill-fated Full Tilt Fest, and it’s been way too long since the band were in Australia… plus, if you look at the GTF insta post above, they’re using a PVRIS song to tease the announcement date!

Avenged Sevenfold – Their last festival appearance was Soundwave 2014 and with two albums now under their belts and a vicious touring cycle underway, we could catch them at Good Things in a headliner spot!

Code Orange – They were last here for Download Festival 2019 and are high on the list to return for us – will 2023 be their year?

Voyager – Following on from their Eurovision entry, the Perth genre-benders have no further shows booked after their Euro/UK trip in October.

Bullet For My Valentine – [True] They released their return-to-form self-titled album in 2021 and followed it up with some B-sides that they haven’t been down under to play for us.

I Prevail – [True] A cheeky festival appearance could be on the cards following the band’s previous track record for visits down under – 2017 headline tour then Download 2019 slot, 2022 Headline tour then Good Things 2023?

Motionless In White – They’ve been tearing up the Euro festival circuit this year and were last here supporting I Prevail, so maybe, like above, a slot on Good Things + some headliner sideshows?

Poppy – Last here for Good Things 2019 and she’s just gone gangbusters since that visit including scoring a Grammy Nomination.

Wage War – They’ve only got one show booked for December 15th in Orlando, USA – which gives plenty of time before for a trip down under.

Short Stack – [True] Admit it, you’d go see them on the main stage and given the festival’s quirky addition to the lineup (The Veronicas, Babymetal and TISM), they’d be no strangers on the big stage!

coldrain – They tore up stages supporting Papa Roach and The Used (as well as their own headliner in Brisbane) and proved they’re suited for bigger stages – so let’s hope they’re on GTF!

Knosis – Speaking of Japanese bands, Ryo Kinoshita‘s new project is already making waves around the world and they’re supporting Aussie acts Make Them Suffer and Void of Vision in October – could the next stop on their world domination be Australia?

Thy Art Is Murder – They started the year with a massive deathcore tour and followed it up recently with a regional run. Their world tour wraps up in October with no dates booked after the 28th… yet

Make Them Suffer – [True] With only an anniversary tour so far in 2023, and international gigs to showcase new member Alex Reade, could the keytar-sporting metalcore hybrid end the year on the lineup?

Paperweight – The Aussie pop punkers have been popping up on lineups left and right, so maybe adding a dash of pop punk to the lineup would be the next place to start.

Reliqa – As too for Reliqa who have had a gigantic year supporting the likes of BABYMETAL, Northlane and Spiritbox.

New Found Glory – Always great to get the party started for the old school pop punkers among us.

Lycanthrope – After wowing crowds at WACKEN and jumping on stage during the Sydney leg last year, let’s keep our fingers crossed for the metal men getting a full festival run in 2023 following the release of their Hydra EP

Future Static – They’ve crossed Knight & Day, UNIFY and CVLTFEST off their festivals to play down under, so obviously next is Good Things!

Machine Head – There’s always the signature heavy metal band on the lineup and MH/Robb Flynn hasn’t made it down under since 2018. They were supposed to be here in 2020 but covid took it from us. With a new lineup and a stack of new songs + last year’s album ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN, they’re certainly well overdue (although maybe a Knotfest band should that return)

Zeal & Ardor – Last here in 2019, and with a new album under the band’s belt, a return for a festival slot may just be a great way to get this hidden gem in front of a bigger audience!

Ocean Sleeper – [True] they’ve only performed at UNIFY in Australia and deserve a spot on a bigger festival.

alt. – they dropped their new album ABEYANCE and have popped up on some pretty cool tours this year (Saosin and Don Broco), getting their name out there a bit more.

Fever 333 – they pulled out of last year’s event, so a return in 2023?

Periphery – a new album under their belts and they haven’t been down here since 2017 (correct me if wrong) so that’s a drawcard and a half to get them here!

Trophy Eyes – Following their successful headline run for their new album, surely a summer festival season is on the cards for the boys from Newcastle.

The Beautiful Monument or Vilify – It’s been a hot minute since TBM played a festival, would love to see them back on OR hardcore side-project for Lizi and Amy with Vilify adding some local heaviness to the lineup!

Probable Rule Outs/Not Appearing

Headliners + bigger acts from Good Things 22 and Knotfest – e.g. Slipknot, Parkway Drive, Megadeth, Bring Me The Horizon, Deftones etc

SKYND – Just announced a Euro tour and the last show is December 1st – so no deal SKYND-HEADS

Rancid – Don’t get your hopes up kids, I’ll be very surprised if they break their Aussie tour drought for this

Falling In Reverse – They were last in Australia playing Good Things 2019, before then a slot on Download Fest Melb in 2018 and before then, a headline tour in 2016 – I would assume Ronnie and co. would come back for a headliner, rather than yet another festival slot – happy to be proven wrong!

Stone Sour – That project is pretty much on hiatus for the foreseeable future

Greg Puciato – Touring Australia in January 2024 – so that rules out bands like Better Lovers, The Black Queen and Killer Be Killed

3OH!3 – After their complaints about playing too early last year (before pulling out), don’t expect them back.

blink-182 // Angels & Airwaves // Simple Creatures – with Mark, Tom and Travis coming in 2024, don’t expect to see any of their side projects down here before then.

Rise Against – They’re on that blink tour too, so count them out!

TesseracT – Just announced an Australian tour for May 2024

Ville Valo (aka VV) – The former HIM frontman will be doing his own tour.

Bands touring outside Australia during Good Things Dates

Lorna Shore, Ingested, Rivers of Nihil, Ice Nine Kills, Meshuggah, In Flames, Whitechapel, In This Moment, AVATAR, New Years Day, Fit For A King, Emmure, thrown, Fear Factory, Butcher Babies, Malevolence, Sylosis, Wednesday 13, Aerosmith, The Amity Affliction, Comeback Kid, Alpha Wolf, The Dead Daisies, Hot Mulligan, Spanish Love Songs, BABYMETAL, Wargasm, Saxon…

Bands touring Australia before Good Things

Electric Callboy – They wrap up their Aussie return in Brisbane on the same day Good Things Melb commences!

Neck Deep – Touring in September

GHOST – we’re getting a full production tour instead

Bloc Party and Interpol – Touring November!

Beartooth and Pierce The Veil – I’ll be very surprised if the co-headliners come back so soon after their tour at the end of July

Paramore – Headline tour throughout November

Devin Townsend – touring Australia in November

Thornhill, Holding Absence, Thousand Below and Bloom – Touring together in October

We Came As Romans – Can’t see them coming back so soon following their August/Sept headliner run

Bury Tomorrow – same goes for these guys!

Stand Atlantic – [True, they ARE playing] They’re doing a regional Aussie run throughout September/October then a UK run in November.