From Street to Stage, Melbourne Duo Strikes a Chord with 'Everything Is Bigger Than Me'
The Pierce Brothers have carved a reputation for themselves as purveyors of electrifying live performances brimming with vigour, passion, and flair, establishing themselves as a hallmark of the Melbourne music scene. From their humble beginnings as Bourke Street buskers in 2011, Jack and Pat Pierce have honed their captivating stage presence and cultivated a connection with audiences that transcends boundaries.
The Pierce Brothers Tour
- THU 11 APR – Theatre Royal | Castlemaine
- FRI 12 APR – Volta | Ballarat
- SAT 11 MAY – Torquay Hotel | Torquay
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Unlike many street performers, the Pierce Brothers have seamlessly translated the raw, unfiltered energy of busking onto larger stages, captivating audiences far beyond their Melbourne origins. “From my busking days to now, there have been heaps of incremental changes that have turned us into the band that we are today,” Jack Pierce explains. “We’ve always been a band that evolves with the songs we write, and now we have WAY too many instruments on stage.”
“We used to play with two guitars. Then we dropped one while I picked up the Jam djembe, then over the years added the floor tom, mandolin, and electric guitar. “We’ve always been a band that evolves with the songs we write, and now we have WAY too many instruments on stage. Some of the best songs we’ve ever written came from jamming first. I think that’s where the magic lies.”
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Having mastered the art of exploration, experimentation, and livewire performances, their latest musical endeavour, Everything Is Bigger Than Me, marks a significant milestone in their artistic journey.
This album, their third studio venture, not only underscores the Melbourne-based twins’ growth as musicians and storytellers but also marks a significant leap in their creative journey. Having taken the reins of production for the first time, alongside Phil Threlfall (Illy, Bliss n Eso, Owl Eyes), Jack and Pat Pierce navigate new waters, steering their sound into uncharted territories while weaving narratives of love, loss, and the human experience.
“We did our best to lean more into our indie-folk inspirations, and always tried to harken back to the way that we perform live,” Jack Pierce explains. “It was also recorded at my home studio, which was also a first for us! Having said that, this gave us a lot of freedom to explore the songs as much as we could!”
“We did more pre-production than we usually do,” Jack adds, “and in that exploration of each song, we found new ideas that we would never have had the time to explore if we’d have just rehearsed them live, and then just gone guns blazing into a studio.” This meticulous approach to the recording process allowed them to delve deeper into each song, resulting in a richer and more layered sound and more ambitious tracks.
From infectious folk toe-tappers like ‘Bottle’ to haunting tracks like ‘Wilder’, which features Philadelphia-based twins LULLANAS, the Pierce Brothers are unafraid to explore and expand their sonic palette while staying true to the earnest lyricism and harmonious vocals that fans have come to adore. Rustic charm meets mass singalong potential in ‘Left You On Read’, while tracks like ‘Blood’ and ‘White Dress’ delve into themes of family, love, and introspection.
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With its soaring chorus and introspective lyrics, ‘Hollow’ stands out as a focus track, capturing the essence of their storytelling prowess. As Jack reflects on the song, “This was probably the saddest track of the record. We love to blend both melancholy and upbeat energy in our songs. It’s an outlier [in terms of theme],” he explains, “but we just really enjoyed the storytelling and the picture that painted, and we took inspiration from Paul Kelly in that way.”
Their evolution as artists, both personally and musically, since their debut EP The Night Tree, is palpable in this album. As Jack reminisces, “Listening back to The Night Tree, it’s hard to believe it’s already 10 years old.
“I’m really proud of most of the songs on that and would love to revisit some of the songs that I don’t think we gave enough time to. This new album represents us backing ourselves a little bit more, with lessons that we’ve learned from the incredible people we’ve worked with over the years, both writing and producing music.”
Despite the challenges they faced on their hugely successful European headline tour, including a hospital visit, lost voices, cancelled shows, a stolen credit card and a studio disaster back home, the Pierce Brothers remain resilient and determined to share their music with audiences around the world.
Having kicked off their extensive Australian tour at the esteemed Bluesfest, they look forward to bringing their new album to life on stage. “This will be our most extensive tour since 2019,” Jack says. “The good thing about this year’s tour is that for the most part it’s weekend on/weekend off. This was so I didn’t miss too many weekends with my young kids, but it certainly pushed the dates out a long way, because we really wanted to do that big regional run like we used to!”
As anticipation hangs heavy in the air for locals awaiting their performances in Castlemaine, Ballarat, and Torquay, the Pierce Brothers continue to leave an indelible mark on the indie-folk landscape. Everything Is Bigger Than Me is not just an album; it’s a testament to the duo’s remarkable journey, a journey that unfolds with each chord, each lyric, and each heartfelt performance.
Tickets to their upcoming tour are available for purchase now here.
