Look, the headlines were screaming Ed Sheeran in Brisbane, Jason Aldean In Toowoomba pulling crowds , but on Saturday night, 21 February 2026, the real magic was happening at Distillery Road Market in Beenleigh. A intimate, yet buzzing crowd chose raw Aussie country roots over the big-ticket names, and let me tell you – they nailed it. I was there, boots on the ground, and I’m still buzzing from it.
Thor Phillips hit the stage first at 6:30pm sharp. Just him, a guitar, and a stool – no frills, no backing band, pure presence. For a bloke who’s all Northern NSW work ethic mixed with double shots of whiskey grit, he owned that stage like it was his living room. Thor’s a storyteller through and through: the blues seep into every note, the guitar has real teeth, and his voice carries that lived-in rasp that hits you right in the chest. He holds the room effortlessly – you can’t look away.
Standouts? “Jump Into The Pool” had the crowd swaying, and then that nice little number about kids leaving home, trusting their journey – “Hope I See You Round” (or close enough; the emotion was spot on). Heartfelt, no cheese, just real talk wrapped in melody. This man can play, full stop.
Then at 7:30pm, Katie Brooke and the band took over, with Thor pulling double duty on guitar like the legend he is. Sonic Edwards locked in on bass, Scott driving the kit – tight, supportive, letting Katie shine.
The first thing that hits you? Katie’s powerful voice. It cuts through like a clear bell over open country, strong and vulnerable all at once. She commands the stage with that same authentic storytelling we love on our podcast – banter between songs that’s genuine, funny, heartfelt. No scripted lines, just real connection.
Song standouts from the night:
- “Sticks and Stones and Stories” – pulling from her earlier work, raw and reflective.
- “Secondhand Spurs” – that dusty, lived-in feel, perfect for the vibe. The story behind this song is amazing and the chorus just kicks along
- The title track “Relentless” from her latest album – defiant, driving, sums up her whole journey. For everyone needing to be refreshed jump on the Merciless Horse for some extra motivation
- And hands down, the emotional gut-punch of “You Can Always Come Home”. A song about having that one place (or person) you can always return to when life knocks you around. Written from the heart, delivered with everything she’s got. A lot of her tunes move you – built on real emotion – but this one lingers.
She threw in some killer covers to keep it fresh: a couple of Lainey Wilson tracks that fit her style like a glove, and a Kasey Chambers nod thatmove the room. Through it all, Katie’s powerhouse vocals somehow found perfect harmony with Thor’s rougher, lower pipes – that blend is magic, gritty meets soaring.
One thing keeps striking me about our amazing new crop of Aussie country artists: their stage presence, the way they tell stories not just in the songs but in the chat between them. It’s unfiltered, it’s honest, it’s why we do what we do on Unfiltered & Undiscovered.
Big thanks to Katie for the shoutout to the podcast – meant the world.
Just for the record: I was never going to chase Ed Sheeran or Jason Aldean that night. And judging by the lucky crowd who packed Beenleigh and witnessed Katie Brooke (with Thor shredding alongside), they’d all agree – we made the right call. Real country, real stories, real heart. That’s the good stuff.
Catch Katie and Thor on the road when you can – support live music, support the indies. New episodes of the pod drop weekly with more chats just like this. Dive in, folks. Fresh sounds, zero filter.
Curly Unfiltered & Undiscovered
