Review by Markus Hamence – Pierce Brothers w/ Kathleen Halloran – Performance date: Thursday 19 March 2026. The Ed Castle, Adelaide, South Australia.
There’s something about a Pierce Brothers show that never feels rehearsed – it feels lived and like your sitting in their home studio or lounge room. And in Adelaide, at The Ed Castle on Currie Street, for the Moonrise album tour, that feeling ran deep from the very first note, building into a night that blurred the line between gig and full-blown shared experience.
Before the brothers even hit the stage, though, the tone was set perfectly by support act Kathleen Halloran – and what a choice she was. After touring with Kate Ceberano on the Australian Made tour, Kathleen has made a name for herself. A guitar musical dynamo coupled with a killer voice. This artist is going places, and fast.
“Halloran didn’t just warm up the freakin’ room, she bloody set it on fire…”
Markus Hamence
Halloran didn’t just warm up the freakin’ room, she bloody set it on fire. There’s a grit in her guitar work and a soulful edge in her vocals that cuts straight through the noise. Her set felt intimate but powerful, the kind of performance that quietly pulls a crowd closer before they even realise it. By the time she wrapped, Adelaide wasn’t just ready – we were was locked in. And it made total sense she’s been tapped as a special guest across the tour.
Then came the Pierce Brothers.
Jack and Pat hit the stage like a storm rolling in – all stomp, strings and instinct. Kicking off with ‘It’s My Fault’, their energy is infectious and any Adelaide Fringe weariness that may have set in by now (the final weekend) was shaken thus f*ck out of you by their high voltage, rousing performance style. Loop pedals flickered into action, rhythms built layer by layer, and then, suddenly two people sounded like an entire festival lineup. It’s a kind of musical alchemy they’ve mastered – raw, intricate and completely hypnotic to watch unfold.
The Moonrise material brought a richer emotional core to the set. There’s a reflective thread running through these newer tracks – themes of growth, connection… and time – and live, they hit with a kind of grounded honesty that lands differently. It’s still high energy, still expansive, but there’s more depth sitting underneath it all.
“they hit with a kind of grounded honesty that lands differently…”
Markus Hamence
And then the crowd moments – the real heartbeat of a Pierce Brothers show.
Amsterdam, Kanko – these weren’t just songs, they were full-scale singalongs. Adelaide showed up loud, and the brothers fed off it, stretching songs, pushing dynamics, letting the room take over when it needed to. That busker spirit they built their career on? Still front and centre, just amplified.
Still a total favourite of mine ‘Losing Friends When You’re Older’ is a banger. And to watch the boys perform it live was a dream fulfilled. What starts off as a bloody good album track turns into a belting anthem on stage. I’m constantly impressed with their talents.
‘Brother’ from the 2021 album ‘Into The Great Unknown’ brought back Kathleen on-stage and it showed exactly why she came on tour with them… Their tight musical bond/chemistry is on-point. One of the stunning highlights of the gig.
Between tracks, the banter stayed loose and real – stories from the road, reflections on the album, a bit of cheeky humour – all of it making the room feel smaller, more connected, more human. The in-the-crowd performance brilliant and engaging and, again, referenced their busking days.
“this was a night that didn’t just rise – it f*cking roared…”
Markus Hamence
Wrap-up: With Kathleen Halloran setting a striking tone and Pierce Brothers delivering a masterclass in live energy, this Adelaide stop on the Moonrise tour felt like something bigger than a concert. It was layered, electric, and deeply connected – a reminder that the best live music doesn’t just sound good, it brings people together. Flying Home was the boys ‘encore’ and maybe they are, BUT, I have a feeling they’ll be back again real soon.
From the first note of the support act to the final stomp on stage, this was a night that didn’t just rise – it f*cking roared.
Peace, love and forever your music Kathleen, Jack and Pat.
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Watch Markus’ INTERVIEW with Jack Pierce
