Live at North Harbour Stadium, Albany
18 January 2025
Live Review by Journalist: Paul Marshall
Weber Bros Circus: A Mind-Blowing Spectacle That Redefines Live Entertainment
If rock and roll had a circus, it would look a lot like the Weber Bros. The legendary New Zealand-based troupe has been touring for over three decades, but their latest production—equal parts adrenaline, chaos, and jaw-dropping athleticism—proves they’re still running on nitro.
Under the red-and-blue glow of the big top, the air crackles with electricity. This isn’t just another night at the circus—this is a full-throttle sensory explosion, where gravity is ignored, fear is challenged, and the impossible becomes reality. The Weber Bros Circus has been thrilling audiences for decades, but tonight, under the command of a truly mesmerising ringmaster, it feels like something brand new.
Forget the stiff, moustachioed ringmasters of circus past. Tonight, Meryl Cassie owns the ring with the presence of a headlining rock star. Dressed to kill, she’s not just introducing acts—she’s commanding the stage, captivating the audience with her natural charisma and a voice that could easily belong on the world’s biggest concert stages. Her vocals soar, her presence is magnetic, and before the first act even begins, she has the crowd in the palm of her hand. She’s not just leading the show—she is the show.
And then, the madness begins.
The first act kicks the energy into high gear immediately. A massive seesaw dominates the ring, its sheer size hinting at the insanity to come. The acrobats move like rocketing pinballs, launching themselves higher and higher with each rebound, defying both physics and common sense. Then comes the moment of pure disbelief—one of them is catapulted into the stratosphere, twisting and flipping in midair like a human comet before landing safely into a suspended curtain. The crowd erupts, part exhilaration, part disbelief.
What makes it even more spectacular? The outfits. These aren’t just costumes; they’re electric. The glowing neon designs pulse against the dark, adding a futuristic, almost sci-fi feel to the performance. It’s like watching a live-action, high-stakes video game, where every move feels larger than life.
And then, just when you think you’ve seen it all—the grand finale of this act hits. But here’s the thing: some moments are too good to spoil. Some things you have to witness with your own eyes. And this? This is one of them. Consider this your teaser trailer to a Hollywood-level blockbuster, but instead of a screen, it’s unfolding in front of you, real and raw.
And that’s the magic of the Weber Bros Circus. It’s not just about the individual stunts, the gravity-defying feats, or the heart-stopping moments of danger. It’s about the experience—the feeling of being part of something bigger, something electrifying, something that can’t be replicated in a TikTok clip or a YouTube highlight reel.
The Weber Bros don’t just put on a show. They pull you into their world, a place where the impossible is just another night. And if you haven’t seen it yet, stop reading and go. Because seeing is believing, and trust me—you need to believe this.
Forget red noses and oversized shoes—Val DeFun is the kind of performer who flips (literally) the tired, old clown trope on its head. A whirlwind of energy, physical comedy, and precision stunts, he’s less of a goofy distraction and more of an unhinged stuntman with a wicked sense of timing. If you crossed the unpredictable slapstick of Norman Wisdom with the daredevil bravado of Harold Lloyd, you’d land somewhere close to the madness he brings to the ring.
For those unfamiliar with my references—well, that’s what Google is for. Do your homework, kids.
What sets Val apart is his ability to blend classic comedic timing with legitimate athleticism. One moment, he’s staggering around in mock confusion, slipping, tumbling, making the crowd howl with laughter. The next, he’s executing a perfectly timed flip over a moving prop, or narrowly escaping what looks like certain disaster. His control is razor-sharp, his movements impossibly fluid. There’s a brilliance in the chaos, a mastery in the madness.
But what makes Val DeFun truly shine is his interaction with the audience. He’s not just performing for you—he’s pulling you into his unpredictable world. Whether he’s roping an unsuspecting spectator into his routine or playing off the gasps and laughter in real time, he turns the tent into his personal playground. It’s a kind of controlled chaos that makes every moment feel spontaneous, every slip and fall feel like it could be a genuine accident (even though it never is).
And that’s the genius of it.
Weber Bros Circus doesn’t just rely on spectacle—it thrives on reinvention. It takes the familiar and twists it into something unexpected.
And just when you think you’ve seen it all, the music shifts, the lights dim, and from the shadows, something unexpected rolls into the ring.
A lone performer enters, casually pedalling a bike. Nothing out of the ordinary—until, suddenly, the bike begins to break apart. First in two, then three pieces, yet he keeps riding, somehow balancing, steering, and controlling the chaos with an effortless precision that seems almost supernatural.
