A Night of Community: The Forever Party Light Up The Wyola

3 days ago
6 min read

There is something special about arriving early to a venue.

Long before the first note rings out, you get to watch a night slowly come to life.

When I arrived at The Wyola in Fremantle, downstairs at the Honky Tonk Blues Bar was already buzzing.

Boots scooted across the dancefloor while others gathered around the pool tables, catching up before heading upstairs. After nearly fifteen years living in the country, I'd almost forgotten just how many different worlds can exist under one roof.

Just two days before this show, an invitation landed in my inbox.

It was from The Forever Party.

I'd first seen them earlier this year at Scarborough Beach Weekender, and ever since I'd wanted the chance to see them in their own headline environment. That festival had been a significant milestone for BTN, but I'd walked away feeling like I hadn't quite done justice to the opportunity. Nobody else probably thought that—I did. So when this invitation arrived only days before Tay's birthday, it felt like exactly the opportunity I needed.

Sometimes life has a funny way of nudging you in the direction you're supposed to go.

As always, I found a quiet corner, phone in hand, camera close by, tapping notes while people slowly filtered upstairs. Somewhere along the way I'd apparently forgotten that tattoos, cameras and dreadlocks still attract a few curious looks. I'm not sure I blend into the crowd quite as well as I think I do anymore.

One thing I love about arriving early is watching everything happen before the lights go down. Venues like The Wyola aren't just about what happens on stage. There's ticketing to sort, merchandise to set up, musicians catching up, photographers finding their angles and staff making sure everyone is looked after.

During a changeover, one of the venue staff even stopped to check that I had everything I needed. It's a small gesture, but it's exactly the sort of thing that makes intimate venues like this feel welcoming.

A Polaroid camera sat waiting in the foyer, with guests encouraged to leave little snapshots behind for The Forever Party to take home after the show. It was another reminder that tonight wasn't just about putting on a gig—it was about creating memories together.

By the time the lights dimmed, the warm amber glow of the stage, broken occasionally by cooler blues and the gentle drift of the smoke machine, transformed the upstairs loft into its own little world. Despite the room filling steadily, it never felt cramped, and once the music began, the sounds of the boot-scooting downstairs disappeared completely.

Oakabella Mae

Opening a room is never easy, but Oakabella Mae - what can I say? They made it feel effortless.

The Boorloo-based indie-folk artist eased the audience into the evening with rich, heartfelt songwriting and beautifully expressive vocals, gradually drawing more people upstairs until the room felt comfortably full.

There was an easy chemistry between Kiara and the accompanying musicians that made the performance feel warm and genuine rather than rehearsed. It wasn't just a band playing songs—it felt like friends sharing music they genuinely loved.

Then came one of the funniest moments of the night.

Before launching into Finding a Worm, Oakabella Mae invited the audience to help by making exaggerated apple-eating noises. Finn Alexander, waiting side stage, immediately threw himself into the challenge, quickly joined by another enthusiastic audience member. Suddenly the room was filled with enthusiastic crunching sounds and plenty of laughter.

Only then did everyone discover the next song... wasn't Finding a Worm.

After everyone had fully committed to their award-worthy apple impressions, Oakabella Mae casually played another song before eventually circling back to Finding a Worm later in the set. The entire room burst into laughter, and it became one of those perfectly unscripted moments that only live music can create.

Another lovely moment came as Kiara shared that only a few years ago they'd been standing in the crowd watching The Forever Party perform. Now they were opening for them.

But my favourite moment came right at the end of the set - During the final song, each musician was introduced one by one, taking a well-earned moment of recognition before something really special happened.

Rather than simply finishing the song and walking off stage, they turned towards one another, locking into an fun jam that felt completely natural.

Smiles were exchanged, heads rocked to the rhythm and, for a few minutes, it felt like the audience had been invited to witness friends simply enjoying making music together.

It wasn't flashy or over-produced.

It was genuine.

