VERY
GOOD
ENT.
Alex Warren - Anything But 'Ordinary' At Brisbane Riverstage
Image source: Jimmy Fontaine
Brisbane Riverstage has always felt like some kind of magic trick - one moment you’re in the heart of Brisbane City full of skyscrapers and cars, and the next you’re in the middle of a forest surrounded by thousands of people, in a bubble of light, sound, and cheers.
On this particular night, with thousands gathered under a clear sky and a photo of Alex Warren flashing a simply hilarious “see you soon :)”, that bubble felt especially exciting. The Cheaper Than Therapy tour had finally hit Australian shores, and at $300 a pop for a session, I can confirm this night was definitely cheaper AND better than therapy (if you're my therapist, you didn't hear that from me).
When Alex hit the stage to the opening chords of “Burning Down”, every single member of the sold-out show's crowd was singing along. Just like that, we were off, making our way through a set that didn’t feel like a performance so much as a series of honest, unfiltered conversations between an artist and the people who feel seen by his music. Those who are familiar with him know the loss he has suffered throughout his life with the loss of both parents, and it was clear that every single member of the crowd had been personally touched by his songs in some way.
Alex mentioned early on that he was sick - in true form, he cracked jokes throughout the set about the frankly outrageous amount of steroids he was on to power through. But honestly? If he hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have known. His vocals were steady, full of heart, and surprisingly strong. The real standout for me was his low notes - that deep, velvety hum that you don’t just hear, but feel in your chest.
The emotional weight of the night came in waves. A girl near the front shared that her 10-year-old sister had passed away the week before, and asked if Alex could dedicated “Bloodline” to her. You could feel the crowd shift - for a moment I'm sure there wasn't a dry eye in the room (or... on the hill, rather). She explained that her sister was meant to have attended the show, and it was one of those rare concert moments that transcends music entirely.
The set worked it's way through pretty much the entire discography, and of course all fan favourites - Burning Down, Before You Leave Me, Yard Sale, Chasing Shadows, Save you a seat... Just to name a few.
By the time the encore rolled around, Alex had changed into a fan-made shirt that said “All My Life, I’ll Do Ya” - a hilarious nod to his lyric “all my life, how do ya?” that fans (and even his wife Kouvr) commonly mishear , and one of my highlights of the night. His sense of humour in the face of such highs and lows is one of his fans' favourite things about him. He holds space for honest conversation and discussion of life and loss, but also turns it into a thing of power, and a chance for everyone to feel connected. He hadn’t planned to play “Eternity”, but with the crowd singing so loudly and the energy being too good to ignore, he changed his mind - and I’m so glad he did. It was a quiet, reflective moment before the final storm of “Ordinary”.
Speaking of highlights, one of the many good surprises of the night was Medium Build, an iconic opener to compliment Alex. Warm, witty, and brilliantly unfiltered, he won the crowd over in minutes. His stripped-back songs hit like emotional sucker punches, but he balanced them with full-on comedy, including a hilarious back-and-forth with the audience over doing a shoey (which he firmly declined). It was the perfect setup for the kind of show Alex was about to deliver.
I think what makes a show like this so special, is that it isn't just a performance. Rather, its a space for grief, humour, connection, and healing - and in doing so, reminded us that no matter how heavy life gets, music has this way of making us feel, heal, and connecting with one another.
If you were lucky enough to score a ticket then I’m sure you can agree Alex’s infectious personality and captivating show were one for the history books, and I have no doubt that with a performance like that, it's only a matter of time before we have Alex Warren back on Aussie shores and up on the big stage. He is also set to take on the VMAs in a couple of weeks, so make sure to keep an eye (and ear) out.
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