Balu Brigada | Melkweg OZ | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
April 24, 2026
Photographed by Rosalie Martens
If there’s one thing about a Balu Brigada crowd, it’s that they come ready to dance. Outside Melkweg, the excitement was already building long before doors opened. With fans chatting and making connections with each other, there was a clear anticipation in the air — the kind that comes with a headline show that feels like a big step forward for an artist. As soon as the doors opened, the energy was carried into the venue which turned the room into a space full of movement, connection and pure excitement.
Balu Brigada is an alternative indie duo made up of New Zealand brothers Henry and Pierre Beasley. Over the past few years, they have been building a name for themselves with their dynamic mix of indie and alternative influences and energetic live performances. Their debut album Portal, released last year, marked a major moment in their career, connecting them to a wider international audience.
The growth became especially visible when they joined Twenty One Pilots on the Clancy World Tour in 2024 and early 2025, performing in arenas across the US, UK, and Europe. This was a huge step that introduced them to thousands of new fans each night. Now with their own Portal Tour across Europe, they are stepping into that spotlight and bringing those same songs to headline stages. And with even more ahead — including festival appearances and upcoming shows supporting Sombr — it’s clear that their journey is only just getting started.
The night started with a DJ set from Ryeberry, who immediately turned the room into an interactive experience. Encouraging people to introduce themselves to those around them, Ryeberry got the entire room moving left to right in sync with the beat. At one point, he split the crowd in two, creating a chant with one side shouting “ey” and the other responding with “oh.” Even at the front, fans fully embraced the moment, starting the Macarena mid-set. Ryeberry kept the energy high with playful remixes including Balu Brigada and Doechii tracks which set the tone for the night.
The pre-show playlist kept the anticipation building, with songs like “Calling After Me” by Wallows and “Sofa King” by Royel Otis which got the fans singing along and staying in the same movement.
But, the moment everything truly shifted was when the lights dimmed and Balu Brigada’s intro track “The Portal” began. With its electric sound, the stage lit up in sync with flickering lights surrounding a set design shaped like their album cover — an abstract road leading toward a door, like a portal. As the lyrics “reasons to stay, reasons to go” echoed through the room, it felt like the perfect opening statement.
The band moved straight into “Golden Gate Girl,” which was one of my personal favourites. With Pierre repeating Henry’s lyrics, the audience watched the two of them come together on one side of the stage to sing face to face. It created such a playful, dynamic interaction that instantly pulled the crowd in.
To complete the opening sequence, “Sideways” brought the energy all the way up. It’s the kind of song that makes you move automatically, which was shown in the crowd — dancing, jumping and completely connected to the moment. When Pierre excitedly shouted “Amsterdam,” the reaction was instant with the crowd cheering back to him.
One of the best elements throughout the show was the lighting. It wasn’t just there to support the performance, it was part of it. They were constantly flickering, perfectly timed to the beat, and shifting colours that mirrored the energy of each song. This made the entire set feel more immersive. Combined with the Portal-inspired stage design, it created a visual world that the audience could step into.
Throughout the set, certain songs stood out to me in how naturally they translated to a live audience. During “The Question,” the atmosphere slightly changed as fans raised their flashlights, creating a glowing moment across the room that even reflected in Pierre’s sunglasses. During the song, Pierre stayed focused on the guitar, while Henry moved across the stage. He crouched down at the barricade and guided the crowd to wave their flashlights along. It made the moments feel more spontaneous and connected, like it was just a night to completely let go and stop worrying for a second.
An unexpected memorable moment came from a spontaneous interaction. Fans at the barricade brought hand fans, which caught the band’s attention and evolved into an improvised song of Pierre singing “wind in your hair” led by the drummer. With fans enthusiastically fanning the air toward the stage with their hands, it turned into a fun and unique interaction.
The moment was followed by the song “2good,” which Henry dedicated to his wife. The instrumental part felt very powerful live, with both Henry and Pierre lifting their guitars high as the lights flickered around them. During “What Do We Ever Really Know?” the crowd jumped with their arms in the air, some even holding hands as they moved together. The energy was so contagious that Henry let out a scream into the microphone before continuing to jump around the stage.
Before “Birthday Interlude” started playing, Pierre wished a fan named Amy a happy birthday, which was a small but meaningful moment. The song slowly unfolded and ended up being the perfect transition into “Backseat,” which is in my opinion one of the most iconic songs on Portal. It is the longest and most perfectly structured track on the album. Starting with a strong instrumental introduction and a slow chill vibe that slowly builds tension before exploding into a major beat drop.
From that point, the entire room shifted. Standing on the balcony, I noticed how the energy spread from front to back — everyone screaming the lyrics, dancing and fully locked into a six-minute journey. The lighting design followed every beat, flickering in sync to the rhythm and amplifying the intensity of the song even further. Throughout the song, Henry and Pierre switched between playing guitar and vocals seamlessly. With hands constantly in the air across the venue, the crowd began clapping along and it quickly became so loud that it nearly drowned out the instruments — a sign of how deeply everyone was connected.
Right before the final drop, Henry told the crowd, “It’s King’s Day tomorrow, I don’t know what that means but let’s do it for King’s Day tomorrow” — a comment that fit perfectly. Even if he was a few days early, it showed how much they were enjoying the city and discovering Dutch culture. Pierre then counted down to the final drop, which led to what felt like the most perfect moment of the entire show. The drummer added onto the intensity while Henry and Pierre moved across the stage. The crowd jumped as one while red and blue lights, the colours of Portal, filled the room.
As the show moved into its closing moments, Henry stepped off the stage and into the crowd, playing guitar surrounded by fans. It broke the final barrier between artist and audience, turning the room into a shared space one last time. The band also performed two unreleased songs, “But I Do” and “Bedhead,” giving the fans their reason to go and hold onto something new after the lights went down. The final reminder that Balu Brigada are only just getting started.
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