Crowded House delivered a concert experience that was as much about playful camaraderie as musical prowess during their unique performance at Fremantle Prison on Wednesday night. The iconic Australian-New Zealand band, fronted by the ever-charismatic Neil Finn, launched a busy Western Australian tour leg with a show that divided neatly into two distinct acts.
A Playful and Unpolished Opening Set
Taking the stage promptly at 7pm without a support act, the band humorously introduced themselves as the warm-up for the main event. Framed by the imposing prison bars of the historic venue, Finn dubbed the ensemble "Her Majesty's Pleasure", a witty nod to the location's past. The first 45 minutes felt intimate and unrehearsed, akin to a privileged glimpse into a band jam session.
The setlist included the 1991 hit Four Seasons in One Day and fan favourite Weather With You, alongside newer tracks like In My Own Shell and It Was a Small Detail. Finn hinted that another studio album is slated for early next year. Backed by the superb vocals of sisters Vika & Linda Bull, the band switched guitars, joked about which key they were in, and engaged in silly banter with the audience. A highlight was Finn challenging the crowd to beat his record of 13 full swivels on a stool, a novelty for the usually standing frontman.
The Transformation Into Jailhouse Rock Stars
After a 25-minute intermission, the band returned with a transformed energy. Wardrobe changes for guitarist Liam Finn and founding member Nick Seymour, who later slipped into a bright orange suit, signalled a shift. The swivel chair was gone, and Crowded House emerged as a focused, powerhouse act.
They launched into a run of classic hits including Fall at Your Feet, Something So Strong, and Distant Sun, energising the crowd with call-and-response segments. In a cheeky tribute to a mate who supposedly did time there, band members pantomimed lighting a joint, before launching into a heavy, reverb-drenched rendition of 1993's Private Universe.
The Crowd-Pleasing Finale and Verdict
The crescendo of the night was, inevitably, the timeless anthem Don't Dream It's Over, which drew a resounding sigh of joy and relief from the packed prison yard. The evening concluded with Finn on piano for an impromptu cover of Deee-Lite's Groove Is in the Heart, before the final notes of Better Be Home Soon rang out just before 9:45pm.
While the deliberately loose start may not have been for everyone, the carefree charisma of Finn and the band's WA-specific rapport created a truly unique event. This performance was part of a triple-header for the group in WA, with a second Fremantle Prison show on Friday and a final Red Hot Summer Festival date at Sandalford Winery on Saturday.
Rating: Four stars out of five. Ultimately, this was an entertaining showcase of Crowded House's extensive catalogue and a night that long-time fans, who made up the majority of the audience, will remember as one-of-a-kind.
