Evergrey – Live at Max Watt’s, Melbourne Friday, 23 October 2026
Review: Nick Tevelis
Photos: Anthony Blayney (yourmatebookings.com)
Nineteen years is a long time between drinks, but for Melbourne’s Evergrey faithful, Friday night’s return to Max Watt’s was well worth the wait.
The last time the Swedish progressive metal masters played Melbourne was back in May 2007, at this very same venue, then known as the Hi-Fi Bar. On that occasion, they performed in front of little more than a handful of dedicated fans. Fast-forward almost two decades and what a difference! This time, Evergrey returned to an almost sold-out room, a fantastic sight for those of us who have followed the band since their early days.
It was particularly satisfying. Here’s a band that has spent close to thirty years doing thing their own way, never really chasing trends or compromising their sound, and gradually building a loyal following through consistently great albums and hard work. Seeing the size and enthusiasm of Friday night’s crowd was a testament to their longevity, perseverance and continued growth. Not bad for a band that has never quite received the mainstream recognition they deserve.
And judging by their performance, Evergrey are showing absolutely no signs of slowing down.
Opening with “Falling From the Sun”, the band wasted little time reminding everyone what makes them such a formidable live act. Heavy guitar riffs, atmospheric keyboards, fantastic melodies and those huge choruses that have become such a trademark of the Evergrey sound. It’s a combination they’ve been perfecting for years, and hearing these songs performed live only reinforces just how good they are.
At the centre of it all is vocalist and guitarist Tom S. Englund, who remains one of my favourite singers in progressive metal. There are plenty of technically brilliant vocalists in the genre, but what sets Englund apart is the emotion he brings to his performances. Whether he’s belting out the heavier material or singing something more subdued and personal, there’s a sincerity in his delivery that really connects with the listener. And importantly, his voice sounds every bit as good live as it does on record.
The rest of the band were equally impressive. Evergrey have always managed to find that perfect balance between technical musicianship and great songwriting. The guitar work was heavy when it needed to be, but always melodic, while Rikard Zander’s keyboards added those familiar atmospheric layers that are so important to the band’s sound.
One thing I’ve always loved about Evergrey is that despite being outstanding musicians, they never fall into the trap of showing off simply because they can. Everything is played for the benefit of the song. There’s no unnecessary overindulgence or technical wizardry just for the sake of it, something a few other progressive metal bands could learn from!
The setlist was excellent, combining songs from across the band’s more recent albums with some well-chosen older favourites. “Where August Mourn”, “Weightless”, “Eternal Nocturnal” and “A Silent Arc” were all highlights, while newer tracks such as “Heaven” and “Architects of the New Weave” fitted into the set beautifully. If anything, the quality of the newer material shows that Evergrey are still writing songs that stand comfortably alongside their classics.
One of my favourite moments of the night came when the band stripped things right back for “Words Mean Nothing” and “I’m Sorry”, with just Englund on vocals and Zander on keyboards.
These two songs provided a wonderful contrast to the heavier material and really allowed the melodies and Englund’s voice to take centre stage. There’s something special about hearing songs performed this way, without the full band behind them, and it was a reminder that Evergrey don’t need massive riffs or complex arrangements to make an impact. Sometimes, less really is more.
Special mention must also go to drummer Simone “Symohn” Morettin from Italian folk/power metal band Elvenking, who stepped in at extremely short notice to replace regular drummer Simen Sandnes.
Now, learning an Evergrey setlist would be a pretty daunting task for any drummer, let alone having less than a week to prepare before heading off to Japan and Australia! These aren’t exactly three-chord rock songs we’re talking about. Yet Morettin handled everything brilliantly, fitting into the band remarkably well and tackling some seriously demanding material with confidence and precision.
And let’s not underestimate just how important his contribution was. The Australian tour had already been postponed from its original April 2026 dates, and without Morettin stepping up, there’s a very real chance we could have been facing another cancellation. For that alone, he deserves a huge thank you from the band and every Australian Evergrey fan. The fact that he then went out and delivered such an impressive performance makes his effort even more remarkable. Brilliant stuff!
Throughout the night, Englund was an engaging and personable frontman, clearly enjoying the opportunity to reconnect with Melbourne audiences after such a long absence.
At one point, he jokingly acknowledged that some fans were probably going to leave disappointed with the setlist. As he pointed out, with fifteen studio albums and approximately 164 songs to choose from, there was simply no way they could play everyone’s favourites.
And you know what? He was absolutely right!
But the funny thing is, nobody seemed disappointed with what they actually played. Quite the opposite. The setlist was fantastic. The problem was all the songs they DIDN’T play!
Speaking to people after the show, the general feeling was that we’d just witnessed a tremendous gig, but Evergrey could have played for another two hours and we’d still have been discussing which classics they had left out.
When a band can put together a set this strong and still leave you wishing they’d played another dozen songs, that’s a pretty good indication of just how impressive their back catalogue really is.
Another thing that struck me throughout the evening was the mix of people in the audience. There were plenty of older fans, myself included, who have been following Evergrey since their early releases, but it was equally encouraging to see so many younger faces in the crowd.
For a band that has been around for close to three decades, it’s great to see their music connecting with a new generation of fans. Progressive metal has never been the easiest genre to break into from a commercial perspective, so seeing such a diverse audience was another indication of just how much Evergrey’s popularity has grown over the years.
As the show headed towards its conclusion, “A Touch of Blessing” and “King of Errors” were reminders of just how many great songs this band has produced. “Leaving the Emptiness” followed before the mighty “OXYGEN!” brought the night to a suitably heavy and powerful conclusion.
And just like that, after nineteen years of waiting, it was all over.
There’s something incredibly satisfying about seeing a band you’ve followed for most of their career finally getting the recognition and appreciation they deserve. Evergrey may never have reached the commercial heights of some of their progressive metal contemporaries, but I’d argue that their consistency over fifteen albums puts them right up there with the very best.
What I love most about this band is that, for all their musical ability, it’s always been about the songs. The melodies, the lyrics, the emotion and the way everything comes together. They have a sound that is instantly recognisable, and after all these years, they’re still producing fantastic music.
Friday night wasn’t just another concert. It was a chance to see a band I’ve admired for decades return to Melbourne and receive the kind of reception they should have been getting here all along.
If I had one complaint, it was that the whole thing seemed to go by far too quickly. After waiting nineteen years, I could quite happily have stayed for another couple of hours.
Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait another nineteen years for their next visit!
And for those of you Sydney tonight (25 October), if you haven’t already bought your tickets, do yourself a favour and get onto it ASAP! Evergrey are a phenomenal live band, and opportunities to see musicians of this calibre on Australian shores don’t come around nearly often enough. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one!
Finally, a big shout-out to promoters Your Mate Bookings for bringing Evergrey back to Australia. They’ve brought some fantastic artists to Australia over the years, with plenty more exciting tours on the horizon, and deserve recognition and support for the work they do. Keep up the great work, guys!
Welcome back to Melbourne, Evergrey. It’s been far too long!
Setlist – Max Watt’s, Melbourne, 23 October 2026
- Falling From the Sun
- Where August Mourns
- Heaven
- Weightless
- Eternal Nocturnal
- Call Out the Dark
- A Silent Arc
- The World Is on Fire
- Words Mean Nothing (Tom Englund – vocals; Rikard Zander – keyboards)
- I’m Sorry (Tom Englund – vocals; Rikard Zander – keyboards)
- Say
- Architects of the New Weave
- A Touch of Blessing
- King of Errors
- Leaving the Emptiness
- OXYGEN!