Matty Mullins talks sold out chaos, unfinished business, and why this April 2026 tour has to mean everything
When Memphis May Fire last hit Australia, it was chaos in the best possible way. Five sold out shows. Huge reactions. Glowing reviews. And more than 1600 fans left on waiting lists around the country after missing out. For a band with the kind of connection Memphis May Fire have built over the years, that sort of response was not just flattering, it was impossible to ignore.
Now they are coming back, and this time they are not arriving alone.
Returning to Australia this April 2026, Memphis May Fire will bring their latest chapter to stages across the country, joined by very special guests Blessthefall, who make their long awaited Australian return for their first shows here in nine years. It is the kind of metalcore package that feels built to explode in a live setting, two bands with serious history, deep catalogues, and no shortage of firepower.
With Shapeshifter still powering this era for Memphis May Fire and Australian fans once again showing exactly how much these shows matter, this run feels bigger than a standard return tour. It feels like a statement. A chance to make good on the demand that left so many fans outside looking in last time, and a chance to deliver a set that empties the tank before the band steps away from Australia for what Matty Mullins says will be a long while after this album cycle wraps.
Q&A with Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire
Your last Australian tour with Atreyu was pure chaos, five sold-out shows and more than 1600 fans stuck on waiting lists. How did that overwhelming demand hit you as a band?
It honestly caught us off guard in the best way.
You always hope for that kind of response, but to see it, to watch tickets disappear that fast and then hear about the waiting lists, it was surreal. It felt like Australia was saying, “Hey, we’ve been here, and we’ve been waiting.” As a band, it lit a fire under us. It reminded us that what we’re doing still matters, and that there’s unfinished business there.
You’ve said hearing from fans who missed out was the driving force behind returning so quickly. Was there a particular message or story that really stuck with you?
Yeah, there were a ton, but one that stuck with me was a fan who had planned their entire trip around the show, flights, hotel, everything, and still couldn’t get a ticket. They were messaging us saying they were outside the venue just hoping something would open up. That hit hard. It’s one thing to miss a show, it’s another to go that far and still not get in. That’s when it became clear, we had to come back.
Knowing it’ll be a long time before you can return to Australia after this album cycle, how does that shape the mindset and intensity you’re bringing to this tour?
It changes everything. There’s a different weight to these shows. We’re not pacing ourselves thinking, “We’ll be back next year.” This is one of those moments where you empty the tank completely. Every night has to feel like the last time we’ll ever play there, because for a while, it will be.
You mentioned not wanting fans to wait another five years. What does “making it up to them” look like in terms of performance, setlist, or production?
It means going bigger in every way we can. A setlist that covers the full spectrum of who we are, the songs people have been holding onto for years, mixed with the new material that’s defining where we’re at right now. Performance wise, it’s about being fully present and giving everything we’ve got. Production wise, we’re doing everything we can to elevate the experience so it feels worth the wait.
Your last run was described as mayhem: jaw-dropping performances, off-the-hook reviews. What lessons or energy from that tour are you carrying into this one?
The biggest thing we took away is that Australian crowds don’t need warming up, they’re in it from the first note. That energy pushes you to a different level as a performer. So we’re coming in ready to match that from second one. No slow builds, no holding back, just straight into it.
The touring cycle for Shapeshifter has been immense! Are you planning to cover that album on this tour?
Yeah, Shapeshifter is a huge part of this chapter for us, so some of those songs are absolutely going to be in the set. That record means a lot to us, and it’s connected with people in a real way. We want to give those songs their moment live, especially for fans who haven’t had the chance to hear them in person yet.
Australia has always shown huge love for heavy music. What stands out to you about Australian crowds compared to the rest of the world?
There’s an intensity that’s hard to describe unless you’ve felt it. It’s not just that they’re loud, it’s how locked in they are. Every lyric, every breakdown, every moment, they’re right there with you. It feels less like you’re playing to them and more like you’re in it with them.
What are some of your favourite memories of playing in Australia?
Honestly, it’s all moments where the crowd takes over, when you pull the mic away and they’re louder than the PA. That’s something I’ll never get over. And then just the chaos after the shows, meeting fans, hearing their stories, seeing how far people have come. Those are the moments that stick.
With this being your last Australian tour for quite some time, what emotions are you personally bringing into these shows?
Gratitude, first and foremost. There’s a deep appreciation knowing we get to come back and do this again, especially after seeing how many people missed out last time. But there’s also a sense of urgency, like we have something to prove and something to give before we step away for a bit.
When the final note hits on this run, what do you hope fans walk away remembering about this chapter of MEMPHIS MAY FIRE?
I hope they remember that we gave them everything we had. That it wasn’t just another tour, it was a moment in time. Something they felt, something they were a part of. If people walk away feeling seen, connected, and like they experienced something real, then we did our job.
MEMPHIS MAY FIRE + BLESSTHEFALL – APRIL 2026 AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES
Friday 24th April – Melbourne, Northcote Theatre
Saturday 25th April – Sydney, Manning Bar
Sunday 26th April – Brisbane, Princess Theatre
Tuesday 28th April – Adelaide, Lion Arts Factory
Wednesday 29th April – Perth, Magnet House
Tickets on sale now:
https://thephoenix.au/memphis-may-fire-2026/
There is something fitting about a tour like this landing with real urgency behind it. Memphis May Fire are not just returning because the last run sold well. They are coming back because the response made it clear there were still fans left out, still cities wanting more, still unfinished business to settle.
Adding Blessthefall into the mix only raises the stakes. For Australian fans, this is not just another heavy package passing through. It is a rare chance to catch two major names from the metalcore world together on home soil, with one band riding the momentum of a huge recent return and the other making their first Australian appearance in nearly a decade.
If the last run was mayhem, this one feels set to hit even harder.
