Cover Image: Crowded House ease into their Fremantle Prison set, balancing intimacy and restraint before the night opens up. Photo by De Williams.

Crowded House
Fremantle Prison, 5 December 2025

It’s risky doing a set like this without notice.

Only 12 months ago, Crowded House wowed a capacity Kings Park with a monster opening comprised of Mean to Me, World Where You Live and Fall at Your Feet set against a wash of atmospheric visuals. It was an arena-worthy entrance.

Last week at Fremantle Prison suggested intimacy simply due to the smaller venue, but it’s fair to say what we got started very differently. And very slowly. Essentially supporting themselves with an acoustic set, Crowded House kicked off with Sister Madly but largely debuted new songs from an as yet untitled 2026 record.

The good news is it appears that album is set to feature Vika and Linda, who were a fixture all night with their glorious voices joining Neil Finn’s note-perfect pitch. Heavenly. 

The downside was the seated venue and early start at 7pm meant plenty were still arriving, moving through the crowd, and ushers were standing in front of us for the duration of a gentle “unplugged” set that would’ve benefitted from pin-drop silence.

To then follow that 40-minute intro with a 30-minute break was perplexing, but all was forgiven when Finn and co returned for a near two-hour electric set that was every bit as good as their Kings Park triumph 12-months earlier, culminating with a special guest that made it all the more special.

Distant Sun kicked set two up a gear from the outset with a guitar solo from Neil, and World Where You Live was just as memorable. Finn’s best new song in years, Teenage Summer, delivered Simon and Garfunkel-esque harmonies from bassist Nick Seymour and guitarist Liam Finn (one of two sons these days making up Crowded House alongside drummer Elroy).

The crowd got properly involved on Fall at Your Feet’s extended coda and Weather With You, the latter seeing Vika and Linda return for a run of songs including another newie, Last Summer. My money’s on this one for the single.

After a mid-gig trip through elongated, epic versions of When You Come, Private Universe and Into Temptation, audience members started to tire of their seats and rose up for Something So Strong. Allowed to make our way forward down the aisles, the energy lifted again for an energetic cover of Neil’s Split Enz contribution I Got You. Neil had been in good humour all night, and after singing “I don’t know why sometimes I get frightened,” he adlibbed “There’s no need!” with all the charisma of a performer in peak form. 

It turned out to be the perfect palette cleanser for Don’t Dream It’s Over as its perfect melodies and timeless lyrics won the night, just as they had 12 months ago. Well… almost.

Despite the presence of Mark Seymour on the next day’s Red Hot Summer bill at Sandalford, few would’ve suspected him at this show, despite brother Nick being Crowded House’s only remaining original member other than Neil. The two shared a fond embrace making it all the more of a family affair onstage, before Mark performed a duet with Neil of his signature Hunters and Collectors song Throw Your Arms Around Me. It was nothing short of spine tingling.

Seymour stuck around to duet on Better Be Home Soon and it closed the night with exquisite emotion. For a show that started slowly, it sure escalated to become something special a few hours later.