While standing among the gathering crowd in the front bar of The John Curtain Hotel, the energetic vibe of the Poison City crew emanated as they waited in anticipation for the doors, or big red door, to open. The diversity of the punters gathering to see Luca Brasi, the up-and-coming punk rock quartet from Tassie, was clear for all to see. Punks, skaters, and hipsters all filled the Curtain’s band room for a night of emerging, all-Australian talent.
Patrons who had made their way up the staircase early filled the pit in front of the stage to hear the sweet sound of Kissing Booth. With slow, melodic guitar controlled by the incredibly enticing vocals of Grace Lawry and Tommo, the space between onlookers and band became increasing packed. After the call from bassist Ben Searle to ‘Fire up!’, they launched into ‘Resilience’, a powerful and emotive rock ballad that encompassed the group’s sound.
There is nothing greater than seeing a group of musicians having a fucking awesome time together, playing their music while a room of gleaming faces watch with anticipation. Ceres had an electrifying stage presence and engaged the crowd through the gritty riffs of Rhys Vleugel, the tight drumming of Frank Morda, and the loveable antics of the moustached frontman Tom Lanyon. Opening with ‘Damn Lies’, the atmosphere was set, heightened by the controlled screams of Lanyon.
With a deeper, darker sound, Luca Brasi’s Poison City label mates Postblue took over the stage with a rock sound that was made to be played live at a venue like The Curtain. The trio delved into 90s rock mixed with grungy, angst-driven guitar riffs and slow fuzz distortion. As they performed ‘Honey’ and wallowed ‘I’m trapped inside my brain’, the three-piece cemented their undeniable Nirvana-esque sound. The talent of Postblue and Ceres in particular personified the health of the Australian rock music scene as it stands today.
They can try suggesting curfews and harsh lock out laws, but the ‘powers that be’ need only look at the packed venues, where groups of people gather to enjoy the music in its purest form. In a room full of mainly Tassie expats and loyal Melbourne fans, Tyler Richardson kicked off the night by paying homage to his brethren by calling out, “Tassie crew in the house, what a bunch of fucking legends!” With that, the walls began to expand with the Luca Brasi’s awesome punk styling – one with a brilliant Australian sound at its core.
Opening with ‘K.D.R.’, Richardson’s vocals were highlighted amongst the sparse melodic guitar before the whole band was introduced and the revival was ready to take over. With the singer screaming “We’re holding on, we’re never letting go”, the fans ignited and the crowd came alive, hit hard with punk rock anthems.
Belting out track ‘Death Rattle’, everyone in the room sang, “A million faces on the coldest side of this closed door, hearing the death rattle at 25 years old”. It was inspiring to witness a group take its diverse sound to new horizons.
Nailing a bunch of tracks from their new record By A Thread, it wouldn’t be a Brasi gig without playing ‘Theme Song From Hq’. The crowd loved every minute, screaming, “I wont put it on a 45, I ain’t got no fucking record player, play the songs on repeat in my head” while a few punters partook in some crowd-surfing. This was backed up by new songs ‘Borders And Statelines’ and ‘Benthos’. In short, it was everything you could want from a punk gig.
People in surrounding areas would have heard the Brasi show, and they might as well get used to it. The dudes are extremely polished, but they also have an authentic rawness you would expect from a few Tassie lads living the dream. Highlighted by Tom Busby slamming a drink whilst playing his guitar, the non-stop crowd-surfing, Patrick Marshall’s playful and comedic comments, and Richardson’s fiery and diverse vocal capabilities, the band relished in playing their music. Above all, they loved nothing more than to play for friends who had travelled across the Bass Straight to see them play.
