This was my first time seeing BriBri, along with the supporting acts HATI and MoonBoots. And what better introduction than their debut single launch! The evening carried such an aura of community, I was thankful I made the decision to attend. It was heartwarming for my soul as a creative and someone who just loves to see what a new generation of musicians are creating themselves. 

The venue perfectly complimented the energy of the night, a blend of pristine acoustics and the feeling of being at your eccentric mates place who’s hosting a house party. The decor filled every corner with such whimsy that I’m still mesmerised by and craving my own decorative swans. 

Opening the night was the talented HATI, a project just as fresh as BriBri. I spoke with Harriet Wensley (Hati herself) and when asked about their creative background, they mentioned not having a permanent band yet and working with members of their other creative project ELSEWHERE. All it cost her was a dinner for each of them in return.

Harriet has described a life drawn to music ever since they were young, recalling memories of childhood listening to music with their father and later gravitating towards music theory at QUT - which is how they met their stand-in bandmates. They’d all played for over a year together and seemed to gel well in other projects, so naturally they were a fit for tonight's supporting performance.

Musically, they lean into rather classical and warm bass lines from Sami and the interlocking grooves of the keys by Poppy, something common in the r&b and funk genre. They performed a set of a couple self-made songs with a few covers to help build the energy of the crowd. Harriet shared more about wanting to create a place of safety and creativity at each show for their fans, somewhere people can freely move themselves and feel at home to let themselves out. Judging by the crowd’s reaction on the night, they're well on their way to such energy!

MOONBOOTS is another new kid on the block. A creative project that formed last year from Ada Lukin and Enetes Turnball, backed by Greer on keys, Ky on bass, Caleb on drums and Ben on guitar. A definite crowd booster of the night, the floor almost filling as they hit the stage. When interviewing Ada and Enetes, they mentioned having a long-standing tie to music and a strong bond with each other since the day they met in a theatre performance around 2020. They also mentioned studying music at QUT, which has helped them take new leaps with the project as well as the addition of a producer. Their performance really commanded the energy of the room and made them one of the night's crowd pleasers. During our interview they too shared an intention to create a queer, safe space through their music. Somewhere people can move freely and exist without restraint. That intention translated clearly in the energy of their performance.

Closing the night was BriBri with a performance that wore her influences proudly. It had an edge of personal touch, accompanied by their delightful guitarist Jeremy (JEZ), funky bassist Gerry, Drummer Hunter and soothing keys by Dylan. You can feel the absolute love and energy they have for the craft with the way they move to their own music, how they control a crowd and the way they treat their band members on stage.

Their set really embodied that sense of community that defined the night. Too often bands can play rather competitively, especially when new. We've all seen those kinds of bands, the ones that struggle to share a spotlight together and you can tell they will never agree on who gets the most time to shine, but Bri Bri displayed the complete opposite. Their set was filled with proud glances, celebrating each other's solos, almost like parents watching their child succeed. 

Their set featured two original songs, one being about their current relationship and the other being their debut single “Take it from me”. A punchy song about being absolutely down bad for someone and at the mercy of those emotions - a situation we all can sympathise and envy. The set was rounded out by a few covers of Michael Jackson and a cover of “Love me better” by Chaka Khan, performed with a dash of their own personality to add their own spin rather than having them feel like empty crowd pleasers.

During their interview Bri mentioned wanting a community that was a safe space for the queer, the mascs and anyone else seeking to find joy and release in their music. Observing BriBri’s collective creative talent really drives home the idea that we're only as good as our community. She described not having an academic-style creative background, they mostly learnt through listening to the greats and taking experiences from situations with friends and colleagues in the industry. It really shows in how their passion comes through in their music and the design choices of their songs. There's a certain kind of raw energy that's important for being a performer that academics just really can't teach you. Sure the upper class music student might be able to launch themselves freely into the craft, afford studio slots and producers but there's a certain indescribable character in creatives that come from nothing and just simply love the journey. There's a level of interest that's obvious in their creativity and a level of care and empathy for their community that can never be taught. 

Words and Image by Olivia Morgan