Live Review: Electric Callboy @ AEC Arena 06/09/26

Review: Electric Callboy, Ice Nine Kills and Coldrain @ AEC Arena 06/09/2026

It's a night of techno metalcore boy bands and slasher blood and guts as an international lineup of Germany's Electric Callboy, America's Ice Nine Kills and Japan's Coldrain takes over the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.  

Coldrain steps onto the stage before the theatrics of Electric Callboy and Ice Nine Kills begin. It's a treat to see the Nagoya five-piece tonight. The band are mainstays of the post-hardcore scene – having been active since 2007 – and are a noted influence on many modern bands, including Electric Callboy. 

You can hear this influential melodic hardcore sound as vocalist Masato Hayakawa switches from guttural screams to moments of almost pop-punk high notes. By the time they reach 'Mayday', the crowd is nodding along; 'Rabbit Hole' gets the room jumping and 'Cut Me' sees the first wall of death of the night. 

Although people were still walking in for Coldrain, the venue is completely full for Ice Nine Kills. It feels like another co-headlining billing for the band, similar to when Ice Nine Kills were last on tour in 2024 with The Amity Affliction. No one is missing this.

We're only two songs in when, during 'Meat & Greet'. Hannibal Lecter has already been wheeled onto the stage, escaped his straitjacket and begun to eat and kill the security guards accompanying him. This is the kind of pageantry that has made Ice Nine Kills one of the most exciting live acts in the world. 

'The Laugh Track' is one of the songs that is bolstered and made complete by the addition of Reel Big Fish members on saxophone and trumpet. Their additions to most songs make Ice Nine Kills feel like a complete ensemble that matches the scale of their live show. 

The Matrix-inspired 'The Great Unknown' sees an actor performing as Neo take on Agent Smith in a mid-song Hollywood action sequence. 'Hip To Be Scared' sees vocalist Spencer Charnas act out the infamous scene from American Psycho and decapitate "Paul" with an axe and chainsaw. It's pure chaos and the fans eat it up.

Their Scream 7 single 'Twisting The Knife' features a surprise appearance from Make Them Suffer's Alex Reade, who performs the vocals of the song's counterpart actor and singer, McKenna Grace. It's one of the major highlights of the night as Reade's vocals soar through the arena in duet with Charnas. Her performance is celebrated with the greatest honour at an Ice Nine Kills show: being killed on stage by Scream icon Ghostface.

The too-short 10-song set ends with 'A Work Of Art', which sees Art the clown from the Terrifier franchise - and Reade for additional vocals - join the band on stage. As the music video behind the band shows, Art helps give birth to a newborn baby (doll) that he brings on stage before swinging it by its umbilical cord around his head like a lasso and throwing it like an American football. 

Once again, Ice Nine Kills prove why they're one of the best live bands in the world. Australia needs a full-scale headline show from Ice Nine Kills. Please, Australia is begging; it's well overdue. 

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Electric Callboy drop the curtain and go into what they're here to celebrate: the release of their new album TANZNEID. The title track blasts through the crowd as the band swivel their hips in their futuristic Marty McFly-inspired puffer vests as golden rain, smoke cannons and pyrotechnics overwhelm any senses still remaining. 

They follow it up with their Sum 41 cover of 'Still Waiting'. The cover came about after Sum 41 drummer Frank Zummo stepped in as a last-minute fill-in for Electric Callboy at Good Things Festival in 2024 after their drummer got sick. Zummo was available because Sum 41's appearance at the festival was cancelled - also at the last minute - due to vocalist Deryck Whibley's health. Now that Sum 41 are retired, fates have collided, and Zummo is now behind the kit full-time for Electric Callboy. 

Although their flamboyant costumes, charismatic energy and hilarious songs are what's talked about most, their talent is often overlooked. They're amazing musicians and these arenas wouldn't be full if the songs weren't absolute anthems. 

In total, there are eight costume changes. Full Lycra and '80s wigs for 'Hypa Hypa', dark and brooding for 'Revery' and full Backstreet Boys white puffers for their acoustic rendition of 'I Want It That Way'. Then it's the pinnacle of the night, 'The Way You Are', a song that starts as a boy band ballad and ends in deathcore. 

As they walk off stage for the encore, there are literal boos from the crowd at the mere thought that it might actually be over. Thankfully, they return before a riot starts, ending with their Babymetal collaboration 'Ratatata' and 'Spaceman' before their final anthem 'We Got The Moves'.

Both Electric Callboy and Ice Nine Kills raise the bar and put other bands on notice for what a live show can be. It's dumb, it's silly, it's fun and it's the most enjoyable live experience you'll ever have. 

Want more pics of the gig? Check out our full photo gallery here.