Joey Valence & Brae Are The Life of the Party on the “HYPERYOUTH” Tour

Sponsored by Monster Energy, because of course.

Joey Valence & Brae didn’t just play a show on Tuesday night at Brooklyn Steel, they threw a full-on rager. It was easily one of the wildest concerts I’ve been to in a long time, and the mostly Gen Z crowd, with a few parents and older fans hanging toward the back, matched their energy beat for beat. As someone who has been a fan for a while, it was especially satisfying to see it all translate in real life. I’ve always had a soft spot for the Beastie Boys, who Joey Valence & Brae have cited as a major influence, so their music clicked with me instantly.

That punchy delivery, the playful chaos, the rapid-fire back-and-forth. It feels nostalgic without feeling like a copy. They also carry a bit of LMFAO in their DNA, and I mean that as a compliment. There’s a shameless, go-for-it party streak in their music that feels self-aware and fully committed. Seeing that energy explode inside a packed Brooklyn Steel felt natural. This is music that demands to be loud.

Big Daddy Marc, a high-energy rapper and internet personality known for his chaotic, bass-heavy tracks and meme-forward presence, opened the night and set the tone immediately. He was followed by EWOOK, who also serves as the duo’s DJ and clearly understood the assignment. At one point, he had the crowd moshing to “I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas. Yes, really. Minutes later, we were thrashing to “Rollin’” by Limp Bizkit. It felt chaotic, but in a way that perfectly fit the night.

When Joey Valence & Brae finally took the stage, the visuals made it clear whose world we were in. A massive blown-up version of their logo loomed behind them, a horned devil sphere with one X eye and one spiraled eye staring out at the crowd. It was bold, slightly unhinged, and completely on brand. The whole show felt like stepping inside that logo.

They opened with “HYPERYOUTH,” the title track from their latest album, and immediately made it clear that this tour is built around that project’s hyperactive, youth-in-revolt energy. Much of the set pulled from HYPERYOUTH, including “GIVE IT TO ME,” “LIKE A PUNK,” “GO HARD,” and “THE PARTY SONG,” which all felt even bigger live than they do on record. The newer material has a sharper, more polished edge, but it still carries that basement-show chaos.

They didn’t ignore their earlier breakout moments either. Tracks like “PUNK TACTICS,” “HOOLIGANG,” and “THE BADDEST,” which helped cement their viral rise, triggered some of the loudest reactions of the night. You could feel the shift when those opening beats hit. These are the songs that built the fanbase, and in a live setting, they feel almost communal. They even refer to their fans as “The Hooligang”. 

“IS THIS LOVE” offered one of the only slightly slower moments, and even that turned into a social experiment. They told the crowd to turn to someone and make a friend, and people actually did. They asked, “If you came with your best friend, did you come alone?” and later, “Are we all friends tonight?” It could have felt corny, but it didn’t. For a few minutes, Brooklyn Steel genuinely felt like one big, chaotic community.

Throughout the set, mosh pits opened quickly and often, but the energy never tipped into anything negative. It was intense, but joyful. Joey and Brae look like they’re having the time of their lives on stage, and that joy spreads fast. The entire night felt committed to the bit, in the best way possible.

The timing couldn’t be better. The deluxe edition of their album, HYPERYOUTH (afterparty), is out today and features six new tracks. If this show proved anything, it’s that the momentum isn’t slowing down.

Joey Valence & Brae’s North American tour dates continue through April 1 before they head to Australia and Europe.