Live Review: The Waifs

Iconic Australian trio The Waifs brought their best for their performance at the opening weekend of live shows at Freo.Social. The venue was a relatively small one, but was absolutely brimming with people. The first thing that stood out to you as you walked through the door was the stage. It looked like the inside of a living room from the '70s, with brown velvet armchairs, plants in reed baskets, an old record player with the Bob Dylan record resting on top of it and the vintage-style radio sitting in the wooden bookshelf. The entire set-up was rustic as well as homely, immediately making the venue seem comforting and intimate. When The Waifs later came on stage, Donna Simpson revealed the set-up was actually a replica of her own living room. 

The band opened their set with a lesser-known track Mess Around, from their 2007 album Sun Dirt Water. While this might have seemed an unusual choice for an opening song, they explained that they wanted to open with a rhythm and blues song because it’s what they used to jam to when they first started, and they don’t get the opportunity to play them very often. It no doubt piqued the interest of the audience. Mess Around was then followed by the quintessentially Australian Ironbark and the hauntingly beautiful I Won’t Go Down. The Waifs @ Freo.Social. Photo by Dylan Pearce.The three-piece have been together for 27 years and as expected, they all fit perfectly with one another. The irresistibly outrageous and vivacious Simpson, the gentle but incredibly passionate Josh Cunningham, and the gorgeous Vikki Thorn are all absolutely crucial to the equation. What truly makes them work on stage, is the substance and authenticity behind their performance. They hold nothing back – it is as though the three of them are just sharing music and stories with old friends. The back-and-forth banter, the jokes and the personal stories kept the audience entranced for their entire set. 

While their performance of their 2003 hit London Still was an obvious highlight from the first half of the set, the second half was full of utterly breathtaking performances. Gillian and Bridal Train were particularly memorable, with the entire audience softly singing along towards the end of the latter. It was intensely moving – overwhelmingly beautiful moments like these were scattered throughout the concert. The set came to a close with their renowned and ever-popular track Lighthouse, followed by an unexpected two-song encore. The Waifs provided an enchanting night in Fremantle that showcased how beautiful and thought-provoking music can be.