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Jack Daniel’s brings San Cisco, Wafia, and merci, mercy to Live at Last in Brisbane

San Cisco ensured that the Brisbane leg of the Jack Daniel’s Live At Last series was one that fans would remember forever.

San Cisco performing for Jack Daniel's Live At Last series

Kieran Tunbridge*

San Cisco have finally hit the road for their long awaited Between You And Me national tour, and thanks to the Jack Daniel’s Live At Last tour series they were able to roll into Brisbane for their biggest celebration yet.

With a sold out crowd filing into the Fortitude Music Hall on Anzac Day eve, the energy was ecstatic with the overdue fantasy of screaming lyrics out in a sweaty mosh-pit finally coming true for so many punters. 

With the sold out nature of the show, Jack Daniels decided to make this night even more memorable by boasting some special supports that made this gig feel like a festival line up. 

Rising newcomer merci, mercy kicked off the evening’s proceedings with a brief look into her playful indie-pop that has made her one of the most tipped “artists to watch”. Her singles “Fall Apart”, “Something You Like”, “Sick to My Stomach”, and “Fucked Myself Up” had some punters singing along and excitedly realising they had her on their playlists.

With a sound similar to BENEE and Billie Eilish, there is an honesty in her music which is instantly relatable. Her nerves were obvious, but it quickly became a part of her charm, and gave her set a genuine warmth. 

Acting as a little homecoming for Wafia after two years in-between local gigs, the Brisbane raised singer-songwriter took to the stage to a raucous reaction during opening track “Heartburn”. Her 30-minute set was full of back-to-back bangers with “Good Things”, “Hurricane”, “Flowers & Superpowers”, “I Pick Me”, and “Bodies” instantly bringing the good vibes.

Wafia is a performer who has transformed over time. When she first started she was like merci, mercy, and was a little awkward on stage. But now she has come into her own and found this bold confidence that sees her running across the stage and getting lost within the music. It’s so entrancing to watch, and adds to the euphoric energy her music delivers.

Closing out her set with “Better Not” and “I’m Good”, the crowd were ecstatically bouncing up and down while holding onto their drinks and trying to not lose precious whiskey drops to the already sticky floor. 

San Cisco know how to keep the euphoric level energy at an all time high from the moment they walk on stage, and their hour headline set proved that.

Opening with Skin, they hit the ground running with When I Dream, Awkward, Run“, and About You, which immediately felt like a marathon of hits. Thanking the crowd for spending a public holiday eve night with them, they acknowledged that Brisbane always knows how to deliver a fun and memorable show.

With punters already climbing on each other’s shoulders during the opening songs, it felt like you were transported to a festival. Every person knew every single lyric, and were screaming them out passionately to the big smiles of lead vocalists Jordi Davieson and Scarlett Stevens staring back at them.

“Messages”, “Alone”, and “Reasons” followed before they closed out the set with “On the Line”. But the crowd wasn’t ready to say goodbye just yet, and the indie-rock trio came back out for “Fred Astaire” and “Too Much Time Together”. 

Jack Daniel’s’ Live At Last series was all about uniting fans and well-loved artists together again after the difficulty of the last two years.

With 100% of ticket sales going towards Support Act, a music industry charity that delivers crisis relief to musicians, managers, crews, and music workers who have been unable to work, the sold out status of the show meant that it was truly helping so many people. And San Cisco took that moment to celebrate how far we’ve come, and to revel in the chaos of live shows again like we used to without the idea of it being taken away from us. It was a night of drinking, dancing, and big singalongs that was very much needed.