2026 has us all feeling a little nostalgic, and there’s something particularly surreal about realising that a significant album is now ten years old. For Luca Brasi, that album is If This Is All We’re Going To Be, their beloved 2016 record that still holds up today. A decade on, Luca Brasi are heading out on the road to give it the celebration it deserves and revisit the songs that shaped both the band and those who grew up alongside them. According to frontman Tyler Richardson, the whole experience has been unexpectedly emotional.
Recently, he revisited the album for a Rolling Stone track-by-track retrospective, something Richardson says forced him to sit with the album in a way that he hadn’t in years. “It was really cool because I don’t feel like it’s the sort of thing you get to do often. Obviously, I’ve played the songs, but the chance to actually read back the track-by-track. From 10 years ago, and try to compare it to what it felt like now was cool… I put the songs on and thought about all the things that had happened in that time, there’s so much water under the bridge in ten years- it’s absolutely fucking crazy.”
That’s a big part of what makes this upcoming tour feel so special. It isn’t just nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. The themes of If This Is All We’re Going To Be still hit because, in some ways, Richardson is still figuring them out too. “A lot of the themes that I talked about, I was like, ‘oh my god,’ I’m still grappling with this stuff… 10 years later, I’d have thought that I’d have it figured out by that point. But it also feels like people who love the album have grown up with us.”
The experience of growing up with their listeners came up a lot throughout our conversation. Back when the album first came out, Luca Brasi were in full grind mode- relentless touring, playing every regional town and capital city you can think of, and living a chaotic touring lifestyle that can really only exit in your twenties. Now, though, things look different. Life is fuller and busier, and the energy that comes with touring has evolved from reckless excitement into something more meaningful.
“I feel like there’s less youthful exuberance. I remember those tours where we were playing 60 to 70 shows a year and were flat out. All the booze was free, and we were young and just going for it. Now I’m a little bit older and a bit less insane than we used to be. It’s just a lovely chance to catch up and hang out.”
There’s a genuine warmth to the way Richardson talks about the band now. There’s far less pressure, less ego and a lot more appreciation. “To be honest,” he continues, “it’s hard these days to see each other. We all have young families, and we do see each other socially, but not like we used to.” It’s clear that Luca Brasi’s relationship has extended far beyond bandmates into family for life, and they deeply value whatever time they get to spend together.
Despite being in a different season of life now, they still have a huge love for touring, and in the lead-up to this tour, they’re buzzing. “There’s a few messages getting around the group chat, and there’s a definite hint of excitement. We got to see each other this weekend for a full weekend of pre-production rehearsals, and everyone’s really pumped. I automatically got a smile on my face, so I think it says a fair bit about what touring means to us these days.”
It’s extremely wholesome, especially because, according to their Wikipedia page, the band are on a hiatus. Richardson laughs at the idea, though, because while the band slowed down and stepped away quietly, it was never really intentional. If anything, the break gave them clarity and allowed them to properly reflect on what kind of music they want to keep making and playing live. Instead of throwing themselves back into the old cycle of never-ending tours and constant album deadlines, they’ve now figured out how to exist as a band on their own terms.
This mentality is one that they’re carrying into the upcoming anniversary shows. When it comes to curating the setlist, Richardson says they want to strike a balance between honouring the record and making sure the set still feels exciting. “We really want to make sure we play the songs everyone wanted but also the ones that connected the most. I would say it’s 80% of the record, including two songs we’ve never played live. But we want to make sure we play other songs that people like too.”
You’d think that revisiting the album to this extent would invite a lot of self-criticism, but Luca Brasi are determined to play these songs exactly as they were written. “We want to play the record as it was, and we’re also really excited about playing some of the more up-tempo, yelly stuff… we did a few albums where we pulled back and were learning stuff about how to write, and it’s just so nice to go back and play some raw, upbeat and more dynamic music for sure.”
While they may have taken a break from touring and recording, they never really stopped writing. “There’s some songs kicking around. It’s early days. It’s like, ‘oh shit, it’s happening again.’” Richardson reveals. The way he describes their current writing process feels worlds away from the pressure cooker environment that bands can often find themselves trapped in. These days, they’re letting songs happen more organically. A small idea becomes a demo which gets uploaded to Dropbox, and before they know it, there’s a song taking shape.”It’s so very different to those times when we needed a deadline for the masters. Whatever this record is going to be, it’s going to be on our terms.”
At the same time, though, Richardson can admit that deadlines spark action. However, after years of feeling the pressure to constantly create and release albums every two years, the band learned quickly that it wasn’t sustainable for them creatively. More importantly, it hit a point where it stopped feeling authentic. They’re now at a place where they can afford to take their time and make something that genuinely feels right, and by the sounds of it, that’s already unfolding.
Ten years on from the release of If This Is All We’re Going To Be, Luca Brasi have a newfound appreciation for their music. The chaos has mellowed, life has changed and everyone’s a little more grown-up. Despite these changes, the connection both with each other and the listeners who have stuck around through every era still feels incredibly strong.
The tour kicks off on May 15th in Sydney, with tickets still available HERE.
Header image credit: Nick Manuell
