17 January 2026 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane – words and pictures by Bec Harbour
It was swelteringly hot on Saturday night, and the short walk from the train station had me sweating. The Valley Mall was already heaving with activity by 6.30, and the line for Viagra Boys at Fortitude Music Hall stretched all the way to the end of the mall. As soon as doors opened, it was a beeline for the air conditioning to cool off.
First up was Mini Skirt, a punk group from Byron Bay who have been picking up some impressive support slots lately. They also released their second album, All That We Know, late last year. Their set was tight, the early punters on the barrier were clearly into it, and it was over before you knew it.
Mini Skirt – FMH – photos By Bec Harbour
Judging by the number of people wearing their merch, there were plenty in the crowd keen to see Private Function, tonight’s second support. Long beloved as a support act, and boasting a cult-like following on their own tours, Private Function’s high-energy sets, socio-political commentary and hilarious social media presence have earned them equal parts respect and devotion. They announced their split on Christmas Day last year, and if you haven’t caught them yet, there are only very limited opportunities left.
Kicking off with ‘Music Sucks, Fuck You’ set the tone immediately, with fans scattered through the audience leading a spirited sing-along during the chorus. Singer Chris Penney let the crowd know this would be the band’s last time playing Brisbane. They tore through a set that included ‘Gamma Ray’, ‘Fuck Me Dead’, ‘Bum Cigs, Cum Big’ and a raucous cover of Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’. PF STILL ON TOP.
Private Function – FMH – photos by Bec Harbour
I’ve never seen Fortitude Music Hall’s floor so slick with spilled drinks — the crowd was a little sloppy in places. The changeover between bands was quick, and before long Viagra Boys were on stage. Singer Sebastian Murphy swaggered out wearing a green felt elf hat, shirtless, carrying a carton of A2 milk and a glass full of ice. With little ceremony, they launched straight into ‘Man Made Of Meat’, ‘Slow Learner’ and ‘Waterboy’, during which Murphy took a swig of beer and sprayed it into the air, then followed up with another spray directed straight at the crowd. He later sorted his milk situation, explaining he had to drink that type because he was lactose intolerant.
Viagra Boys – FMH – photos by Bec Harbour
The band tore through the middle of the set with ‘Punk Rock Loser’, ‘Uno II’, ‘Therapy’, ‘You N33d Me’ and ‘Aint No Thief’, barely pausing for breath. They followed with ‘Pyramid of Health’, before Murphy introduced ‘Troglodyte’, describing it as anti-fascist and free Palestine, plus a few other sentiments that were lost to me thanks to a loud conversation nearby.
They then whizzed through ‘Dirty Boyz’ and ‘Medicine for Horses’ before pausing again for Murphy to revisit the milk theme. He claimed to have another seven or so milk-related songs left, asked the band to play a milk-themed riff, and improvised a song about milk on the spot. From there, he introduced ‘Sports’.
Viagra Boys – FMH – photos by Bec Harbour
The main set wrapped up with ‘Research Chemicals’ and, without too much mucking about, the band returned for an encore of ‘The Bog Body’ and ‘Worms’.
Viagra Boys are not for the faint-hearted, especially if you’re on the barrier — you will be covered in whatever Murphy happens to be drinking. While the socio-political messages may have been lost on parts of the crowd, an underlying tension lingered throughout the set. Having missed them on their last tour, I was certainly not disappointed, and found myself dancing along to some of the best post-hardcore punk around right now.
Viagra Boys – FMH – photos by Bec Harbour
