LUCA BRASI, supported by Founder and Home Improvement @ The Warehouse July 3rd

Going into this show, I’ll admit I wasn’t particularly familiar with Luca Brasi’s catalogue. To prepare, I spent some time diving into If This Is All We’re Going to Be, the album at the centre of their current tour celebrating its 10-year anniversary. Around the time Luca Brasi first started appearing on Triple J, I was gradually making the switch to commercial radio, where the soundtrack of my own youth was easier to find and my young kids were less likely to encounter the occasional explicit lyric. As a result, I unfortunately missed the rise of what is clearly one of Australia’s most beloved alternative rock bands.

My first impressions of Luca Brasi drew comparisons to one of my favourite Australian bands of the 2000s, Kisschasy. While Kisschasy represent a more polished, pop-driven Melbourne sound, Luca Brasi feel like their rawer, punkier cousins from regional Tasmania. Both share distinctly Australian vocals, strong melodies and an ability to write anthemic songs that demand audience participation. With that in mind, I was keen to discover how Luca Brasi translated to the live stage.

The evening opened with two North Queensland support acts. Local outfit Founder got things underway, warming up the room with their indie-pop sound and a set that included Down, Darling, Daisy Chain and their new single Everything I Dream About. Despite their relatively fresh-faced appearance, they delivered a confident performance that set the tone for the night.

Next came Home Improvement, who showcased material from their recent EP Fight Back!. Tracks including What I’m Missing, the punchy Chest Pain and the mid-tempo standout Clarity were well received by the growing crowd.

Home Improvement

I was particularly delighted when they launched into a spirited cover of Kisschasy's Opinions Won’t Keep You Warm at Night. Both support bands demonstrated the quality of talent emerging from North Queensland, and it will be great to see more of them on local stages in the future.

Welcomed by a mid-sized but undeniably enthusiastic crowd, Luca Brasi took the stage and immediately matched the audience’s energy. Opening with Aeroplane and Say It Back with little introduction, the band wasted no time getting the room moving. The crowd responded enthusiastically, some perhaps a little too enthusiastically with some callouts to the NQ Cowboys.

Frontman and bassist Tyler Richardson soon settled into a more conversational rhythm between songs. He commented on the tropical warmth of Townsville and it wasn’t long before drummer Danny Flood shed his shirt for part of the set. He shared a humorous story about a fan accidentally barging into him in the toilets earlier in the evening, and sought recommendations on what the band should see while playing tourist in town.

Richardson has clearly developed into a highly accomplished frontman. His performance combined boundless energy with a genuine sense of gratitude, repeatedly thanking the audience for their support and for allowing the band to continue doing what they love. The chemistry within the band was equally apparent. Relatively recent addition Nick Manuell, handling rhythm guitar and backing vocals, appears to have slotted seamlessly into the lineup, while original member and lead guitarist Thomas Busby once again demonstrated why he has been such an integral part of Luca Brasi’s sound from the beginning.

Highlights from If This Is All We’re Going to Be came thick and fast, with particularly memorable performances of The Cascade Blues, Overwhelmed/Ill Prepared and Count Me Out. One of the night's most unexpected moments arrived during Anything Near Conviction, when local drummer and live music/media personality Justin Fimmel joined the band on stage. His cameo appearance was met with enthusiastic applause from the hometown crowd and added an extra layer of excitement to an already excellent rendition of the song.

Local muso Justin Fimmel on drums

The set was not solely focused on the anniversary album. Luca Brasi also revisited various stages of their career with songs including Theme Song From HQ, Clothes I Slept In, Tangled; Content and the ever-reliable crowd favourite The World Don’t Owe You Anything. These tracks highlighted both the consistency and evolution of the band's songwriting since they first emerged in 2009.

One of the evening’s most powerful moments arrived when Richardson briefly reflected on some of the challenges the band and his family have faced in recent years. I later learned he was referring to his young son’s battle with cancer. What followed was a deeply moving performance of Sonny that brought a moment of quiet reflection amid an otherwise energetic set. It was an emotional reminder of the personal experiences that often sit behind the music and one of the most affecting performances of the night.

Rather than the traditional encore, Richardson informed the audience that the band would close with two final songs. Those songs happened to be the tracks Luca Brasi had previously performed for Triple J’s Like A Version: the Goo Goo Dolls’ Iris and Paul Kelly’s How to Make Gravy. Both were delivered with the same sincerity and energy that characterised the entire evening and proved to be an ideal way to finish the set.

Ultimately, this performance left me with a genuine desire to explore more of Luca Brasi’s back catalogue and learn more about the band’s story. In a final gesture that perfectly reflected the humility displayed throughout the evening, Richardson stood near the exit of The Warehouse after the show, personally thanking fans and saying goodbye as they left. It was a small but meaningful touch that neatly summed up what made the night so enjoyable: great songs, genuine people and a band that clearly values its audience as much as its audience values them.