Australian hard‑rock powerhouse AIRBOURNE brought pure, undiluted energy to Allas Live in Helsinki on August 31st, 2026, delivering a tight, high‑octane set that cut straight through the grey late‑summer weather. The waterfront venue was near capacity, packed with a crowd that leaned heavily toward the old‑school rock faithful, the kind of fans who grew up on AC/DC and the like, and wear their battle‑tested denim with pride.
Despite the chilly air and a sky threatening rain, the atmosphere stayed electric. The drizzle held off until the very end, giving the audience just enough time to throw themselves fully into the band’s trademark chaos. And chaos is exactly what AIRBOURNE delivered.
Sticking to the band’s current Gutsy Tour framework, the show ran just over an hour — in line with Allas Live’s strict 22:00 curfew — and packed in a barrage of fan favorites. The setlist included “GUTSY,” “Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast,“ “Hungry,“ “Back in the Game,“ “Raise the Flag,“ “Bottom of the Well,“ “Cheap Wine & Cheaper Women,“ “Breakin’ Outta Hell,“ “Diamond in the Rough,“ “Live It Up,“ “Ready to Rock,“ “Alive After Death (Last Plane Out),” and the inevitable closer “Running Wild,” which sent the crowd home buzzing.
Frontman Joel O’Keeffe was in classic form – a whirlwind of sweat, riffs, and reckless enthusiasm. He crushed beer cans on his head, tore through solos with feral intensity, and expectedly at one point climbed onto a security guard’s shoulders to ride through the crowd while shredding. It’s a stunt he’s been doing for years, and once again the crowd embraced it like a gospel.
As the show neared its finale, O’Keeffe kept another tradition alive, which was hurling beer into the audience, drawing roars of approval from the already fired‑up crowd. Even in the cold, under a heavy sky, the band’s energy never dipped, which was commendable.
By the time the rain finally arrived – almost poetically, just after the last notes faded – AIRBOURNE had already done what they came to do: turn a grey evening into a celebration of loud, unapologetic rock ’n’ roll. The band’s relentless performance, paired with a crowd eager to relive the glory days of hard rock, made the night feel bigger than its tight schedule and modest length.
For fans, photographers, and anyone who appreciates rock played with zero restraint, AIRBOURNE‘s Allas Live show was a reminder of why this band continues to be one of the most reliable live acts in the genre: no frills, no breaks, just pure voltage. And free beer for the crowd!
Below, you can watch the best bits of the evening through our lens.
Airbourne
Photos and text by Janne Puronen
