Review: Sebastian Bach at Freo.Social
Sebastian Bach at Freo.Social
w/ Willie J’s 6v6s, Legacy Alive
Friday, November 21, 2025
“In the words of David Lee Roth, ‘Look at all these fucking people here tonight!’”
It was a sold-out Freo Social that greeted Sebastian Bach’s return to WA, performing his old band’s 1989 self-titled debut album, Skid Row, in full. And he delivered an 80s-style rock and roll set par excellence, with all the excesses, excitement and political incorrectness of glam metal’s heyday. It was a joy to behold.
Playing the part of the loveable larrikin, Bach was in peak dad-joke mode. Which was fitting given son Paris Bach was on drums (dad suggested if he played well, he might up his allowance… boom-tish).
The fresh lineup of youngsters surrounding 57-year-old Bach was led by shredder extraordinaire Brodie DeRozie, who played the part of both rhythm and lead guitarist with exceptional flair. Updating original Skid Row guitarists Dave Sabo and Scotty Hill’s solos with extra notes and technique, he also knew when to play the ballads true to the original. And those ballads, 18 and Life and I Remember You, were major highlights (yes, there were lighters in the air), with Bach’s voice hitting all the big notes.
Meanwhile bassist Fede Delfino spent most of the show sans shirt, probably based on the premise that if you’ve got it, flaunt it. Totally ripped and with a full six-pack on display, even Bach commented on his “boobs.” He also held up a good portion of the backing vocals, with a voice impressively similar to Bach’s legendary wail.
The night kicked off in similarly rocking fashion with local hair-raisers Legacy Alive scoring their first international headline show and making the most of the already packed room, before east coasters Willie J’s 6v6s harked back to the glory days of Oz rock with a cover of Rose Tattoo’s Bad Boy For Love.
There was a lot of love all night for Angry Anderson and Rose Tattoo, who infamously supported Guns N’ Roses and Skid Row on their 1993 Australian tour (Bach also closed the night on a cover of their We Can’t Be Beaten). Fortunate, then, that he made clear politics was off the table, given Anderson’s controversial views on immigration and race. This was all about Bach celebrating his influences, and everyone from Bon Scott to Lemmy to Eddie Van Halen and Dimebag Darrell were given their due prior to I Remember You.
The most glittering tributes were saved for, firstly, Ace Frehley, as one of his rare Kiss vocal cuts, Shock Me, copped the cover treatment. The night’s highlight came during an epic Monkey Business, which unexpectedly segued into Ozzy Osbourne’s I Don’t Know, with DeRozie pulling off a dazzling Randy Rhodes solo. This guy was seriously on another level and one of the best guitarists Perth has seen in a long time.
“No tapes, no backing tracks!” Bach proudly proclaimed, and with a crack band like this, it was worth celebrating the legacy of rock and roll. All the big Skid Row tracks ripped, with Sweet Little Sister, Piece of Me and finally Youth Gone Wild among the biggest singalongs of the night. Bach also found time for a few tracks from 2024 album Child Within the Man, opening the show on hit single What Do I Got to Lose?
Slave to the Grind, the second track in, was also a technically awesome display, full of hardcore punk’s rage and fire. Here’s hoping next time we get that album in full, but until then, Friday’s lesson in rock and roll will do nicely.
HARVEY RAE
Photos by Adrian Thomson
