How Balu Brigada
found their way
to Barclays
If you haven’t come across Balu Brigada yet, this is the time to tap in.
As if surpassing a million monthly listeners on Spotify wasn’t enough, the group also closed out their stint opening for Twenty One Pilots’ arena tour across the United States.
Made up of brothers Henry Beasley and Pierre Beasley, the duo started their musical journey while growing up in New Zealand. Oldest brother Henry was the first to get into songwriting and making music, while Pierre followed soon after. Around 2016 they began to seriously work towards becoming a band.
During their first couple years as a band they referred to themselves as “Balu,” based off of the character in the classic Disney animated film, Jungle Book, until eventually they would add on the word “Brigada” to create what they felt was a more original band name. Just like their band name, the brothers enjoy genre mashing and pulling from different areas to create their music.
Eventually they would sign to a major label, Atlantic Records, and move to New York City, where they reside today. Blanket Magazine recently got to catch their show at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, during the band’s time on the Clancy Tour.
Wasting no time the band kicked things off by taking the audience up into the atmosphere with their track “Moon Man” that went right into “But I Do,” keeping the energy up. Afterwards the two pointed at each other, which felt like a nod to the next track as well as their past. From playing shows in bars in New Zealand to now playing Barclays Center in NYC, almost feels “2good” to be true.
During the rest of the set, the pair played a couple songs from their 2023 EP Find A Way, including the title track which brings in a groove that resembles the process of the two brothers bouncing off each other back and forth in the studio, creating the path to their goals that the track is all about. They also played the fan favorite song “Designer,” which makes you want to pop on your shades and vibe alongside the brothers in the tracks' music video. The stage and lighting opening resembled the red tones of their latest single “So Cold,” which the band played to close out their set. Bringing things back to their early rock influences with punchy riffs that created the ideal Balu Brigada finale.
After witnessing the group, it’s easy to recognize their time on the Clancy Tour as only the beginning for these New Zealand brothers. When Balu Brigada announces a full tour, we’ll be there. — Nicko McMillen
Photo by Nicholas McMillen (nickoboy.com)