Moments like that remind you that the best live performances aren't just about technical ability—they're about musicians enjoying the experience as much as the audience. It was the perfect way to close a set that was as heartfelt as it was entertaining.

That, in many ways, summed up the spirit of the evening.

Airline Food

Changing the pace without losing the energy is never an easy task, but Airline Food managed it beautifully.

Blending psychedelic guitar textures with shimmering synth lines, the Perth four-piece shifted the mood while keeping the audience completely engaged. Their music comfortably moved between dreamy '60s-inspired jams and punchier indie-pop moments, creating a sound that felt expansive without losing its intimacy.

What impressed me most was how alive everything felt. Rather than simply recreating studio recordings, songs stretched and evolved naturally, giving the audience something unique to that night. It was immersive, energetic and the perfect bridge between Oakabella Mae's introspective folk and the explosive headline set still to come.

Throughout the night, one thing became increasingly obvious. There wasn't a sense of competition between the bands. They watched each other's sets, encouraged one another and celebrated each other's successes. That sense of community quietly ran through the entire evening.

The Forever Party

By the time The Forever Party stepped onto the stage there was one obvious problem.

Everyone was standing far too politely.

Finn Alexander wasn't about to let that continue.

Within moments he invited everyone to move forward, and almost instantly the empty space in front of the stage disappeared as the crowd surged closer.

From that point on, the room belonged to the music.

Having seen them earlier this year at Scarborough Beach Weekender, it was impossible not to notice how much the band had grown. Already a fantastic live act, they somehow managed to lift the bar even higher.

Their songs carried emotional weight while never losing their sense of joy. Driving rhythms, soaring violin and rich harmonies combined to create a sound that felt both expansive and deeply personal.

There were moments of quiet introspection before the band would burst into powerful crescendos, only to turn back towards one another for joyful little jams that reminded everyone they were simply friends making music together.

If there was one word that summed up The Forever Party, it was connection.

Their music explores the big emotions we all carry—hope, uncertainty, belonging and the people who help us through life's hardest moments—but somehow never becomes weighed down by them. Instead, those themes become something shared, inviting the audience into the story rather than simply asking them to listen.

Finn spent almost as much time talking with the audience as singing to them, creating a performance that felt more like a shared experience than a traditional concert. Between songs there were stories, laughs and genuine conversations that blurred the line between performer and audience.

Towards the end of the set he stepped down from the stage altogether, singing amongst the crowd as people gathered around him. It was one of those moments that perfectly captured what live music is capable of doing—bringing complete strangers together for a few unforgettable minutes.

Of course, no Forever Party performance would seem complete without Finn's signature hair whips, thrown into the show with enough enthusiasm to earn cheers all on their own.

It was impossible not to smile.

Final Thoughts

As the final notes rang out, nobody seemed in a hurry to leave.

The foyer upstairs quickly filled with people chatting about the show, catching up with musicians and browsing the merch table. It was another reminder that nights like this don't finish when the last song ends.

As I was getting ready to head home, Finn stopped to thank me for making the trip all the way from Mount Barker before handing me one of The Forever Party caps to take home.

It wasn't about the cap.

It was simply another reminder of what this evening had been about from the very beginning.

Community.

Scarborough Beach Weekender had left me feeling like I still had something to prove to myself. This invitation gave me the chance to stop worrying about that and simply get back to doing what I love.

Somewhere between apple-eating sound effects, psychedelic grooves, soaring violin, spontaneous jams and a frontman singing in the middle of the crowd, I realised there was nothing left to redeem.

I just needed to keep turning up.

After one last look around The Wyola, I pointed the car back south. Like most Perth gigs these days, there was one final stop amongst the trees for a quick power nap before finishing the drive home.

And already looking forward to the next adventure.

Because nights like this remind you that live music isn't just built by the artists on stage.

It's built by every person who chooses to show up.

By Uncle Tatt — host of “Between the Notes,”

where music builds community, one gig at a time..

The Forever Party