Echoes

I lived the lyrics 'What did we do to you? You're one of us too, you broke and beat us down. We earned your trust, you should live like us, not start a fuss, I guess we're out of luck' when Xavier Southby—drummer of Heatstroke, hit me violently in the mosh and gave me the middle finger.

I was going to write it off—maybe he's having a bad day, doing it to everyone, or just trying to be edgy. But after people in the crowd asked me if I was alright and said "that guy's crazy, he's trying to hit you all the time', and after him, Pat Bach—drummer of Delphic Afterparty—and others not only made me feel like Narduwar interviewing Blur and seeing Pat take a gift that I had given to someone who I knew would appreciate it and showed their appreciation to me only to take it and rip it to pieces in front of me, it all clicked.

I believe people can change. We all change. But the truth is, people only change if they want to change and if they are willing to recognise and own that whatever they did, didn't make people feel good, respected or safe, and that if they don't want to have people feeling like that, that they shouldn't do whatever it is they did.

It's not about what happened. It's about what it meant. If Xavier and Pat had a grudge against me, it's up to them. But to express their emotional need to feel heard in the way they did just isn't right. To crowdkill someone who was there to watch YOU and have a fun time and then literally destroy their work doesn't come off as cool. It comes off as you being unable to handle personal differences maturely.

I cannot speak for them about what they were frustrated about. But the truth is that they were clearly frustrated and decided to express that inappropriately.

The only thing I believe could've made them act that way was how I wanted to get an interview with Delphic Afterparty after their set. They didn't act out against me during their set. In fact, they posed for photos and to me, it looked like they were happy to see another face in the crowd. As journalists, we capture the moment while it's happening and especially those who follow the gonzo tradition, we capture what it meant.

I knew that Delphic Afterparty's set was a moment people will remember. For a band who used to play mainly in the Tribe Clubhouse up in Redcliffe to play a gig in the city carries symbolic significance as the scene coming back to the place we all know it for. There were high expectations for their set and they absolutely met it and blew the roof off.

I knew that what was happening right then and there was history. And as the zine motto goes, I document, distribute and demonstrate. So I asked Riley if I could interview them. He said 'yeah, I'll ask the guys', and went to pack his stuff. There was a hallway leading to a room they were in. There was a sign saying 'STAFF AND BANDS ONLY'.

So I waited—outside—like the guy from the movie Almost Famous. When Delphic Afterparty finished their set, there were people after me trying to ask them for an interview—some guy with a microphone and Amy from AmyAsks—who is a good journalist in her own right who does what she does well.

I waited, and waited, and waited. Until the guy with the microphone rocked up to the door—to me—having arrived an hour late to the gig for reasons I'll get to later—he just looked like some rando who obviously has a 'professional looking' operation and who decided to say fuck it and interview the band because just like me, he knew this was history and he wanted to capture it. Turns out, he was a crew member, so he did have a right to go in, but at the time I didn't know that.

Before I could even process what was going on, Amy ran up and was following him in. To the best of my current knowledge—she wasn't a crew member, and it looked like she had the same thought as me—this is history, I've got to capture it. To me, I just knew that this could be my only opportunity, so I jumped at it.

Read on for a transcript of the interview. The entire time, Riley, Xavier, Pat, Zen, and everyone else who's a member of Heatstroke and Delphic Afterparty were laughing at me. They could've literally said: 'hey mate, we're really sorry but we've got to got to get some rest and we can't do the interview, thanks for coming though'. That would've said what they wanted to say clearly and in the right way. They chose not to. And they lost an opportunity to show the scene who they want people to see them as. As down-to-earth, as kind, as cool, but instead, we got shown something we were not prepared for.

I know that it was wrong for me to go into that room, but hell, when other people clearly willing to do so, did it really matter? I'm a musician myself. If a journalist walked up to me asking if they could interview me after I knew I put on a historic performance, no matter tired I was, I'm gonna say yes, and invite them to come have a chat with me and my band. They're one of the crew now. I know what it's like to be in both a musician and a journalist's shoes.

