Words by Cecelia Pattison-Levi
Pix by Sarah Gilpin
Melbourne indie-rock musicians Pierce Brothers came to the Miami Marketa on the Gold Coast to play their second-to-last gig of the 10-year anniversary tour celebrating the release of their debut EP, The Night Tree and it was an amazing night of the most skilful musicianship you are likely to see. Both the supporting musician Glen Mossop and Pierce Brothers delivered high-energy live performances that centred on the ability to create authentic, heartfelt music that speaks to the soul.
The evening commenced with an acoustic set from Mossop (affectionately known as Moz). He was the vocalist and guitarist for the band Bonjah, which the Pierce Brothers energetically stated as they did that twin thing and finished each other’s sentences, “Needed to get back together and reform – that’d be awesome!”. With his guitar and blues-inflected rich voice Mossop delivered a nine-song setlist. He joked to the 20 people at the start of his set as he played his first song, River Jordan, that it was “going to be an intimate night”. The songs Fall Together and Bullet In The Barrel followed quickly as the sounds of his sweet blues-tinged rock flowed through the venue.
The crowd had started to build as his strong guitar strumming and clear voice delivered Hope And The Devil and the emotionally affecting song, Brother. Mossop’s skill on the guitar was honed from playing in a band, and I suspect busking, as he has that genuine sound of letting his guitar do the talking, and he could fill space without overwhelming it. His set really took off with the fabulous song Karma and the chugging open chords on Beautiful Wild. His cover of Lorde’s Royals was really well done and showed the complex rhythms and time signatures in that song.
Mossop closed out his set with a full crowd and a big people pleaser of a song in Rise And Fall. It was a mid-tempo song that had the crowd moving and they appreciated the music. There was a very short stage re-arrange and movement of gear into the under-stage cupboards before set lists, beer and water were placed in readiness for Pierce Brothers.
A sold-out Miami Marketa crowd underpinned the base for the Melbourne-based indie-rock duo – consisting of twin brothers Jack and Pat Pierce with their talented synth player Dara Munnis – to deliver a night of dynamically controlled musical chaos. There were hunts for hecklers, dancing in the crowd, exhibitions of drumming on the barrier, gymnastics and near misses as Jack Pierce almost impaled himself on a guitar stand when he fell to the floor.
This tour was to rejoice in the release, 10 years ago, of Pierce Brothers’ breakout EP The Night Tree, which, as they state,d “gave them the ability to continue on and make music”. And, do they make music? Yes. They make the most extraordinary and eclectic kind of interactive, clap-along, sing-along music that incorporates a diverse range of instruments that include electric and acoustic guitars, drums, stomp boxes, harmonica, didgeridoo, tambourine, hand drums, and synth to create a vibrant soundscape. The instrumentation usage and ability to play them as a cohesive whole within the confines of songs is jaw-dropping. The skill level is balanced out by the talented and calming influence of Munnis, who gives structure to the chaos, and his musical skills and oversight significantly expanded their sound.
The crowd was drawn into the magical musical performance. It was evident that the astonishing musical skills were honed on the street through busking. The sounds and delivery of the songs were at once complex but simple. Jack’s ability to do forward rolls into playing the drum beats on the body of Pat’s guitar, or when he took off into the crowd to play the drum rhythm on the barriers, was amazing or rolled onto his head playing the drums with his feet in the air.
The Pierce Brothers delivered an 18-song set that started with White Whale, It’s Alright, and the crowd favourite It’s My Fault. Their set included all the other songs from The Night Tree, such as Golden Times, Genevieve, and Tallest Teepee In Town. The fabulous Amsterdam from their album My Tired Mind was just great. There were songs from their latest album Everything Is Bigger Than Me, such as Studio and Bottle. And, older songs from Atlas Shoulders like Trip Lovers and newer tracks with working titles from a to-be released album, I Will Love You and Losing Friends When You’re Older.
That was the big news from the band, the fact that a new album is on the way. “The first single has been recorded, mixed and mastered and should be out within a few weeks. The rest of the album’s songs are ready,” stated Jack and Pat to the crowd. “Then, we are out on tour and off to Europe”. They also told the crowd about an upcoming documentary they have contributed music to, which is about their friend Maddie and her aim of shedding light and help to mental health issues in the Outback.
The songs Self Portrait and Brother brought home to the crowd the importance of family and connection to others. The Pierce Brother’s songs are emotionally resonant and blend beautiful melodies like in Kanko and Overdose with relatable lyrics, depicting the challenge of acknowledging and overcoming difficult emotions, and the great search we all have for finding peace in our lives and with each other all wrapped up in high-energy pulses of rhythm.
The message within Pierce Brothers songwriting is the holding out of hope and projecting the feeling that better is just around the corner. And, the crowd loved it! As the brothers’ ability to engage them with their spontaneous performances and interactions with the crowd was just adored. The best example was the heckler who just wanted to hear one song – Genevieve – was found and danced with.
The Pierce Brothers closed out a remarkable evening of music with an encore of The Records Are Ours and Flying Home. The crowd were very happy and appreciated the Pierce Brothers ‘sweaty’ high-octane delivery, and even the security guards were “that was so good!”. That’s how you know the evening was an unbridled success. Pierce Brothers are poised to take the world by storm – watch out Europe in 2026.
