Review: SUICIDAL TENDENCIES - Live in Brisbane

13 Nov

An Evening With An American Cyco

Tuesday 11th November 2025

Written by Tom Wilson
Photographed by: Rashid AlKamraikhi

Opening tonight is BIG NOTER, a rap-metal project of First Nations MC Briggs, and as they drop into Free Yourself, the Tivoli is transported back to 2000.

Like a lot of nu metal, it’s not terribly complicated, but it has an undeniable groove, and heads are soon nodding in rhythmic agreement with tracks like It’s All Good and Talk Straight. Having a big fella rapping over the top of guitars like this makes me think I’m seeing 3RD STRIKE live, and Briggs’ MC skills transfer flawlessly to heavier music. With only two tracks online, it feels like early days, and it will be interesting to see where they go from here.

Tonight is my first time seeing SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, who are a band that has always existed in my peripherals, influencing the bands I love and peppering Rage Guest Programming sessions with iconic videos like Trip at the Brain and You Can’t Bring Me Down. Mike Muir’s stage presence and mannerisms are as legendary as that iconic bandana – his between-song banter giving serious “crazy guy on the bus” energy – and he has surrounded himself with world-class talent. Since the internet told me to hate nepo babies (apparently if your dad is famous you’re not allowed to do anything), I was watching bassist Tye Trujillo with an air of scepticism … for approximately thirty seconds, long enough to realise that he has some serious chops, and the old saying that “talent skips a generation” might be bullshit. Then you have the frequently airborne guitarist for THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, Ben Weinman, who lives up to his reputation tonight by diving onto the crowd from the Tivoli’s ornate balcony, guitar in hand, not missing a note. It is beyond taking the piss that they don’t play one of their most famous tracks, Institutionalized, but the hardcore Suicidal fans in the audience seem pretty stoked with what’s on offer tonight, particularly singer Nisha Star, who comes out to perform new track Adrenaline Addict. Forgoing an encore, they sign off tonight with Pledge Your Allegiance and leave the stage with a wave, knowing that they’ll be seeing a lot of the crowd at METALLICA the following night.