What felt unfair to me wasn't how I was asked to leave. I get what it's like to be a crew member running a gig, doing your job because I have lived that. What feels unfair to me is how I used to feel as if Delphic Afterparty were my rivals in the scene, but I decided to let go of that belief and see them upfront, in the flesh, just like Riley told me to do. It was awesome, and for a moment I was thinking of putting them on the cover of the zine and saying that the scene is alive and well into its next generation—and Delphic Afterparty are part of the people making sure the amplifiers and PAs of the scene are burning loud and proud.

It does feel pretty bad when people you look up to demonstrate that they aren't the good role models you thought they were. Those people just choose to act that way and it's up to them if they want to change it. What I know is that if you're gonna punch, punch up against someone who's oppressing you. That's when it can be justified to an extent. Punching down just shows that you feel so powerless to the point where you're willing to punch someone you don't think can fight back. It doesn't do what you think it does for you.

Putting their faces on the cover for everyone in the scene to see honestly doesn't feel right after what I experienced. They have shown that they can definitely do good things—what they're doing for the scene right now is one of them. Their performance was one of them. It's not because I have a grudge against them; if I did, I wouldn't have even written this.

It's because there's something that feels even more right to me. It's because there's people who deserve to have the spotlight turned around to face them. These people are the people who make the moments we live through be the moments that matter. These people are the people who before I even asked them, I already knew from how they moshed and from seeing the near-tears in their eyes that just like it is for me; music is the reason they are alive, breathing, and on planet Earth.

These people are the people who pick you up when you fall down. These people are the people who feel like you've known them for years when you've only just met them a few hours ago.

You, the people, matter. And thank you for making the moments we share not just be moments that happened but be moments that have meaning.

chapter 1: dazed and confused

I woke up today feeling dazed and confused. Yesterday, I didn't dare to touch my phone. I knew people had blown it up with texts and I just knew that in the state I was in that I just wasn't able to have the energy to socially connect with anyone. After giving all my energy into what I did on the 9th of April, 2026, I was drained. All that drive to change things, to show people how I really felt and how I was on the inside, all that angst that I had against everything that was wrong in my life was all let out on that night. And it felt weird not having it anymore. It felt weird to be reborn. It felt weird yet also exciting and captivating to be new again, and to go to know that I was going to be going to a gig just to have fun and see what happens for the first time in two years.

I also felt a bit nervous. What were people going to think about me? I also felt a bit sad, because I had fallen into the biggest sleep of my entire life and because of that I woke up at midday. But that isn't what matters. What matters is that I went anyway, even when I could've easily said "fuck it, it's gonna be shit anyway, why bother". Instead, I said fuck you to that voice.

It felt weird, because this felt like a repeat of the first ever two gigs I ever went to. Both are canon events. The first gig I ever went to was on May 4th—one day before my birthday—I saw Klowde with Arran McKenzie of Piss Off, Verminate and Findaway play at a gig called the Big Takeover at Paddo Skatepark which was put on by the members of the band PIMP. It was biblical. The next gig was on May 5th—my birthday, and oh boy, what a way to spend your birthday.

I saw Fat Dog and The Tits, Shock Value with Arran McKenzie of Piss Off, and COFFIN, a legendary band who won me over so hard I just had to buy a shirt of theirs. These two back-to-back gigs were my baptism of fire. Instantly, I was initiated and I just knew, this was going to be what I was going to do as I soon as I could.

So I did. I put my own gig and it was biblical. It was the sum of everything that had built up in me in the two years I've been in the scene and I let it all out. Cheers to all who were there. To all who weren't, see you at the next gig—whether it's put on my me or not.

What made this different was that this run of gigs wasn't me looking up to people who were older than me, and where I was simply wishing I could up there. No, I have now lived it, and going to today's gig was me seeing what my peers were up to.

chapter 2: echoes

So I did exactly that. I got prepared as fast as I could and hopped on the bus. I listened to the same songs I listened to before I accomplished my dreams. Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who had extra bite to it knowing how I'm never gonna get fooled again by my old insecurities and demons because I fucking did it. I conquered them.

