If You've Never Seen Pierce Brothers Live, You're Missing Out

"The Gympie Muster was incredible last time we were there. It was such a new experience for us.”

Pierce Brothers(Credit: Dara Munnis)

If you've ever seen the Pierce Brothers live, you'll know that trying to explain the experience on paper is almost impossible.

Part folk act, part rock band, part travelling jam session, the Melbourne brothers have built a reputation as one of Australia's most beloved live acts thanks to their infectious energy, multi-instrumental performances and a genuine ability to make every show feel like a one off event.

For Jack Pierce, it all comes down to connection.

"Energy is a feedback loop," he says. "I've been SO exhausted before walking onstage, maybe low on sleep, big drive, or just being lazy, and then it's like a switch is flipped, and the energy just comes out!"

That connection between band and audience is what keeps Pierce Brothers shows feeling fresh, even after years of touring.

"I love dancing with the crowd and taking them on the same exciting journey that I'm on. If I can pull them into what I experience then we're winning!"

It's a philosophy that has served them well, particularly in Queensland, where the duo are preparing to return for another run of shows as well as making their way back to the Gympie Music Muster.

Their return to the Muster is something they're especially excited about. The brothers made plenty of memories during their last appearance at the iconic festival, including an impromptu moment alongside country star Casey Barnes.

"The Gympie Muster was incredible last time we were there. It was such a new experience for us, we had an incredible set, and then were jamming with so many other artists. Last time we were there, I jumped onstage with Casey Barnes on the main stage to help perform Goanna's incredible track Solid Rock. It was so much fun!" he beamed.

For a band that thrives on collaboration and unpredictability, it's easy to see why the Muster feels like such a natural fit.

According to Jack, Queensland audiences have earned a reputation of their own.

"Mate, Queensland crowds are WILD!" he laughs. "I remember last time we played the Solbar in the Sunshine Coast we finished a bottle of Whiskey before we went onstage (NOT something we'd usually do!!) and we had one of the best shows ever. The audience in Queensland really love to have a party! And I am one hundred percent here for it"

That love of live performance has always been central to the Pierce Brothers story. While their music pulls from multiple influences, Jack says the focus is rarely on fitting into a genre.

"We try to stick to the idea of the song in its genesis! But having said that, that can change."

In typical Pierce Brothers fashion, what starts as a simple acoustic idea can quickly snowball.

"I remember when we were recording an album back in 2020 we kept saying, okay lets keep this super acoustic. Real simple. And halfway through the first day we were saying, okay so an orchestra can come in HERE" he laughs.

"We do get carried away but we love to push our live performance as much as we can, thus the reason why we have so many damn instruments onstage."

That willingness to experiment is also what keeps long time fans coming back.

"Jamming live and trying to improvise is something Pat and I love to do," Jack explains. "Our keys player, Dara Munnis, is seriously incredible that he can keep up with that jazz when Pat and I start to play around!"

"We're always thinking of different ways to play something, or new instruments to add in, or we'll randomly jump into the crowd and sing with them."

When asked which song best represents the band right now, Jack doesn't hesitate.

"Losing Friends When You're Older. It's a raucous, loud, fun, energetic, exciting tune to play, but underneath it's a sad story. That's always been my favourite thing to do, to write sad songs to happy melodies!"

Of course, no band survives years on the road without collecting a few stories along the way. While Jack admits there are some tales that probably can't be printed, one travel nightmare still gets brought up regularly.

After wrapping up a run in the US supporting Tash Sultana, the brothers managed to miss a connecting flight because their phones were on airplane mode and hadn't updated to the new time zone. What followed was a domino effect of travel chaos.

"Well, we missed it. By an hour. So all of our gear was left in LA, we were stranded, and a simple mistake snowballed from there."

The saga eventually involved buying expensive replacement flights, arriving back in Australia exhausted and somehow losing both of their passports on the plane.

"Seriously, we pulled apart that cabin, absolutely frantic. We never found them."

"The whole thing is still humiliating."

Thankfully, they made it to Europe two weeks later. And luckily for this upcoming run of Australian shows, no passports are needed.

With new music on the horizon, international showcases in Canada and Singapore locked in, European festivals already booked for 2027 and headline dates overseas selling fast, Pierce Brothers have plenty to be excited about.

The only question now is whether you've got your ticket yet.