20 June 2025 – The Triffid, Brisbane – words by Cecilia Pattison-Levi – pictures by Bec Harbour
The Triffid was energised with the joyous sounds of “emo-pop-punk-rock blended music” as it was described on the night when Sydney band (with Queensland links) Yours Truly brought their Australian ‘Toxic’ headline tour for its kick off gig in Brisbane. They also brought along Sydney band the Besties and the US band Senses on their first ever performance in Brisbane and first tour of Australia. Fans were delivered a real treat of high-octane energetic performances and left the venue totally buzzing.
First up onto The Triffid stage was the Sydney based band Besties. They exploded onto the stage with the band putting out a sonic wall of guitar and pop-punk drum beats as their dynamic vocalist Max Pasalic brought the hip-hop influence. It was an amazing start as the Besties: Max Pasalic (vocals), Nat J. Sherwood (producer/guitar), Brenton Rakebrandt (drums), and James Venites (guitar) delivered a great short six song set.
Besties – Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
With songs like ‘Racecar’ and ‘Dance On My Grave’, Besties delivered the punk get-up-and-go and the crowd loved it. They really knew how to work the crowd: with a cover of P!nk’s ‘Who Knew’ that got everyone dancing and singing along and then they debuted a new song that is out in a week by teaching us the chorus “F&*K This/ F&*k You” – and we all got it!
The Besties ended their set with their song ‘Love Bombs’ and it totally got the crowd hyped-up and moving. The band’s clever blending of punk rock tinted with contemporary hip-hop made their music and songs lively and fresh. The Besties will be back in Queensland for Big Sound and I can only suggest you get along to hear and see this great band. The Besties certainly made many new fans last night.
As the stage underwent a re-set by Eric (the Senses tour manager) and others, the crowd watched on as the excitement built. I was totally excited that the LA alternative rock band Senses were going to play their first ever show in Australia and it was here in Brisbane. That AI Spotify algorithm that sent me a Senses song back in 2023 which made me go buy their EP Take Me Out Of Here was remembered. As I have followed the band ever since. The crowd around me had also found their way to Senses music in a similar way and we were all ‘jonesing’ for a band that self-identifies as “emo-friendly, punk-curious”.
Senses are Madison Taylor (vocals/guitar) and Nick Sampson (drums) and they had the support of another very good guitarist. Nick Sampson, sans shirt, came onto the stage and had that eye candy effect for the ladies in the crowd. As he launched into underpinning the band’s sound with a pounding the drum beat, the guitar riff started and Madi Taylor’s vocals wailed out and completed the sonic wall of ‘Diamond On Your Dagger’ as it rang around the venue. And, those of us down the front were in pop-punk heaven.
Senses – Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
Senses delivered a 45-minute, 12 song set. It had everything: drum shredding beats, vocalists falling off drum kit drama, intricate guitar riffs both electric and acoustic, a virtual competition for the setlist and a high energy delivery. What was great was Senses played a range of their back catalogue and new songs such as ‘Obsessed’ which is out soon, their latest single ‘Clean Cut’ and their excellent cover of Chappell Roan’s ‘Good Luck, Babe!’
Senses jumped into high-energy tracks for fans like ‘Gonna Make Sure’, ‘Every Little Thing’, ‘Stabilizer’, ‘Novocain’ and the fabulous “cut down your critics” song ‘Nosebleeds’. The crowd greeted each song by singing back to the band with hands raised as the melodies took over. Senses ended their dynamic set performing the songs ‘Playing Dead’, the fantastic ‘Sleepwalking’ and ‘Better Than This’. And, it was hard to believe that the band’s first performance was over. I knew that Senses were going to be good, and they were excellent. They lifted the energy of the gig up the scale, and then, it was over to Yours Truly to try and hit that magic 11 on the dial.
And, after a short breather, the stage re-arranged, and more fog pumped out across the venue: Yours Truly’s Mikaila Delgado (vocals), Teddie Winder-Haron (guitar) and Henry Beard (drums) took to the stage after an 8-month break from touring in Australia.
Yours Truly – Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
With the LFL intro pumping out across the venue, a shirtless, and very fit looking, Henry Beard and Teddie Winder-Haron came out onto The Triffid’s stage and they ramped up the drum kicks and the guitar riffs as Mikaila Delgado walked out a minute later to start their set with the lead track from their album ‘Toxic’ the lively ‘Back To 2’. And, the band soaked up the love from the crowd as they joined in singing along with the band.
It was great to hear Yours Truly celebrate and play songs from their wonderful 2024 album Toxic. The songs ‘Bloodshot Eyes’, ‘Let Go’, ‘Sour’, the wonderful ‘California Sober’, the poignant ‘All That I’m Not’ and the intensely personal ‘Sinking’ were just terrific to hear. The crowd knew all the songs as they sand the words back to them. The depth of Yours Truly’s connection to their fans was obvious. Teddie Winder-Haron and Mikaila Delgado are born performers who connect deeply with their fans and the crowd.
Yours Truly – Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
Yours Truly, then took everyone on a trip down memory lane, with their hit songs, ‘Hallucinate’, ‘Lights On’ and ‘Walking Over My Grave’ from their 2022 Is This What I Look Like? EP and the songs ‘High Hopes’ and ‘Circles’ from their outstanding ‘Afterglow’ EP. They also played ‘Funeral Home’ from 2020’s ‘Self Care’. And, the crowd loved it! Yours Truly really hit out with their sound being full of passion, emotion and fun.
Yours Truly’s energetic stage presence, the crowd’s enthusiastic response, made the joy and energy in the venue palpable. The band delivered a 16-song set with a cover of Charli XCX’s ‘Von Dutch’ thrown in for that extra brat vibe. Yours Truly shined brightest as the band wore their hearts on their sleeves at every step. They ended their set with the songs ‘Together’ and ‘Call My Name’ as Yours Truly closed out the night to a rush of cheers from devoted fans.
Yours Truly – Triffid – photos by Bec Harbour
Pop-punk isn’t well known for moments of intimacy, yet for these three bands Besties, Senses and Yours Truly, it seems like second nature. Let’s hope they keep propelling themselves into the hallowed halls of emo pop-punk greatness. Miss these bands at your peril. Such a great night!
