Review: Wednesday at The Naval Store

Wednesday at The Naval Store
w/ Smol Fish, Symmetrical Dogs
Friday, May 29, 2026

Following a raging Perth Festival set alongside MJ Lenderman in 2024, Wednesday were back to remind us why they’re the wildest southern goth-rockers on the planet.

The long-since-sold-out Arrival Fest show was the hottest ticket in town, and there was already a healthy gathering in front of the stage for excellent up-and-comers Symmetrical Dogs. Singer Claire Stanwix is the most extra frontperson in town, and it’s fab, although her exuberant banter and unending confidence aren’t immediately synonymous with the chin-stroking indie-folk of the songs. But when she lets that voice go, as she did on the climax of Americana or a slew of unreleased songs, including closer Project Pig, it’s a wonder to behold. Power, precision and activist sentiment. Don’t sleep on these guys.

By now, Smol Fish are veterans of the big WA tour supports despite having not released an album. It’s been fun watching their transition from twee-upstarts-with-an-edge to the band who now look totally in control, taking on the big stages and crowds with confidence. Standouts like Sweet Taste, Conditionally and Big Love remain the tent poles of their set, but in a vast environment like this it was the shouty emo singalong to 2020 single Cry All the Time that won the day.

Karly Hartzman, Wednesday frontwoman and holder of the mighty wail, was quick to endear herself to Freo noting her love of local restaurant Joy Kitchen (“We had an unbelievable meal there!”) and our local band scene, particularly the bands with animal names playing that night. Nice. But she also didn’t suffer fools, stopping Bitter Everyday to eject a punter who was stupid enough to elbow another fan in the mosh.

That was during a climatic turning point in Friday night’s set, straight after popular country-twang singalong, Elderberry Wine. Hartzman invited the crowd, who’d been respectful to that point, to form a proper mosh pit, and the results were instantaneous. There was even crowd surfing during Townies as Gen Z learned to get up and get loose.

A Wednesday set traditionally builds up to marathon finale Bull Believer and this night was no different, climaxing on the guttural screams of the near-10-minute epic. In standard fashion, Hartzman declared intent as to what she’d be screaming for that night, with Friday’s theme being “Fuck ICE and free Palestine!” and it was awe-inspiring. Then, written specifically for this tour, as it’s reportedly the only song her voice can pull off after all that visceral emoting, the similarly hectic Wasp closed the set; no encore, no need.

If there were any quibbles we missed out on too many Rat Saw Good highlights (there should be a law against leaving Chosen to Deserve, Bath County, Quarry and Turkey Vultures out of the one setlist), and also next to The Rechabite show two years ago, this one wasn’t quite as loud, so it lost a tiny bit in the intensity stakes.

But it’s hard to complain about a night so littered with memorable moments, whether it was a cover of Gary Stewart’s She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinking Doubles) or the song of the night, Pick Up That Knife with its threatening refrain “They’ll meet you outside!” screamed from the top of Hartzman’s lungs.

Despite no MJ Lenderman on this tour (he’s been relegated to recording member only following a breakup with Hartzman, not to mention his own success solo), the band were absolutely sizzling. Xandy Chelmis’ pedal steel kept the Americana backbone of the sound, while touring lead guitarist Jake “Spyder” Pugh is sure to get a permanent call-up soon given the way his Smashing Pumpkins-esque lead guitars squalled in unison alongside Hartzman’s playing on the likes of Hot Rotten Grass Smell and Twin Plagues.

Wednesday are an anomaly in Gen Z’s music taste, with a timeless southern rock and grunge appeal that’s out of step with the mainstream and thus makes them a breath of fresh air. It’s like they’re an old-fashioned 90s rock band just entering the peak of their considerable powers; just as it’s fair to say this is a festival that has well and truly Arrived.

HARVEY RAE

Photos by Adrian Thomson