Words and Photos by Jaz Wilkins
Emerging from the Northern Beaches of Sydney, The Rions have quickly established themselves as one of the most promising bands to come out of Australia. After winning triple j’s Unearthed High competition in 2021 and signing to UNIFIED Music Group, the band has been steadily carving out a place within the Australian music scene, earning themselves a cult following and a reputation for their infectious energy and distinctive blend of indie and pop sounds. With two EP’s and multiple critically acclaimed singles under their belt, The Rions have followed up with their biggest release yet, their debut album titled Everything Every Single Day, released on the first night of their highly anticipated headline Australian tour.
October 3rd was a warm, Spring night in the heart of Fortitude Valley. Fans of The Rions lined up outside The Fortitude Music Hall, patiently waiting for the night of fun that lay ahead behind those venue doors. Before long, 7pm hit and attendees flooded inside and rushed to the barricade to ensure the best spot for viewing. After a while of waiting, the house lights dimmed and the audience erupted in applause as queer indie-pop artist Ixaras entered the stage to start the night off right. Ixaras played a handful of songs, from her top tracks on Spotify like “DO YOU LIKE GIRLS?” and “WHATS GOOD,” to fan favourites from her debut album such as “sprouts” and “salt”. She performed effortlessly with a smile on her face, an attitude that clearly rubbed off on her audience as they all waved their phone torches and danced along to her tracks. After a half hour set full of her best tracks that weave between themes of identity and unfiltered self expression, while also expressing her humble and kind demeanour, Ixaras warmed the audience up perfectly for the night of music that still laid ahead.
Before long, the stars of the night, The Rions, entered the stage one by one and took their places. The audience cheered with excitement as each member took their place at their instruments and getting prepared for the fun night that would soon begin. The audience erupted as frontman, Noah Blockley, was the last to walk out on stage. He approached the microphone with a, “Brisbane! How you doing?” before the first notes of their track, “Welcome To The Conversation,” rang out across the venue. Each member ran around the stage with their instruments, the energy in the air was electric, especially considering it was the very first night of their Australian tour followed by a debut album release. The group followed up with their hit track “Shut You Out,” which exhibited a massive sing along from the audience who were clapping and stomping along to the beat. As the night went on, The Rions showed that they play their best when they’re having fun, playing tracks from “Sadie” to “Anakin,” the live energy never faltering for a moment.
As the night progressed, Noah took a moment to address the audience and thank them for coming to the show and supporting the release of their debut album. The band’s performance showed clearly that their gratitude was sincere and they couldn’t have been happier than being on the stage at that moment. Then, as quickly as the show started, the final notes rang out, bouncing off the venue walls as the audience cheered as loud as possible for the band one last time. Walking out of the Fortitude Music Hall, it had become clear that The Rions have truly established themselves as one of Australia’s most promising and exciting young, live acts. Their debut album marks a milestone, but their live show is what truly cements their place in the next generation of Australian music. If this performance was any indication of what’s to come, The Rions aren’t just riding a wave, they’re creating their own, and it will be exciting to see what they continue to do in the future.
Loudspeaker Collective 