Sunday 17 May
Support: Happy Valley
US emo-pop sensation Maggie Lindeman brought her world tour of I Feel Everything to Australia last week, and we managed to witness her performance on the final night of the tour at iconic Brissie venue, the Tivoli. Having followed Maggie since her ‘Pretty Girl‘ era and catching her on the Suckerpunch tour at The Triffid three years ago, it’s a little surreal to think how long she’s been on the radar.
Brisbane’s own Happy Valley opened the night with a grungy rock energy that caught the room off guard in the best way. Vocalist Trey Cooper commands a deep, resonant tone that feels built for stadium stages. Think Kings of Leon at their most brooding and anthemic. It’s the kind of voice that makes you stop mid-conversation and actually listen.
For a support act flying under the indie rock banner, Happy Valley hit harder than I expected at a Maggie gig. The guitars were wall-to-wall loud, filling the room with a weight that you wouldn’t expect from a support slot. Fresh off an EP release earlier this year, the band clearly came ready to make an impression, and they sealed it with a punchy closer that sent a clear message: they’re not here to warm seats, they’re here to be remembered.
Maggie Lindemann closed out the final night of her Australian tour at Brisbane’s The Tivoli, and she did it on her own terms. Oozing an effortless California cool girl energy, Maggie leaned hard into her latest record I Feel Everything, and what became clear quickly is that these songs were made for a live room. Tracks that feel considered and layered on record hit differently with a crowd behind them. ‘Joyride‘ and the emo-pop familiarity of ‘Spine‘, a nod to her earlier material, kept the energy moving fast. The songs were quick, and she didn’t waste a moment.
Eight songs in, a mic issue threatened to derail the night, and when the crowd offered a shoey as consolation, she shut that down immediately (fair play). She powered through, but when tech gremlins struck a second time, it still didn’t shake her. During both hiccups, the room stayed cool, calm and collected, patient in a way that Brisbane crowds don’t always get credit for. Aside from the inevitable shoey callers, the audience was largely supportive, happy to wait it out without making it a whole thing.
Between songs, her banter carried that same laid-back California cool, just someone completely at home on stage. The tech pauses gave enough breathing room to actually glance around the room and leather was clearly the fashion memo that night. Standing there in a hooded bomber on a rainy Brisbane evening, it was hard not to feel slightly underdressed for the occasion. Note to self for next time.
‘Novocaine‘ was the standout of the night, darker guitars and a vocal performance that showcased just how powerful her voice actually is. ‘Heart Drop‘ and fan favourite ‘Scissor Hands‘ brought a brooding, dark ambience, while older cuts ‘Self Sabotage‘ and ‘Crash and Burn‘ reminded the room exactly why she built the following she has.
Sixteen songs plus the hits makes for the ultimate deep-cut setlist for any Maggie diehard. Sure, ‘Phases‘ and ‘Cages‘ were missed, but this was a night that gave Australian fans a live run through tracks they may never get to hear again on home soil. On the final night of the tour, Maggie Lindemann left no doubt in anyone’s mind that this is an artist who knows exactly who she is, and Brisbane got to be part of that.
Review by Tamara May
Photos by Mariyah Shahrin
