Chase Matthew brought his tour to Brisbane's The Triffid, and it unfolded built on connection, gratitude, and moments that lingered after the set had ended.
His first Australian headline show, Chase also successfully sold the night out.
Opening the evening (12 April) was Australian artist Abbie Ferris, joining the line-up as a last-minute addition after being invited while backstage by Chase at Meatstock in Toowoomba the night before.
Despite the short notice, Abbie delivered a confident and emotionally-grounded set. Her performance of 'On My Way', co-written with fellow Australian artist Morgan Evans, stood out as a quiet highlight, effortlessly connecting with the crowd.
Abbie Ferris - image © KealiJoan Studios
Next up, Austin Williams delivered a set rooted in sincerity and lived experience. There was something undeniably grounded about the way he carried himself, shaped by stories of growing up on a tobacco farm and the kind of upbringing that teaches you to value hard work and honesty.
Before launching into 'Be Somebody', he paused to share a piece of advice from his Pop: "If you're gonna be somebody, be somebody."
He then added: "I know there's some kid here tonight or an adult somewhere that's trying to figure out who they want to be in life, but I'm here to tell you it's not all the people who love you; it's the ones around who make the world go round." It was simple, almost disarmingly so, but it hit exactly where it needed to.
If there is one thing I personally took from the show and think is important for all to note, it was when Austin addressed the crowd before 'Wanna Be Saved'. "I would rather every single person here in Australia, while we're here, hate me for who I am. rather than love me for somebody that I'm not."
Austin Williams - image © KealiJoan Studios
He continued: "I know every single person here tonight is looking for some sort of change in their life; and I'm here to tell you, it doesn't start by pointing the finger at somebody else. It doesn't start with anybody else's will.
"It starts right here tonight with you. It starts when you can wake up in the morning and truly love somebody who hates you; and when you can love somebody who loves you, you'll find the change you're looking for in your life."
By the time Chase Matthew took the stage and Eve, his narrator for the night, addressed the crowd, the room had already settled into a steady, shared rhythm. Still, his arrival marked a shift, one that felt immediate, as he promised his hat to whoever sang the loudest.
"We are not here to sing to you. We are here to sing with you; and as long as I'm here, this place is a non-judgmental zone. You can sing as loud as you want."
Chase Matthew - image © KealiJoan Studios
Before launching into 'Love You Again', Chase paused to give credit where it was due, shouting out Australia's local radio stations. “To y'all's local radio stations right here in Brisbane, and all over Australia, for making this my first ever song, all the radio in Australia, and my first ever top 5 record in the States as well."
A cover of 'Here Without You' followed, introduced with a quiet sincerity as a tribute to Three Doors Down. "I just want to dedicate this song to pretty much not only him, but everybody in this room. If you guys could, if you could fly to heaven for one day, do y'all have somebody you'd like to go see? I sure know I do. Tonight, I want to dedicate this song to them."
Not long after, he turned the crowd into part of the show, filming a TikTok and asking everyone to drop their flashlights, or as he put it: "Maybe put them up against your neighbour's big ass forehead." Moments later, phone torches were back in the air, the room glowing as the crowd cheered.
The night kept building, peaking again when James Johnston joined him onstage for 'Smoke I've Known', showing Chase's love for Australian music.
Chase Matthew - image © KealiJoan Studios
Before his final words, the energy in the room shifted again, quieter this time. The noise settled into something almost awed, as if the crowd instinctively knew this was the moment he wanted them to carry home with them.
"If you're struggling with feeling like you're good enough, I want you to know my job is to make sure you leave here better than the way you came in. So, I want to make sure you hear this, please hear this. Every single one of y'all in this room, you were born for something great. Whether you believe it or not, God put you on this earth for a reason.
"And I made a promise to the man upstairs when I started this, that I don't care how far away these stages took me from home, no matter how big they got, no matter how much I was criticised for it, I would always tell people. Words of encouragement, and the gospel of Jesus Christ, you got on the cross for your sins, whether you want to hear it or not.
"Just want you to know tonight, there is nothing I could have done for myself, or that anybody else could have done for me, to put me on this stage. It was always the man upstairs, and that is the most important thing I could leave you with tonight.
"Whatever you're dealing with, whatever doubt you have in yourself. If you get up in the morning, look in the mirror, and you're mad at yourself because you feel like you're not where you want to be, give it to God. Give it to God; and that's what I want you to remember tonight."
As the lights came up and the crowd slowly spilled out into the Brisbane night, there was a lingering feeling this hadn't just been a show, it had been something real, something shared, and something honest.