Rock And Roll Star by Oasis never sounded so good knowing I lived it. The lyrics speak for themselves. Likewise, It's A Long Way to The Top If You Wanna Rock and Roll by AC/DC was pure ambrosia for my ears. The song that best encapsulates how I felt though is It's Only Rock and Roll by The Rolling Stones.

After rocking out to favourite tunes and realising that having my dreams met only meant I now have to dream bigger, I arrived at Visible Ink.

I know this place like the back of my hand. It's the place I go to turn my .png files into something people can hold. It's where my dreams become visible. After having my ticket scanned and wristband put on, I took a long drawn out breath, knowing that right here, right now, history is being made.

Another reason I didn't touch my phone was because I knew that when you make history, it can polarise people. Instagram is a shit knockoff of real life. I knew that what faceless 'profile pictures' had to say was going to be bullshit unless I've seen that person in real life and only if they were actually present at the event they were trying to 'judge'.

What actually mattered were the people on the ground, in the flesh. The people who actually make up The Scene. And I knew that moshing out, supporting local bands, and having a good time was the cure to my nervous tension and the madness that is living with parents who are themselves, emotionally immature.

I knew exactly what to do if I wanted to make friends. First and most importantly was going there, seeing what happens and having a good time. Second was seeing whoever else was having a good time. Third was just having a good chat with those people. I had something that I knew would let people know immediately with their own two eyes who I am, what I do, and why I do it.

I had copies of my magazine sitting in a plastic bag. Fuck that. I had a good amount of copies of what I knew was THE work that encapsulates who I am, what I do, and why I do it. You know it, 'A Complete History of The Brisbane Youth Music Scene 1950-2024'. I had read Andrew Stafford's Pig City. In the preface his revised 2010 edition he mentioned that a new scene historian should take over. Someone who's acquainted with what's going on with the new torchbearers of the scene.

That person is me.

I saw some faces giving me looks, and I didn't really think about it as anything more than them giving me looks. Before I knew it, a voice was calling out "Delphic's on in two minutes!".

chapter 2: delphic afterparty

Delphic didn't need permission to start. They just did. Their first few songs were just get the crowd warmed up, they said it. What really got the action started was their song 'Backup, Backup'. When I first listened to that song, I thought it was Sam Cunningham—who is their [ex-]guitarist who wrote the song. And I thought I knew exactly who it was about. It was weird being put into Sam Cunningham's mind, but I feel thankful for it because it that song alone gave me +5 relationship experience points.

Turns out, just like how Sam broke up with who I thought the song was about, Delphic Afterparty broke up with Sam. Suits him well. Now he has tasted the bitterness of his medicine in all its glory.

Everyone sang along to it. When I listened to it, the production was quite bare, but it didn't matter because I get a feel of what they were going for. Seeing it performed live made me know what they were going for. And they live up to the hype. Delphic Afterparty's artistry isn't an afterthought; they put a lot of forethought and practice and hard work and it paid off.

You see it through how locked in they are with each other. You see it in how they know exactly what to do to make the crowd do exactly what they want the crowd to do. You see it in the glistening reflection in Riley's eyes, and his guttural emo vocals that can only be described as Brendon Urie except with a proper band.

Saying anything else about 'what happened' in the form of 'this and that' is just hedging. What matters is what it meant. And what their performance meant to me in that moment is that it made me realise that the scene is not just back, it's better than ever. It's kinda like how the British people in the 90s realised that they had the best bands in the world and didn't need to listen to American shit. They decided that even if you are five guys from Manchester with funny accents playing at random pubs, but if you write songs that anyone can song along to and live out and music is the reason you're alive—you're the shit.

I have to give it to them. Delphic Afterparty are the shit. They have songs anyone can sing along to. Songs that you have lived and can mosh to. Songs for when you need a song to process and feel heard regarding whatever it is you want to process and feel heard about. Songs that they know how to play in a way that gets people entranced. Songs that matter.

