Gig Review: Hiatus Kaiyote at The Tivoli, Brisbane - 15th Anniversary Tour Opener (10 July 2026)

Fifteen years into their career, Hiatus Kaiyote get their first-ever circle pit, and it happens in Brisbane. Opening night of their 15th anniversary tour (their "Bandaversary," as the band would have it) sees the Melbourne four-piece swagger onto The Tivoli stage for a night of soulful, talented shenanigans, with support from WAARI. It's a hell of a way to start a tour, and a hell of a first night at The Tivoli.

WAARI Opens 

Setting the tone for the night, WAARI is a soulful choice of opener. Introducing himself, his heritage, and his work, it's clear this isn't just about him, but resistance through story-making. We're welcomed into a space where his songs speak to generational pain, history and hope. WAARI sings from lived experience, drawing on his heritage and the parts of our history in Australia that too often go unspoken. It's sincere, and he wishes us fun tonight. I'm drawn to the lyricism instantly. The crowd sways to his ballads, and to a new song that I would later recognise as "The Light." It's always a gem to see when an artist has a story to tell.

As an avid people-watcher at gigs, I love watching an audience fall in love with an opener. The people here tonight watch and listen with all their attention. Maybe I'm too accustomed to larger venues and more mainstream shows, where the opener isn't always met with the same reverence or enthusiasm as the headliner. But here? The crowd is enraptured. Barely a phone is in sight either, which is a treat. It takes me a while to relax and realise no one is going to fight me for a spot, or push me out of my amazing view. Turns out, crowds can be nice. The Tivoli slowly fills, and by the time the crowd erupts in applause after WAARI's final song (some begging for him to stay), the room is well and truly warmed up.

A fairy, a frontwoman, and controlled chaos

I don't know quite what to expect from Hiatus Kaiyote. I'd been lucky enough to sit with their most recent album, Love Heart Cheat Code, in a single sitting a few weeks before the show, but nothing prepares you for the live experience.

Early in the set, a kid is welcomed onstage. For the life of me I can't find out who she is, family, friend, or both, but she is dressed in a elf-eared fairy costume and having the time of her life as lead vocalist Nai Palm (Naomi Saalfield, a green-haired icon) sings "Rose Water." That pretty much summarises my night: I give up trying to analyse and just let the chaos wash over me, soaking in the crowd along with it.

Bassist Paul Bender is a personal favourite, I love a good slapping bassline, and while it's indisputable that Nai Palm kills it, her backup singers, one of whom casually whips out a clarinet solo at one point, take my breath away. Perrin Moss holds it all down on the drums. Simon Mavin on the keys goes crazy; feeling like the least musically technical person in the room, I couldn't tell you how he works his three-keyboard synth setup, but I am loving it, and so is the crowd.

The band transitions seamlessly from song to song, and the crowd answers in tandem. My personal favourite, "Dreamboat," has me jamming with the strangers next to me, and lighters come out across the room for "And We Go Gentle." From the second floor of The Tivoli, you get the best view in the house of everyone reacting to the music below. The undeniable favourite is "Red Room." I had heard snippets of this one here and there while getting to know the band for the first time. An iconic song, it receives the most applause of the night, and gets the most people moving. These people on stage know how to make sure their audience is having a great time. The lighting, the funky visuals on the massive LED screen behind them, and the charisma and talent from everyone in the band tie everything together.

Hiatus Kaiyote's first circle pit

But my favourite moment of the night? The mosh.

"Cinnamon Temple" is the one Hiatus Kaiyote song closest to the heavier end of my usual listening, and it is electrifying live. Clearly, a favourite of one small group of friends at the front of the crowd. I catch the exact moment they start bashing into each other, a modest mosh at the centre of it all, and then the confused aftermath. Almost as soon as it starts, the tiny circle stops and phone flashlights go up. As a couple peel away toward the back of the venue, it's clear a small injury has occurred.

As the night winds down, it's no surprise when Hiatus Kaiyote are beckoned back for an encore. When they emerge back on, signing vinyls for the eager people near the front, Nai Palm calls out to check in: "…but for real though, where's the chick that got smashed in the face? Is she okay?"

A quick promise of free merch is made. The party continues. It is, by the band's own account, their first-ever circle pit: a perfect gift to welcome them to Brisbane.

It's clear to see, as a new listener and surely to long-time fans, how Hiatus Kaiyote continues to smash it from Melbourne to stages across the world. I had thought I was in for a chill night, and ended up witnessing people party a bit too hard. Who's to say what will happen at their next show? 

Hiatus Kaiyote's 15th anniversary tour continues with a one-night-only career-spanning show at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday 12 July, before hitting Forum Melbourne on 18 July.