Sienna Skies
w/Saving Face, Down And Out, Colourblind and Donni Heat
UniBar, Adelaide, South Australia
September 12th 2026

_{Review by Kayla Hamilton}

Every now and then you make it to a show that just feels so wholesome. We don’t mean PG13. We mean that it is the kind of show that reminds you of when you first fell in love with live music. Not these massive theatre or arena shows, but the local shows in the local venues.

While Sienna Skies are not from Adelaide, they do have a stronghold of dedicated fans here. We will get into that a little later because it was not just our headliners whose names brought people down. Opening the show was one of Adelaide’s fastest-rising rock acts, Donni Heat. From the jump his energy was undeniable. Backed by a band of incredible musicians, Donni Heat put his heart and soul into his performance. A refreshing blend of pop punk/rock and a performance that oozed confidence, this is one act you have to keep an eye on.

Following was a little more subdued, but ever so captivating Colourblind. Giving us a little more ‘sad rock’ than the other bands on the bill, the alt-emo band enveloped the UniBar in their melancholic groove. The intensity was just as strong, but presented in a different form. Not a ruckus, but synchronising head bop and sway took over all those standing in the room. Moments of heavy distortion wrapped up in the a juxtaposing bright guitar tone, making them such a beautiful inclusion on this Adelaide heavy bill.

Down And Out, one of the tour’s mainstays, took the stage next. Their quintessential pop-punk sound had everybody jumping and getting a little more rowdy. Including parents who had brought their kids along for the night! Something about seeing a young kid mouthing along to the words while their parent stands proudly next to them warms the soul, especially after spending the last few decades in these same venues. Down And Out are an absolute ball of fun. Frontman Luke Ganeo‘s comedic charisma is the icing on top of what is just an enjoyable set of well-written and performed music. I say this every time I see them…what a band.

This line-up had me so curious at the start because of the contrasting styles of heavy, but once we got to Saving Face, we were starting to hit that sound I had been craving. Opening the set with that nostalgic, but oh so wanted, melodic hardcore introduction, I quickly made my way from the back of the room to the front. Once the vocals kicked I instantly remembered catching this Saving Face from the Bloom tour earlier this year. There is this overwhelming sense of agony that saturates their sound and it hits me right in my core. It’s part nostalgia for the heavier emocore I fell in love with as a teen, but it is a little more modern and tighter. Perhaps it just hits different as an adult, but I found myself absolutely adoring every second of their set. I simply cannot wait to hear more from them.

Finally, though, it was time for our headliners Sienna Skies. As I mentioned up top, this band has such a dedicated following in Adelaide. While it was the Slowburn tour, they dipped back into their origins and the long time devoted could not help but relive their glory days by jumping in the pit with some slightly startled teens. The relationship between the band and audience was humble and honest, just like greeting old friends. The ‘Take It Off Tom’ chants were bellowed by some gleeful punters and he was met with cheers (plus some cheeky copycats- much to the distress of some wives).

There is a reason Sienna Skies has such an enduring legacy in the Australian scene. Part of it is because they are just top-notch blokes who are clearly still committed to giving their all to their music, but the main reason is that they just put on a bloody good show. From their first release in 2009 to their latest this year, they manage to stay both modern but themselves. Dipping between that nostalgic metalcore of old to the modern post-hardcore, alt-metal is not an easy feat, but they seem to do it with a natural ease. Every song translates spectacularly live and that is why people keep coming back.

Adelaide may not be the biggest crowd, but it is one that never forgets when bands show us love so thank you Sienna Skies for always including us.