The energy inside the venue on the night of Valentine’s Day was palpable even before the first act took the stage. Young teens and pre-adults had been queuing since 3pm eager to experience the high-intensity show that Lil Darkie and company were about to deliver for his final show of his The Temple of Doom Tour.
Opening the night was DJ Calder, whose set was nothing short of electrifying.
Dropping bangers like Fein and XXXTentacion’s Look at Me, he immediately ignited the crowd. Even managing to start a mosh pit. His seamless transitions and bass-heavy selections set the tone for the chaos that was about to unfold.
MK Ultra took the stage next, delivering a set that was equal parts raw and theatrical.
Before launching into his music, he proclaimed, the world is a dark place, and that’s why we have dark and Punk songs. But sometimes, we just want to hear happy songs, but this is not the show for that.
A statement that perfectly encapsulated his ability to balance angst with satirical humour.
Drawing inspiration from Green Day and Led Zeppelin, MK Ultra shredded through mesmerizing guitar riffs, capturing the crowd’s attention with his undeniable stage presence. He wasn’t just playing music, he was performing, diving into splits, leaning back onto the floor, and rocking checkered briefs with an unapologetic Punk attitude.
The audience fed off his energy, jumping and moshing to every beat. Between songs, he maintained a playful tone, using ironic enthusiasm to introduce his heavier, more aggressive tracks.
As the headliner, Lil Darkie took the stage with MK Ultra and Calder by his side, launching into his set with explosive energy.
The crowd, already hyped, roared in anticipation, ready for the sonic storm that was about to hit them.
Lil Darkie’s music defies classification. it’s a fusion of XXXTentacion’s raw lyricism, Green Day’s electric instrumentals, and Death Grips’ unhinged intensity.
He seamlessly blends genres, demonstrating an obsessive attention to detail in both his instrumentals and vocal delivery. His collaboration with the sound engineer ensured a crisp, immersive experience, as if the audience was listening through noise-cancelling headphones.
One of the night’s standout moments came when he performed I Can See Clearly. A melancholic, angst-ridden Rap track that had the crowd singing every word. He delivered the intro with a nonchalant demeanour before slipping into a trance-like state as the song took over.
Then came 1 BILLION STREAMS where Darkie, in true Punk fashion declared, fuck the apartments next door, turn the bass up!
And turn it up he did. The crowd lost themselves in the overwhelming bass, with Darkie screaming into his mic alongside MK Ultra’s vocalist. At one point, his relentless jumping and moshing led to an injury, forcing him to ask the audience to carry the energy while he took a step back. And they delivered.
What made the performance even more memorable was Darkie’s ability to connect with the audience on a personal level. Between the chaos, he created an intimate, almost living room-like atmosphere. When someone in the crowd lost their glasses, he took a moment to acknowledge it, and soon enough, the missing pair was lifted above the heads of the crowd, reuniting the fan with their sight.
This balance between high-octane performance and casual interaction gave the audience a unique whiplash. One moment they were catching their breath, the next they were thrown into another hardcore Punk-Grunge frenzy.
An unexpected highlight of the night was Fly Away, a Rap ballad added spontaneously to the setlist. With no backing track, the MK Ultra band members stepped in, supporting Darkie with smooth, slow guitar chords. The song, a heartfelt tribute to his late grandfather, had the entire venue swaying in a sea of blue light.
But sentimentality didn’t last long. The moment Holocaust hit, the crowd was pulled right back into the chaos, making it one of the most intense moments of the night.
After a nonchalant exit, the audience immediately erupted into chants for one more song. Lil Darkie and his crew returned, demanding a mosh pit bigger than New Zealand before delivering the final onslaught.
With a simple yet impactful farewell…’til next time, motherfuckers. See ya! Lil Darkie closed the night, leaving the crowd sweaty, exhilarated, and utterly drained.
From start to finish, the show was a masterclass in organized chaos, a rollercoaster of rage, humour, and raw emotion.
Azrie Azizi
Photography by Azrie Azizi
Lil Darkie
MK Ultra
DJ Calder
