The Wonder Years @ The Tivoli Brisbane w/ Joyce Manor and Suzi

The Wonder Years Reignite Pop Punk Flame in Brisbane Return.

Thursday nights at Brisbane’s Tivoli theatre are always a lot of fun; more often than not it is the die-hard fans making up the majority, and this was definitely the case when The Wonder Years rolled in to deliver a potent dose of pop punk nostalgia and emotional resonance with US emo/pop-punk mainstays Joyce Manor in tow, supported by Melbourne-based JJJ Unearthed artist Suzi and her band.

The Pennsylvania sextet’s long-awaited return to Australian shores demonstrated why they’ve remained genre stalwarts for over 15 years.

Suzi provided an understated but effective opening, their indie-folk compositions offering a measured contrast to the evening’s more explosive offerings. The standout “Everyone I’ve Met Hates Me” connected immediately with the predominantly Gen-Z crowd.

Joyce Manor’s surgical precision followed, with the California quartet executing their signature sub-three-minute anthems with machine-like efficiency. “Constant Headache” predictably elicited the night’s first genuine audience eruption, vocalist Barry Johnson’s minimalist approach allowing the band’s material to speak for itself.

Frontman Dan Campbell (“Soupy”, for those in the know) emerged for The Wonder Years’ headlining set with characteristic intensity, launching immediately into “Came Out Swinging” with the theatrical flair that has become his trademark. Campbell’s commanding stage presence—amplified by his WrestleMania shirt and wrestler-inspired posturing—remains one of modern pop punk’s most compelling visual elements.

The setlist balanced fan favourites with selections from 2022’s critically acclaimed “The Hum Goes On Forever.” Campbell took a rare moment between songs to champion the album, specifically highlighting closer “You’re the Reason I Don’t Want the World to End” as their definitive achievement. The uncharacteristically tender performance that followed proved his point more effectively than any promotional hyperbole could.

Eschewing the traditional encore ritual with a brief but pointed dismissal of the practice, the band closed with the sprawling “I Just Want to Sell Out My Funeral,” transforming The Tivoli floor into a circular maelstrom of bodies.

For a band now well into their second decade, The Wonder Years demonstrated remarkable vitality. Rather than coasting on nostalgia, Campbell and company continue to evolve while maintaining the emotional authenticity that secured their place in the alternative pantheon. Brisbane fans can only hope it won’t be another six years before their return.