LIVE: TRANSVISION VAMP – Fremantle | Walyalup, 21 Feb 2026

LIVE: TRANSVISION VAMP – Fremantle | Walyalup, 21 Feb 2026
Metropolis Fremantle, Western Australia | Noongar Boodja 
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
Photography by Pete Gardner

They say that nostalgia is a heady drug, and if so, there were a lot of people high as kites at Metros on Saturday, when Transvision Vamp returned for the first time in thirty-six years, six months and 2 days. Back then the venue was called Cargoes, and Wendy James and Co were playing their fourth West Australian gig in as many nights. For those of us who witnessed that epic run of shows almost four decades ago, the reborn band had a lot to live up to.

Opening the show was young duo The Response, hailing from Christchurch, New Zealand and comprising husband and wife team Andy & Victoria Knopp. She plays bass and sings, he plays guitar and sings a bit more, and the rhythm tracks are all on backing tracks which rounds the sound out really well but also reduces spontaneity. Their songs are good, instantly catchy in a similarly edgy pop-rock early 90’s style to the headliners, and they go down very well amongst the already-buzzing crowd. 

The big energy, of course, is reserved for Wendy James’ ascent to the stage, and the jam-packed crowd are not shy in showing how much they’ve looked forward to seeing The Vamp again. I mentioned the band is reborn – I don’t think it’s fair to say reformed when only James and bassist Dave Parsons remain from the original lineup (fun fact: after TV disbanded Parsons became Stefani-adjacent as the founding bassist of Gavin Rossdale’s grungepop band Bush). Rounding out the lineup are ex-Bad Seed (and a thousand other bands and producer credits) Jim Sclavunos on the drum kit, Alex Ward from The Thurston Moore Group and Pip Stakem on guitars, Matt Millership working the keyboards.

Opener Trash City sets the tone – the band are hot, James is loving being centre stage again and sounding great, the songs are as vital and energised and weekend-party-fuel as they ever were and the crowd throw themselves into it with intoxicated abandon.

The setlist is a Vamp fan’s wet dream: their cover of Holly & The Italians’ Tell That Girl To Shut Up, I Want Your Love, Born To Be Sold, Revolution Baby, Landslide Of Love and classic Baby I Don’t Care, which ended the main set – all perfect slices of sugary rock enough to turn anyone into a addict craving more.

Along the way there are slightly deeper cuts like Sister Moon and Pay The Ghosts, as well as one of James’ many solo songs, You’re A Dirtbomb Lester.

It wasn’t too many years ago James was ruling out any chance of ever touring as Transvision Vamp again, but the ecstatic response from the crowd proves that relenting was the best move she could have made. With chief songwriter Nick Christian Sayer not present on this tour it seems unlikely the band will record another album, but hopefully we’ll see them back in town again before too long.

Of course, some present wanted to judge with their eyes more than their ears and complained that the frontwoman was showing her age. Considering the gig is one month to the day after her sixtieth birthday, personally I think she’s looking and sounding outstanding – and not just “for her age” – and her effusive appreciation of the crowd response was nothing short of endearing.

So, did the gigs compare, 36 and a half years later? It’s hard to measure when one’s memory of the past has had so long to amplify and almost become folklore in one’s mind – I do recall the first of those four 1989 shows was far over capacity at The Stadium at The Herdesman Hotel, so the energy levels were off the charts, as was the sweat in the room. Musically, I couldn’t have expected any more than Transvision Vamp gave in 2026 and loved every minute of it almost on a par as when we were all far younger and closer to our prime.

“We’ve got an epic encore for you,” James declares as the band return to the stage to even more whoops, hollers, cheers and screams, and they deliver, beginning with The Only One, another solo track in The Impression of Normalcy, the sultry and sexalicious Bad Valentine, before climaxing with the moody, grandiose Velveteen, ten or so minutes of pure prog pop.

Now, that’s epic indeed.

Setlist:
Trash City
Tell That Girl to Shut Up
I Want Your Love
Sister Moon
Pressure Times
If Looks Could Kill
You’re a Dirtbomb, Lester
Born to Be Sold
Down on You
Revolution Baby
Pay The Ghosts
Landslide of Love
Baby I Don’t Care

The Only One
The Impression of Normalcy
Bad Valentine
Velveteen

 

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries