Balu Brigada Bring Portal Tour to an Explosive Close in Dublin
There has been a growing conversation around Balu Brigada over the last few years and after their headline performance for Portal Tour at The Academy on Wednesday night, it is difficult to imagine that noise quieting down anytime soon. Originally booked for the venue’s smaller Green Room before being upgraded to the main room due to overwhelming demand, their first-ever Dublin headline felt like a milestone moment, not only for the band but for the growing audience surrounding them.
Formed by Auckland brothers Pierre and Henry Beasley, the duo has steadily become one of the most talked-about names within alternative pop, blending synth-pop, indie rock, and infectious hooks into a live performance that feels polished and chaotic in the best possible way.
Closing the EU/UK leg of the tour, there was already a noticeable feeling of excitement throughout the venue long before the band took to the stage. Fans were packed tightly in the pit long before the DJ opener Ryeberry took to the stage. There was a feeling around the room that this was a band outgrowing venues like this in real time, and by the time the lights finally went dark, the Academy erupted.
The night opened with “The Portal”, a cinematic introduction with flashing white lights that slowly built anticipation across the venue before transitioning into “Golden Gate Girl”. The shift between the two tracks immediately ignited the crowd, with the audience shouting the lyrics back louder than the speakers. From that point onward, the energy inside the Academy barely dipped for the remainder of the show.
What makes Balu Brigada so compelling live is how naturally every member on stage feeds into the energy of the performance. Pierre and Henry both split duties as vocalists and guitarists, constantly bouncing energy off one another while effortlessly controlling the room. Behind them, their bandmate Jacob Stockman’s drumming provided the backbone of the performance, driving some of the heavier moments of the night with intensity, while Harper Finn’s keyboard playing layered the set with the atmospheric synths and textures that give the band’s songs their sound.
The band then launches into “Designer” from their 2023 EP, immediately transforming the floor and the balcony into a moving sea of bodies. Fans danced around the venue, proving just how dedicated the Dublin crowd had become to the band. Even in the louder moments, there was still a personal aspect to the performance. Every interaction between songs felt genuine rather than rehearsed, making the show feel far more personal than a typical stop on a tour schedule.
One of the night’s most memorable moments came during the band’s reimagined version of "You Make My Dreams (Come True)" by Hall & Oates, first performed for Australia’s Triple J Like A Version series. Their take on the classic track perfectly captured the charm that has made the band stand out in the alternative scene, playful without losing musical precision.
That same moment also led directly into one of the evening's funniest interactions. Holding a pint of Guinness onstage, Pierre was immediately met with deafening chants from the crowd demanding he “split the G”. At first, he laughed it off while insisting he was waiting for the “correct moment”, but Dublin crowds are famously persistent and the chants refused to disappear. Throughout the next few songs, cries of “split the G” repeatedly echoed throughout the entire venue until he eventually gave in and attempted it. While the execution itself was not particularly successful, the effort alone was enough to send the crowd into celebration, with fans cheering loudly as if he had just completed some impossible challenge. It became one of those moments that made the show feel specifically tied to Dublin rather than just simply another date on a tour poster.
As the set moved into its heavier stretch, the audience somehow found even more energy to give back. The opening guitar line of “Backseat” instantly sent the pit into motion, with fans screaming along and singing along with the guitar strums before the vocals had even started. What had already been an energetic crowd quickly transformed into complete chaos, bodies jumping in every direction while Pierre and Henry matched the intensity from the stage.
That energy only escalated during “So Cold”. By this point in the night, the Academy floor had fully given itself over to the performance, with the crowd enthusiastically chanting “so cold” back toward the stage loud enough to nearly overpower the band themselves. It was one of the clearest examples of the crowd control Balu Brigada managed to build throughout the evening. Every song felt collaborative.
For a first Dublin headline show, there was never a moment when the band looked nervous. Despite this being their first time back in Ireland since opening for Twenty One Pilots on the Clancy Tour, the show felt like that of a band completely comfortable in its position. Every transition felt smooth and polished, with every crowd interaction landing naturally.
Even after leaving the stage, the crowd refused to let the evening end quietly, immediately breaking into chants of “olé, olé, olé” that echoed throughout the Academy until the band eventually returned for their encore.
The final section of the night consisted of a mashup of “Find A Way” and “Could You Not”, delivering one final burst of energy before the closing moments of the show. Then, in a perfect ending to the night, Henry jumped directly into the pit, finishing the performance surrounded by fans while continuing to play guitar from within the crowd.
For a band playing their first Dublin headline show, Balu Brigada carried themselves with the confidence of artists ready for much bigger stages. The excitement surrounding them within alternative pop suddenly feels completely justified after witnessing the reaction inside the Academy.
And by the end of the night, one thing became incredibly clear. In true “Backseat” fashion, Balu Brigada are no longer backseat drivers within the industry. They are firmly taking the wheel and, judging by the response in Dublin, they are only going to keep getting bigger from here.
WRITTEN BY
Will
I've always loved writing, but music and pop culture gave me something to write about. I've been fascinated by the cultrual impact of music for years and I love bringing those topics to light.
