Pandemonium Rocks has had its fair share of controversy. From sparking outrage with originally booking the Sydney date on Anzac Day next to the veteran march, to cutting 6 major acts from the festival weeks out (including international headliners Placebo and Deep Purple), to downsizing from a 2 stage format to just 1 stage, to a photo of the “accessibility section” in Sydney going viral showing it just being a gated grass section on a restricted view with no raised platform or dedicated bathrooms like promised, to 400 ticket holders bank details being compromised in a data leak. It hasn’t been a smooth sailing for the festivals first year, and there will be a lot of learnings for them to take away from this if they are to come back in 2025. But when it comes to it, the music experience was great. 

The Sydney date of Pandemonium Rocks was moved to Cathy Freeman Park in Sydney Olympic Park on Anzac Day which isn’t the most ideal location to get to on a public holiday, but the park created for a intimate festival experience from some of rock’s most legendary names. The stacked line-up had greatest hits for days, with a very excited crowd donning make-up and outfits of some the headliners. 

Australian rock favourites Wolfmother brought the high-octane energy to their late-afternoon set which packed big singalongs to hits like “Woman”, “Victorious” and the unforgettable “Joker & The Thief”, which will always be an Australian classic. Lead vocalist Andrew Stockdale was heavily interacting with the crowd throughout the set, and even added “White Unicorn” after seeing someone dressed up as a unicorn. 

Hitting the stage for the sunset set, Wheatus knew exactly why the massive crowd were gathering around the stage to see them, but before they played “Teenage Dirtbag” they were going to make them work for it. Playing songs like “Fourteen”, “Lemonade”, “Leroy”, and a cover of AC/DC’s “Rock ’n’ Roll Damnation”, they highlighted moments from their five studio album discography, and gave a really entertaining set. Closing it out with the mammoth hit “Teenage Dirtbag”, which was one of the biggest singalongs of the day, it was fun looking around and seeing everyone unashamedly screaming along to the lyrics. 

The Psychedelic Furs delivered the most underwhelming set of the day, that even their massive hit “Love My Way” couldn’t save. 

But, Blondie. BLONDIE! What a class act. What a band. What a performance. Walking onto the stage for opening song “X Offender” wearing an anti-war dress, frontwoman Debbie Harry had this captivating attitude that was the epitome of rock n roll. Heading straight into a setlist of their greatest hits, they played songs like “Hanging On The Telephone”, “One Way Or Another”, “Call Me”, “Atomic”, and “The Tide Is High”. Before “Long Time” Debbie exclaimed “I’m happy I got to Australia before I die” to a rapturous applause. Their energy as a band was strong, and their interaction between each other was so tight. Closing out the set with “Heart Of Glass” and “Dreaming”, they gave the crowd every ounce of energy they had left. Blondie have always been a bucket list band for me to see live, and this set lived up to every expectation and more. 

The longest set change of the day came before Alice Cooper’s headline set, and with the level of production he brought it was very understandable why. With a curtain covering the stage with a 1975 news article reminding everyone he was once banned from touring Australia, he cut through the curtain to appear for opening songs “Lock Me Up” and “Welcome To The Show”. With the curtain dropping to reveal the full production the massive staging included LED screens, 2 big staircases, as well as his all-star band. His setlist was packed with all the hits including early favourites “No More Mr. Nice Guy”, “I’m Eighteen”, “Under My Wheels”, “Billion Dollar Babies”, “Hey Stoopid” and “Poison”. He’s always been known for his theatrics and he didn’t hold back for this show. For “Snakebite” he had a real-life snake around his neck, for “Feed My Frankenstein” he was chased across the stage by a giant Frankenstein puppet, and for “Ballad Of Dwight Fry” he had his head cut off by a guillotine. Returning to the stage alive and well for closing tracks “Elected” and “School’s Out”, he had the crowd screaming along to every lyric. Alice is an electric performer, and at 76 years old he still knows how to give you one of the most theatrical shows in rock.