It’s one of those acts that messes with your perception—your brain knows this shouldn’t be possible, and yet, it’s happening right in front of you. He moves from one deconstructed bike to the next, seamlessly leaping onto new rigs as if gravity and mechanics are mere suggestions rather than rules.
And here’s the thing: I could give away every twist, every jaw-dropping moment of his act—but I won’t. Some things need to be seen in person to be believed. And this? This is one of them.
There’s something universally thrilling about the Weber Bros Circus. It doesn’t matter if you’re five or fifty—when a bike starts breaking apart mid-ride, you’re going to react. The tent is alive with gasps, cheers, and laughter, adults and kids alike completely immersed. That’s the beauty of this show: it connects. There are no generational gaps, no moments that feel too niche or exclusive. It’s pure, unfiltered entertainment, the kind that makes you feel like a kid again, wide-eyed and fully present.
And just as the biker takes his final bow, the music shifts again.
If my daughters were here tonight, they’d be absolutely spellbound. Hell, so am I. Dressed in a striking black-and-red sequinned gown, her black latex gloves adding a touch of mystery, Victoria steps into the ring with an almost theatrical poise. There’s a sense of curiosity in the air—no fire, no acrobatic rigging, no apparent danger. Just a table, some liquid, and a woman with a knowing smile.
And then, the magic begins.
With nothing but her hands, she conjures bubbles—lots of them. Some so tiny they shimmer like fireflies, others so massive they could swallow a person whole. They float, dance, merge, split apart, creating an ethereal ballet of colour and light. Then comes the real trick: using a plastic pipe, she fills them with smoke, turning each fragile sphere into a swirling, hypnotic globe. The crowd is dead silent, completely mesmerised.
This is the kind of act that plays with your senses—part science, part illusion, part pure artistry. She’s not just making bubbles; she’s sculpting them, controlling them, layering colours, making them behave in ways that seem physically impossible. At one point, she blows a gigantic bubble onto a circular platform, filling it with more smoke and colour until it looks like something from a dream.
The audience is transfixed, young and old alike. It’s proof that not every circus act has to be about danger, velocity, or physical extremes—sometimes, pure wonder is enough.
The audience? Hooked. Gasps, cheers, laughter, and applause roll through the tent in waves as act after act delivers a new reason to sit on the edge of your seat. But among the endless highlights, a few moments stand out as true game-changers.
This isn’t your average bike trick show. No tiny ramps, no safe landings. Instead, towering above the ring, an eight-meter BMX ramp dominates the space—a monster of a structure that demands every ounce of nerve from the riders about to take it on. And here’s the kicker: they don’t just climb to the top. They’re hoisted up by ropes, bikes in tow, before being set free to plummet down the near-vertical drop.
Then—liftoff.
One by one, the riders hit the ramp at blistering speeds, launching into the air with the kind of insane aerial acrobatics you’d expect at the X Games. Midair spins, full rotations, impossible twists—all executed with precision before landing onto a massive air safety cushion. It’s breathtaking. It’s reckless. It’s the kind of act that makes you forget to breathe until the wheels hit the ground.
The crowd? Absolutely losing it. And rightly so.
The dust hasn’t even settled from the BMX insanity when the next surprise arrives—not in the form of another stunt, but in a moment of pure vocal power. While the crew swiftly disassembles the BMX setup, Meryl Cassie, the night’s fearless ringmaster, steps forward to take centre stage once more.
If you’ve never heard Meryl sing, let me tell you—this is no filler act. This is star power. It’s been a few years since I last heard her voice, but if anything, she’s only gotten better, now commanding the ring not just with presence, but with raw, undeniable talent.
And she doesn’t go for an easy pick, either. She belts out Absolutely Everybody, the massive 1999 hit from Australian superstar Vanessa Amorosi. It’s a bold choice—an anthem of inclusivity, love, and energy, perfectly aligning with the spirit of the circus. But Meryl owns it. She hits every note with a confidence that fills the tent, her voice soaring above the lights and the very energy of the night itself.
The audience is right there with her. Clapping, swaying, singing along. It’s a reminder that this night—this experience—is for everyone. A moment of unity between the performers and the crowd, before the next round of madness kicks in.
At Weber Bros Circus, there’s no downtime, no dull moments. Every act is a peak moment, every performer a master of their craft. Whether it’s high-flying daredevils defying gravity or a ringmaster proving she’s every bit the star of the show, the energy never dips. It only builds.
And this? This was only the first half.
Where back and just when you think the show has peaked, along comes Samy, a human whirlwind who makes gravity look like an optional suggestion.
A giant metal structure rolls into the ring—two massive spinning circles, like something out of a sci-fi fever dream. Samy steps inside, casually, like he’s about to take a Sunday stroll. But within seconds, that stroll turns into a full sprint as the entire contraption begins to rotate. He runs, jumps, flips—defying physics with every movement. And just when you think you’ve seen it all, he takes it up another level.
