Formed in Denton, Texas in 2006, Memphis May Fire have spent nearly two decades building a catalogue that sits within metalcore while extending into post-hardcore and alternative metal. Now signed to Rise Records, the band continue to evolve, and will be returning to Australia with new material and an updated live set. For this run, they will be joined by Blessthefall, who will perform a headline-length set on their first visit to Australia in nine years.
In a recent interview, Matty Mullins spoke about the band’s return to Australia, reflecting on the last tour, the response from fans and the approach they took into this run.
Asked about the overwhelming demand on their previous Australian tour alongside Atreyu, Mullins said it caught the band off guard. Shows had sold out quickly, with more than 1,600 fans left on waiting lists, something he described as a clear signal that there was unfinished business with Australian audiences.
When asked what prompted the band to return so soon, he pointed to messages from fans who had missed out. One in particular stood out, a fan who had travelled for the show but couldn’t secure a ticket. Mullins said moments like that made it clear the band needed to come back and meet that demand directly.
Asked how that context shaped the shows, Mullins explained that it changed the mindset entirely. With the album cycle meaning it would be some time before they returned again, the band approached each performance with a sense of finality, treating every night as if it could be their last in that market.
On what “making it up to fans” looked like, Mullins said the band aimed to go bigger across all aspects of the show. That included a setlist that spanned their full catalogue, combining older material with songs from Shapeshifter, which he described as central to that phase of the band.
Asked what they took from their previous Australian run, Mullins highlighted the intensity of local crowds. Rather than needing time to build, he said Australian audiences were engaged from the first note, something that pushed the band to match that energy immediately.
When discussing Shapeshifter, Mullins confirmed that the record played a key role in the set. The band wanted to bring those songs to audiences who hadn’t yet experienced them live, placing them alongside tracks that had carried through multiple album cycles.
Asked what set Australian crowds apart, Mullins pointed to their level of connection. He described it as less of a performer-audience divide and more of a shared experience, where the crowd was fully engaged in every moment of the set.
Reflecting on past tours, he noted that the moments that stayed with him were when the audience took over, particularly when vocals were louder from the floor than the stage. It was that sense of participation that defined the band’s connection with Australian fans.
When asked about the emotions going into the run, Mullins said gratitude sat alongside a sense of urgency.
Finally, asked what he hoped fans took away, Mullins said that the goal was to give everything, to ensure the shows felt like more than just another tour, but a shared moment that resonated beyond the night itself.
Memphis May Fire will tour Australia towards the end of April, go HERE for ticketing information.
