Review: The Preatures at Freo.Social
The Preatures’ Blue Planet Eyes 10 Year Anniversary Tour at Freo.Social
w/ The Tullamarines, Rubyhoo
Saturday, July 25, 2025
Only five dates into their epic reunion tour and following a string of sold-out shows on the east coast, it was our turn to get a piece of The Preatures’ magic. Selling out back in May, Freo.Social was the perfect place to be on a cold winter’s Saturday, ready to be warmed up by some good, honest rock and roll.
After reforming to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their groundbreaking debut album Blue Planet Eyes with a one-off show at Sydney’s Landsdowne Hotel back in December 2024, the band decided to extend their reunion into an anniversary tour. The demand for the band is clearly there, as most of the capital city shows sold out months in advance. As the group cut their career short after disbanding in 2021, fans were not about to let the opportunity go to waste to see Izzi and the guys bust out the classics they weren’t expecting to see played live again.
Young locals Rubyhoo opened the night with their brand of west coast indie dream pop. The kids kicked it as the venue started to fill, representing the modern youth sound coming out of WA at the moment. Experience will see them grow into their own, and it will be great to watch that evolution!
Adelaide’s The Tullamarines were up next. If their job description was to warm up the crowd, they certainly achieved it. Their interaction with the crowd was effortless and effervescent, prompting the audience to sing key parts and choruses in their songs. Each member along the front took their turn at lead vocals, showing the versatility and strength of this group. They threw in a cheeky cover of Lorde’s Green Light, which translated well in an indie rock arrangement. Highlights of their set were Head Roll Back and Running On Empty, their most popular song to date, before they finished the set with OMG, prompting the crowd to jump along with its big dance beat chorus. Energy and big choruses—this band has ‘em!
As the opening soundscape of Blue Planet Eyes played over the PA, The Preatures positioned themselves on stage, and the audience massed in anticipation. The band punched into Somebody’s Talking, followed by Cruel, and it became evident they weren’t just going to play the Blue Planet Eyes album in order; instead, this was a carefully curated setlist to showcase the album tracks to match the flow of the evening.
“WA, it’s great to be back!” proclaimed lead vocalist Izzi Manfredi before acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land.
The band are back in full force, with vocalist/guitarist Gideon Bensen joining them on stage again after departing back in 2016. With Bensen providing key vocals and guitar parts, he really filled out the sound, true to how the songs were written and recorded on the album.
B-Side Manic Baby grooved before Izzi took a moment to pay homage to Prince as they threw in a cover of his 1980s song When You Were Mine. Izzi ruled the show, animated and covering every inch of the stage and even up into the crowd, giving it her all but so natural in her element, her sweet voice cutting through the rock music with ease and perfection as they rocked through deep cut Whatever You Want and the ultra-cool Rock n Roll Rave with its killer driving bass tone.
Izzi dropped back behind the keyboard and performed her sweet love song, Two Tone Melody, and Blue Planet Eyes‘ closer, Business, Yeah. This provided a nice mellow break in contrast to the high-energy opening and the peak that was about to come.
Blue Planet Eyes bangers came next with Ordinary and Better Than It Ever Could Be. Guitarist Jack Moffit was on fire, and his guitar tone was next level as he shredded through soaring solos.
“Isn’t it great to have Gideon back?” pronounced Izzi. “Now we’re back together, it feels right!” And it certainly did. Izzi took a moment to acknowledge Indigenous artists before kicking into their Girlhood lead single, Yanada. Being such an emotional and uplifting song, it was a spiritual experience. Izzi hit the heavens vocally in the bridge, and it brought shivers to everyone in the room; the energy was just ecstatic. “The Preatures are back, baby!” she declared.
There was only one song left, and it was the one that everyone had come for, the track that launched them to success, Is This How You Feel?. Izzi’s dance moves were electric as she moved across the stage and into the front row of the crowd, inciting riotous reaction and adulation. There was no need for an encore, as the audience was sufficiently blown away.
What a show! For a band that have just recently reformed, they performed like a well-oiled machine, with each member performing at their peak and having so much fun in the process. This band knows how it feels at the top and how it feels to break up; they have given themselves a second chance, and they play with the respect and intensity that only comes from living through the highs and lows, and tonight they proved their redemption. Let’s hope The Preatures are back for good, baby!
ANTHONY JACKSON
Photos by Linda Dunjey