Here's my interview with them, minus only some of their laughing which caused the interview to be barely intelligible:

chapter 3: interview with delphic afterparty

Iggy: I'm Iggy from Breakbone, and this is Delphic Afterparty. How would you say you went?

Riley: I reckon it was pretty good, lowkey. Fire.

Iggy: What about live crowd energy?

Riley: Live crowd energy was actually pretty… really good. The energy was like, it was like a small room.

Um… Um… Considering what we've been up to it was really good.

Some guy [screaming like a kid having a tantrum]: AHHHHHH AHHHHHH AHHHHHH ARGGHHH ARGGGH ARGGGH!!!!!!!!!!

Iggy: You've played a lot of gigs at the Tribe Clubhouse up in Redcliffe which of course is too far away for many people. Is this gig part of your plan to have more all ages gigs in The City?

Riley: In the scene right now? It's pretty good I reckon. I reckon the scene's pretty good. Lowkey it's like alive and there are a bunch of good bands coming out. Looking forward to more shows.

Some guy [screaming]: SETHHHHH!!!!! XAVIER SIT DOWN!!!!!

Zen [pushing Riley aside]: No paparazzi, no paparazzi, no paparazzi no paparazzi. Thank you very much.

Some guy out of frame [weird cynical guttural voice]: stop recording me! STOP FILMING MEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some guy [directed at me and the other journalists in the room]: UHAHAHA!!!!!! STOP FILMING ME!!!!

Iggy: You got what you needed?

Guy with microphone: I'm not like you, this is bands only [walks out from the room with me].

Random guy: Bands and crew.

Iggy: What about him? Or her?

Random guy [in my face, spitting]: Bands and crew.

Iggy: Understood. Well, it already happened. Take it or leave it.

chapter 4: liasis and THE PEOPLE

After that weird happening, I gave out copies of the magazine to the people in the pit who showed how they were moshpit masters. I gave out copies to Ezekiel, Seshi, Tim, Kai, and another person who I'll know the name of soon. I also gave out a copy to my friend Ace, who I have not seen in the flesh in seven months. It was good to have a chat with her. I also gave copies to two guys for whom this was their first gig. In total, I gave all eight copies I had to people I saw were having the time of their lives today, and who all thought what I did was cool.

Liasis? Oh man, when I first saw them on the lineup I thought they must've saw Oasis' band name, thought it was cool, and just switched out the O for a Li. They were a proper co-ed hardcore band. They definitely live up to that label.

Before everyone could even fit into the room they started playing. I was watching them play hardcore that got the job done and yet was very technical. The guitarists were fingering the absolute shit out of their guitars. The drummer was a beast. The bassist kept it moving along, The singer—Dylan—did what hardcore vocalists do best—get the crowd wild.

I was lost watching them. I had a thousand-yard stare watching them play. I was quite literally floored, as while I was doing that, some guy was kicking out the jams and sent me face down on the floor. It didn't register as pain though. It just registered as part of the experience.

And yeah, this was the set where Xavier from Heatstroke kicked me in the head and all over.

Their sound was a mix of everything that makes punk, hardcore, and alternative rock great. Hell, they even mixed in some jazz for the calm bits before the absolute maelstrom of madness that were their breakdowns.

I can't fully tell you the way I felt from it because the way I felt was new to me. But what I did know for certain is that the other people in the crowd felt the same way. The people in the crowd who were wild during Delphic Afterparty literally gave all the energy they had and still had to sit down or go out to grab a drink.

Liasis are an awesome live act. They definitely fit being the last act of the event. And just like COFFIN did for me back during my second ever gig, Liasis floored me with their professionalism and absolute force. They even floored the videographer, who jumped into the mosh with his camera still in his hand.

After Liasis, I went outside to chill out with the other people who got floored with me. We exchanged handles, and in the midst of doing so, Pat rocked up and decided to tear up one of my magazines in my face. Cool. I mentioned to the people I was with about how what was happening right here, right now, is history. They asked if they could be a part of it, and if I was gonna post the photos I took. I said of course.

I went out to have fun, and I did.

Then I went home, and wrote history down.