THE RASMUS - Live in Sydney
The long-awaited Weirdo Tour brought to our shores
Saturday 31st January 2026
Photographer: RA >> SEE PHOTOS <<
Written by: Jimmy Wah
On Saturday night, Sydney was treated to an extraordinary milestone as Finnish rock legends THE RASMUS finally brought their long-awaited Weirdo Tour to The Manning Bar thanks to ThePhoenix.AU — a show that more than lived up to the hype. Packed with die-hard fans and curious newcomers alike, the room buzzed with anticipation. From the first roar of guitars to the final encore, it was clear this wasn’t just another show, it was a celebration.
For over three decades, THE RASMUS have carved out an enviable legacy, evolving from teenage rock upstarts in Helsinki with a debut album that went Gold, to internationally acclaimed rock royalty. Breakthrough global success came with the 2003 juggernaut Dead Letters and its ubiquitous anthem ‘In the Shadows’, catapulting them onto stages across Europe, North America and beyond, with a string of multi-Gold and Platinum records — a run few rock acts sustain. Their latest era, marked by the 11th studio album Weirdo, melds gritty guitars with atmospheric hooks and anthemic choruses that champion the outsiders, the misfits, and anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t quite fit the mould — an ethos that resonates louder than ever tonight.
Opening the evening with thunderous energy, Melbourne’s own NTH RD set the tone perfectly. Their brooding, atmospheric brand of alt. rock was the ideal spark to ignite the crowd. With THE RASMUS backdrop looming over the stage, the smooth charisma of vocalist Dan Charlton was the perfect antidote to engage the crowd and command their attention. After just 2 songs he could be forgiven for taking off his shirt as the temperature in the room quickly matched the heat of the day. A tattooed body with the words ‘ETERNAL’ and ‘ROMANCE’ intersecting across the shoulders and down the spine gave Dan the dreamboat energy that kept the front row mesmerised.
Image: Dan Charlton
Image: Lucas Banim + Dan Charlton
NTH RD’s set was broken up by softer elements amid the relentless groove, bringing a dynamism to the music that was impossible to ignore. With anthemic vocal melodies making Dan’s voice bloom, the crushing guitars somehow became mere accompaniments for something that felt bigger. The drummer sitting beside THE RASMUS’ kit unleashed grooves so powerful that you'd be fooled into thinking NTH RD were headlining the show, punctuated with 808 drops to feed the Millennial urge that filled the room. This, a testament to why they’re one of Australia’s most exciting rising acts and a fitting counterpoint to THE RASMUS’ seasoned giants of sound.
Image: Dan Charlton + Lucas Banim
Image: Dan Charlton
During the interim between sets, it was even more evident which generation made up the crowd as a massive sing-along to the house music’s Chop Suey by SYSTEM OF A DOWN filled the air. At 9.30pm, when the music subsided after another crowd chorus to Last Resort by PAPA ROACH, the thick purple haze that engulfed the stage was broken by the shadows of THE RASMUS, who were met with massive cheers. I barely had time to register the beanie replacing the iconic hair of frontman Lauri Ylönen before the explosive opening to ‘Rest in Pieces’ nearly knocked me over, the crowd immediately throwing their arms in the air and singing along. I would soon find out that this would be a recurring theme throughout the set but even more distinct was the energy exuding from the stage.
Image: Lauri Ylönen + Emilia “Emppu” Suhonen
With every word he sung, the ever-photogenic Lauri seemed to strike a different pose that I would gladly put on my wall. Standing atop the road case at the front of the stage, he was oozing with 90’s nostalgia wearing cargo shorts and a sleeveless hooded Thrasher shirt to compliment the beanie. Before the end of the third song ‘No Fear’ from the 2005 album Hide From the Sun, he was accepting flowers from the front row without missing a word or breaking the flow. To his right, sweat was already glistening on the tattooed legs of Emilia “Emppu” Suhonen who addressed the crowd between songs. She fit so perfectly into the band I was surprised to learn she replaced the original guitarist Pauli Rantasalmi in 2022. Eero Heinonen on the bass was also eager to tell everyone how honoured they were to play in Sydney as Australia was like his second home. Aki Hakala only needed the drums to speak to the audience, as banger after banger made the room feel like it was at fever pitch throughout the entire set.
Image: Lauri Ylönen
Image: Aki Hakala
Image: The Rasmus
Image: Eero Heinonen
Image: Emilia “Emppu” Suhonen
Eero introduced ‘Break These Chains’ to massive cheers and an anthemic singalong resonated through the walls of the Manning Bar. Lauri checked in on the audience after ‘Immortal’ commenting “It’s so fucking hot here” and the mood was brought down for ‘October & April’ led by Emilia on vocals before immediately breaking into an acapella intro of crowd favourite ‘First Day of My Life’, with the crowd almost drowning out Lauri’s vocals. The heavy recognisable groove of ‘Creatures of Chaos’ was followed by another favourite ‘Not Like Other Girls’ and I was so taken by the energy in the room It surprised me to realise it wasn’t even halfway through the set!
Image: Aki Hakala + Lauri Ylönen
Image: Lauri Ylönen
Image: Eero Heinonen
Image: Lauri Ylönen
"We're gonna play 3 more songs" was met with more excitement that there was more to come rather than disappointment that it was coming to an end. One of those songs was the one I most remember hearing and definitely a crowd favourite, 'In The Shadows' which generated so much fervour from the crowd, it felt like it would have made the building crumble if it wasn't made of stone. Closing out with 'Weirdo' to a raucous crowd, people's feet remained firmly planted on the ground for Lauri's return to the stage with an acoustic guitar as he voluntarily took off his shoe before the crowd had a chance to demand a shoey, taking the liberty to pour himself a decent swig without being prompted. A beautiful version of 'Falling' showcased truly how talented the singer was before the band returned to put it's final stamp on Sydney fans with 'Love Is A Bitch'.
Image: Eero Heinonen + Aki Hakala + Lauri Ylönen
Image: THE RASMUS crowd
From start to finish, the night buzzed with unforgettable moments, sing-along choruses, and the palpable sense that this historic Australian tour was something truly special. Whether you came for nostalgia, discovery, or pure rock euphoria, this was a show that reminded everyone why live music still matters — and why THE RASMUS are still at the very top of the game.
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Photographer: RA
