Brisbane's electrifying indie rock darlings, Ball Park Music paid Adelaide a visit on a fresh Saturday evening, the sole South Australia stop on their Like Love tour this autumn.
There was a tender intimacy in the air from the outset – a sense that tonight's Ball Park Music show (17 May) would be less an all-out rock spectacle, but more about connection, warmth, and reflection.The first two-thirds of the set was deliberately stripped-back, a sonic palette cleanser that mirrored the more understated textures of their 2025 album 'Like Love'.
Gone (for now) was the pomp and theatre; in its place, the band offered rawer, more spacious renditions of new and old material alike – allowing the songwriting to speak louder than any spotlight ever could.
Amid this quieter phase came a particularly moving moment, as frontman Sam Cromack dedicated a new track, 'Gabrielle', to his wife's departed friend Gabby.
Image © Mike Lockheart
A live debut of the new track, the song stood out not only for its heartfelt sincerity but for the reverence with which the audience received it – a hush falling over the crowd as Cromack poured himself into its tribute.
However, this is still Ball Park Music, a band who delight in defying expectations mid-show. As if flicking a switch, the latter portion of the set erupted into the kind of chaos fans have come to adore.
'Fence Sitter' arrived like a punch of pure catharsis, a raucous, unhinged burst of melody and mayhem that brought the crowd to a boil. Then came 'Struggle Street', thunderous and gritty, evoking shades of Queens Of The Stone Age.
It's in moments like this you sense there's a hard-rock outfit inside Ball Park Music clawing to escape – but they're just too good at writing beautiful, hook-laden songs to let it fully take over.
A band this endearing could've finished there and left hearts full – but they returned, huddled around a single microphone for the encore 'Overwhelming Sound'. It was a gorgeous, campfire-style moment, with Cromack leading the group like we'd all been invited into a private studio session. That joy – quiet, earnest, and bursting at the seams – radiated into every corner of the room.
Image © Mike Lockheart
Just when you think they've shown all their cards, the band's twin Hanson brothers stole the show by simultaneously playing one guitar – drummer Daniel strumming, with Dean fretting – drawing cheers and laughs from the whole band and audience alike.
These flashes of humour and camaraderie are at the heart of what makes Ball Park Music so easy to love: they're sharp, they're playful, and they don't take themselves too seriously – even as they pull off moments of emotional and musical brilliance. It's a tricky balance to strike, but they make it look effortless.
More photos from the concert.
