Review: Ethel Cain at Fremantle Arts Centre

Ethel Cain at Fremantle Arts Centre
w/ Elliot & Vincent
Saturday, February 28, 2026

There could be no artist suited more for Fremantle Arts Centre than Ethel Cain—originally constructed as the Fremantle Lunatic Asylum from convict labour and undergoing a number of iterations before eventually becoming the Arts Centre in 1973, the venue meant that Ethel Cain’s (Hayden Anhedönia) stage was perfectly cultivated from the beginning.

As the sun set over the iconic stonework and the wind picked up, it seemed like everything was slotting into place for an atmosphere that almost flawlessly reflected both the sonic and thematic interests of the US singer-songwriter. Anhedönia’s tour to Australia and New Zealand saw her transcend the American South, but escaping the Southern Gothic was never on the cards with a performance against the Gothic Revival of Fremantle Arts Centre.

Whether or not this was intentional remains to be seen, but I’d like to think so—the Ethel Cain project is set apart from her contemporaries by the strength of her concepts and storytelling, most prominent in 2022’s debut album, Preacher’s Daughter, and 2025’s prequel, Willoughby Tucker, I Will Always Love You. A carefully constructed atmosphere has always been a strong suit, and the performance at Fremantle Arts Centre seemed yet another iteration of Anhedönia’s handpicked aesthetics.

While the venue choice lent to the spooky vibe, almost every other aspect left a lasting impression. Ethel Cain’s performance was haunting in that it returned again and again long after it was over, with vocals a mirror image of their recorded counterparts and massive climaxes conveyed with deserved gravity.

New Zealand-based garage rock outfit Elliot & Vincent supported, beginning their set promptly and launching with no introduction. The two-piece, comprised of just Elliot Finn on drums and vocals and Vincent Cherry on guitar, performed an explosive set; the power delivered far exceeded the size of the band. They transitioned between dark, moody and distorted tracks with whispered vocals to punchy, cutting drums that left the audience scrambling for their phones to save their EP, which encompasses their entire recorded catalogue to date. They held their own through a cover of Sky Ferreira’s I Will, inflected with their signature fuzz and FX-laden guitar, and their final song, Doberman, further impressed – the breakneck pace reached in the final 30 seconds was expertly handled by the pair. Elliot & Vincent showed up and got it done, generating a crowd buzz that only heightened as the wait for Ethel began.

The Southern Gothic aesthetics so ingrained in Ethel Cain’s lore extended, too, to the set design—a wooden cross for a mic stand, fronted by artificial grass and tufts of wheat. A playback-supported rendition of Sunday Morning from 2019 EP Golden Age kicked us off as Andhedönia took the stage, her light but supported vocals sliding to the upper register with ease. The decision to open with this track was inspired—a dreamy mix performed from the centre-stage cross-turned-pulpit consolidated an otherworldly atmosphere that would continue throughout the show, with even the spotlights turning golden and casting light across the limestone walls.

And we were sure to be attending mass with the next item, Preacher’s Daughter’s breakout hit, American Teenager. This was an absolute crowd-pleaser, sung word-for-word by the crowd as Anhedönia led them through the isolated vocals of the pre-chorus and the anthemic chorus. The band held together well, and while the signature guitar riff sampled from Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ could have been more pronounced in the mix, the rolling drum fills were perfectly executed. Anhedönia’s melodic ad-libbing and syncopation throughout, combined with the absence of any live synth in her band, pushed this track to a more heartland rock sound rather than the indie pop the recording is known for, but this translated well for such a crowd favourite that was sure to be sung along to.

We slowed right down with a run of tracks from Willoughby Tucker, I Will Always Love You, with Janie meeting the haunting venue in stride with its bare instrumentation and ethereal vocals, and Nettles performed almost as a candlelight vigil as the wheat field set lit up. Dust Bowl continued in the same vein, the crowd waiting in anticipation for the beloved guitar breakdown about three minutes in, interrupting the slowcore reverie with a wall of sound and introducing heavy rock and drone elements, addressed further in the next track, Punish, from 2025’s dark ambient release, Perverts. Anhedönia was refracted by geometric spotlight projections, lights pulsing as she breathed into the mic, culminating in massive sound.

The crowd interaction to this point had been sparse, with a brief foray to note this first visit to Perth. Following Punish, a five-minute break was announced, which was then addressed by venue staff to extend to 15 minutes, meaning Andedönia only returned to stage almost 25 minutes later. With no explanation given, we can only hope this was a preventative measure, especially given previous instances of where concerts haven’t been completed on the tour due to emotional distress. It was clear the audience was anxious to see if she would return.

Much to everyone’s relief, the set continued, albeit with much of the momentum lost. The comeback was launched with Ptolemaea, an intense doom metal track wherein the character of Ethel Cain succumbs to hallucinations and her abusive partner. The audience revelled in providing the climactic, top-of-their-lungs scream as the stage lights flickered, flashing red towards the end as Anhedönia hit the stage floor, seemingly re-enacting Ethel’s death. Gibson Girl followed, Ptolemaea’s predecessor on Preacher’s Daughter, the psychedelic guitar solo a standout.

The loss of time saw a deviation from the tour’s traditional setlist at this point, with Willoughby Tucker’s Radio Towers and Tempest cut from the line-up. We closed with Crush, from 2021 EP Inbred. Perhaps her most pop-leaning track and one that introduced a fair chunk of her audience to her music, the upbeat song sent us out on a lighthearted, dancey note.

The audience was left doubting if an encore would take place, but we were pleasantly surprised when the band returned and announced two songs to come. After taking a moment to honour the openers, Anhedönia began the piano-driven Sun Bleached Flies, another fan favourite. This was again a point of worship, the gospel influence coming through in the bridge as the crowd sang along with Anhedönia, emphasising every word like a mantra. Even through the first verse, “God loves you, but not enough to save you,” must have been heard from streets away. With this song not always included in the set across Australia and New Zealand, the inclusion felt like an apology for the break, which was clearly accepted with open arms.

We ended with the epic Thoroughfare – an almost ten-minute-long folk-rock ballad. Announcing that we were to “go a lil’ country,” Anhedönia pulled out her harmonica and gave the song exactly the gravity it needed to close out the show as the guitarists headbanged and the audience swung their arms overhead.

With a catalogue as expansive and sonic palette as layered as Ethel Cain’s, it’s a wonder that the band was limited instrumentally to just guitar, drums and bass – whether it’s budget constraints or the complexity of the studio recordings, Anhedönia certainly has both the fanbase and the chops to increase the scale of her live performances and bring the depth of her masters to life.

All the pieces are in place for an impressive live career, as even when momentum was lost, Ethel Cain was able to bounce back for the return with more power, approaching lengthy tracks with intense vocal lines with composure and the strength to keep the audience stunned.

ABBY GREER 

Photos by Sam Mead