As the wheel spins faster, centrifugal force launches him completely off the apparatus, sending him flying through the air with nothing to catch him—no harness, no safety net, no crash mat. Just raw skill and a level of fearlessness that borders on insane. My pulse is racing just watching, and I can only imagine the adrenaline rush coursing through him.
It’s one of those rare moments in live entertainment where you completely forget to breathe. Where your logical brain tells you, this shouldn’t be possible, but your eyes are seeing it happen in real time. And that’s what makes Weber Bros so next-level.
Just as the audience is catching its breath, out comes Val DeFun for another round of controlled chaos. This time, he’s got a microphone, and he’s ready to unleash his inner rock star.
One problem: He can’t sing. Like, at all.
Cue Meryl Cassie, our powerhouse ringmaster, who storms in to confiscate his mic, much to the audience’s delight. But as soon as she exits—bam—Val’s got another one. She takes that one too. Another appears. And then another. It’s a classic bit of comedic timing, executed to perfection, with the routine escalating to an epic, unexpected finale. No spoilers, but let’s just say it’s one of those moments that makes live entertainment so unpredictable and electrifying.
And then? The circus turns the intensity way up.
A huge steel sphere appears in the ring, and if you’ve seen this act before, you know what’s coming: motorbikes. Lots of them. The first rider enters, throttling around the inside of the cage, looping vertically and horizontally, defying gravity with each pass. Then another joins. And another. Soon, the globe is a blur of roaring engines and fearless riders crisscrossing each other’s paths with impossible precision.
I’ve seen variations of this act before, but never like this.
Because for the grand finale, the sphere doesn’t just hold them in—it splits apart. Mid-performance, while riders are still inside, the globe opens up like a mechanical beast, breaking into two separate pieces with motorbikes still tearing through at full speed.
There’s only one word to describe it: unbelievable.
Just when I think the madness has peaked, the bikers leave the cage and disappear outside. The tent goes momentarily silent. Then, from beyond the entrance, a low growl starts to build.
Engines roar. Lights flash. And then—out of nowhere—motorbikes come flying into the tent from the front entrance, hitting a massive ramp at full speed. They launch into the air, soaring towards the peak of the big top, executing midair flips and tricks before hurtling back down to Earth with pinpoint accuracy.
It’s pure, heart-stopping insanity. And it’s absolutely, undeniably, mind-blowing.
This isn’t just a circus. This is a showdown between human skill and the limits of physics. It’s danger. It’s comedy. It’s music. It’s an experience that demands to be seen live, because no description—no review—can truly do it justice.
I’ve saved the most outrageous, death-defying act for last. The moment that took this show from incredible to utterly legendary.
We’ve all seen the human cannonball in movies. We’ve read about it. We know what it is. But absolutely nothing prepares you for the sheer insanity of witnessing it live.
Enter Luis, a fearless daredevil from South America, who doesn’t just flirt with danger—he takes it out for a five-course meal and asks for extra spice. He climbs into the massive cannon, no wires, no safety net, just pure nerve. The audience holds its breath. The tension is palpable.
And then—BOOM.
He’s launched through the air at blistering speed, flying like a missile high above the ring. The height. The distance. The insane velocity. It happens in an instant, but in that split second, time seems to slow as you process the absolute madness of what you’re witnessing.
And then, just as quickly as he was fired, Luis lands. Safe. Sound. Victorious. The crowd erupts. A thousand people on their feet, screaming, clapping, completely losing it. Because in that moment, we all just saw something that defied logic—something so insane, so dangerous, that it felt like watching the impossible unfold right in front of us.
After two hours of non-stop spectacle—BMX daredevils, the gravity-defying Wheel of Death, the Globe of Death, and Meryl Cassie’s powerhouse vocals—Weber Bros Circus delivers a masterclass in live entertainment.
It’s thrilling. It’s hilarious. It’s utterly mind-blowing.
And most importantly, it’s for everyone. Whether you’re a wide-eyed kid seeing your first circus or a seasoned thrill-seeker looking for something fresh, this show delivers.
As far as live shows go, this is easily one of the best I’ve ever seen—an electrifying mix of thrills, laughter, and jaw-dropping stunts. It’s top-tier entertainment that delivers incredible value for money and is perfect for the whole family. So do yourself a favour—grab your tickets, bring your loved ones, and experience the magic of Weber Bros Circus.
Here’s my advice: Step right up, grab a ticket, and prepare for one of the most unforgettable live shows you’ll ever witness.
Trust me—you won’t regret it.
Reviewer: Paul Marshall
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