Live Review: Limp Bizkit, Of Mice & Men, Ocean Grove

Despite the pouring rain, the queue to get into Hordern Pavilion snaked along the street and was almost as long as the line for beer at the adjacent pub.

Melbourne odd-world metal upstarts Ocean Grove kicked it off, taking naughties nu-metal and slapping some meaty metalcore chops on the grill. The five-piece drew a sizeable opening crowd, with more than a few pit ninjas demonstrating their high-flying antics. Although the crowd wasn't exactly vocal during the singalong sections, their triple j-sponsored singles Intimate Alienand Stratosphere Love commanded a more deserving response.

Certainly the heaviest band on the bill, it took a few songs for the crowd to warm up to metalcore mainstays Of Mice & Men. But once they got started, the pit didn't stop. Frontman Aaron Pauley told the pit the band were filming for a new video, wanted the biggest circle-pit Sydney could muster and the crowd did not disappoint.

A cover of Money by Pink Floyd had the older generation excited, but left some of the younger punters scratching their heads. Closing their lengthy support slot with the thrashing mad The Depths, the crowd gave the Californians one final hurrah.

With lines for the bar stretching across the entire length of the venue, the house was packed to capacity. As the lights dimmed, Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland, dressed in his trademark black-and-white body paint, treated us to a few minutes of feedback and noise before the crowd went Full Nelson for the opening track.

With a wry grin, main man Fred Durst took us into the swear-athon that is Hot Dog, even a security guard yelling "Fuck!" as a constant stream of shirtless crowd-surfers made their way over the barrier.

We all knew what "time it [was]" as the man in black, Borland, stood elevated on a stack of amps, glaring menacingly at the increasingly frantic crowd during the 2000s anthem Rollin'.

Standing off to the side, the crowd-crush flattened anyone in its path as Durst made his way into the stands to scream Eat You Alive while hanging from the railing. It made for an awesome Instagram shot.

Played for the first time in three years and "just for Sydney", It'll Be Ok slowed things down a touch, while simultaneously ripping it up. The next salvo of songs decimated the Hordern as DJ Lethal brought it on, the mostly late-30s audience screaming every word of My Generation, Livin' It Up and the anthemic My Way. Generation Y "don't give a fuck and we won't ever give a fuck", and middle fingers were raised to those who didn't give a fuck about us as Durst led the chant.

Always one for controversy, Durst invited the audience on stage, saying he doesn't care if you're "a girl, a guy, a she-he" to dance and take selfies during their crunchy cover of George Michael's Faith. Although it was a poor attempt at inclusivity, minutes later Durst dedicated the moshpit anthem Break Stuff to anyone who's been bullied, telling anyone who is a bully to "get fucked".

With the girls still on stage, the bucket hat-sporting Durst and co launched into extended set closer Take A Look Around, with a cover of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit thrown in for good measure.

Even though at times the sound was a bit tinny and the beer lines ridiculously long, Limp Bizkit's setlist was on-point and nostalgia was high. That red cap won't get a bad wrap from this critic.