Review: Psychedelic Porn Crumpets at Freo.Social
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets at Freo.Social
w/ People Taking Pictures, The Gremlins
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Punters at Freo.Social were treated to a raucous psychedelic blast on Saturday night that was sure to shake off the coming cold. Riding the groundswell of the WA psych rock scene, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets have gone from strength to strength since they exploded on the scene with 2016’s High Visceral (Part I), a retrospective psych classic. Taking the more propulsive and punkey elements of King Gizzard as a launching point, the Crumpets have parlayed this into their own brand of melodic and loose-yet-tight technical metal-punk-psych wizardry. On this night, once again, they did not disappoint.
Two great opening acts laid the groundwork in what was a fine showcase for local heavy music. With turnout already swelling, The Gremlins opened proceedings to a great reception from presumably existing and new fans. A rip-roaring young outfit, The Gremlins mixed the chugging riffs and pace of the Crumpets with alternative and post-hardcore elements courtesy of some impassioned vocal performances. It all came together on the latest single Crystal Ball, a fine showcase of all of the above, as well as the heavy musical stew of closer Zealot, with its distorted bass, screamed post-hardcore verses and Eastern-influenced riffs.
People Taking Pictures came on next and took things in a very different direction with their unique combination of psych rock against hip-hop, jazz and electronic elements. The solo project of Crumpets guitarist and songwriter Luke Parish, the group is coming off their new and highly recommended LP Dialectics and several singles which feature heavy input from Freo legend Nelson Mondlane (of POW! Negro and Superego fame) on MC duties. The busy drums, electronic textures and foreboding vocals of new single Goblins set the stage for something rather unique, and it didn’t let up from there. The tracks featuring Mondlane were the standouts. The chill vocals but skittish beat of These Days gave way to a heavy MC verse, while closer Adventure Shit featured some seriously atmospheric reverbed vocals and moody synth explorations before some beautiful jazz rap bars from Mondlane, the likes of which A Tribe Called Quest would’ve killed for.
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets came on to big fanfare, with Parish back on guitar duties and happy to let frontman and musical genius Jack McEwan take the reins on vocal and guitar duties. The Crumpets launched straight into Salsa Verde and Manny’s Ready to Roll from 2025 LP Pogo Rodeo. Considering 2025 also saw the release and tour for the stellar Carpe Diem Moonman LP, the band are coming off an all-time creative high that rivals King Gizzard’s best work (if not quite their ridiculous quantity of output). Both tracks hit hard live—Salsa’s call-and-response energy and use of tremolo rang throughout the venue, while Manny showcased the band’s signature serpentine riffs.
Old favourite Surf’s Up followed, its overdriven twist on surf-rock serving as a brief reprieve until Nootmare (K.I.L.L.I.n.G) [Meow!] exploded with even more frantic energy than its studio version, its chaotic riffs and stop-start screamo sections relentless. Lava Lamp Pisco slowed the tempo slightly without losing intensity, its grinding riff and heavy tremolo giving way to a lush, synth-washed coda. Throughout the show, McEwan and company navigated their songs’ labyrinthine riffage and stop-start dynamics with ease, playing with a trademark punky looseness that at times felt like a bunch of drunk guys playing Guitar Hero yet nailing record high scores. The Real Contra Band brought a more spacious groove, its disjointed riffing and big pre-chorus drawing a strong crowd response.
Found God in a Tomato offered an early-set epic in what is surely the best song about a psychedelic tomato vision, while November served as a quieter interlude—a less engaging track, but still effective in its post-rock swell. Hot! Heat! Wow! Hot! quickly reignited things—a tight, thrashy fan favourite which garnered a singalong.
Cubensis Lenses is a personal favourite featuring one of McEwan’s best vocal hooks and performances, so it was surprising to see it so early in the set. Naturally it landed perfectly, McEwan shining and Freo.Social’s excellent acoustics ensuring that his vocals as well as the riffs and bass work cut through cleanly. Hymn for a Droid was one of the night’s most atmospheric moments, with a few punters crowd surfing amidst its reverb-drenched vocals and early metal-style riffage. The hip-hop-tinged Weird World Awoke added a lighter, bouncy contrast, while Pax Romana returned to full-throttle chaos, a punk-thrash hybrid that had the crowd moving. Another Reincarnation continued the mind-melting technical momentum as the Crumpets locked into its complex, effects-heavy grooves with ease. After the encore, Incubator (V2000) captured the studio version’s Britpop-tinged swell and built to a strong finish. And it was only appropriate that they closed on Cornflake, one of their first tracks and a perfect distillation of their sound—winding riffs, hazy vocals, and euphoric, psychedelic peaks.
All up, a stellar set from the Crumpets, who are quickly becoming one of WA’s most successful exports. It was a showcase of mind-bending live chops, showmanship, and a rapidly growing catalogue that, in the future, we will surely talk of with reverence.
MATIJA ZIVKOVIC
Photos by Adrian Thomson
