LIVE: YOMI SHIP 10th ANNIVERSARY – Fremantle | Walyalup, 18 April 2026

LIVE: YOMI SHIP 10th ANNIVERSARY – Fremantle | Walyalup, 18 April 2026
With LovemeNot, Symmetrical Dogs, Flora Road – Mojo’s, Fremantle, Western Australia
Reviewed by Scarlet Black
Photography by Pete Gardner   

 

Feel like hitching a ride to the Underworld and Beyond? Well, if you were lucky enough to be at Mojo’s Saturday night, you were aboard the ride was that was available for the traveller with a penchant for the avant-guard.

Yomi Ship, enjoying a triumphant return to Mojo’s to celebrate their 10-year anniversary – and they brought guests!  

In late 2024, Flora Road came into ‘being’. They may have been bumping around as separate atoms before, occasionally being drawn together and finding common ground but since making their stage debut in August 2024, this band have been honing their craft, putting in the hard yards in the WA live music scene. You may have seen them support larger bands on national tours here or perhaps you caught them at ENCOREFEST! 2025 or even at the Spliffs and Riffs Festival, have no doubt this four-piece experimental, boundary pushing group are now forming the solid roots needed for survival on this ‘Road’.

Thanking the headliner and venue for the opportunity of the stage last night, the unassuming looking, petite vocalist/keyboardist frontwoman, Qayla Locke, relived a dream of receiving an email to support Yomi Ship in February 2025, evidenced (as you would expect in this day of technology) by a social’s snip, when they did indeed receive the offer.  

Despite a loss of a founding member (who took the ‘Road less travelled’) and the gain of guitarist, Peter Brandon, who has slotted in seamlessly with the extremely capable bassist Beth Watt and with a substitute, ‘Gus’ for their regular drummer, Jacinta Thamrin (who was in a musical?), the band delivered ‘Commoditise’ and ‘Anguilla’ before giving up ‘Is’ the band’s 2025 debut single. With ‘Hurt People’ and a sneak peek of a second single release ‘After The Talk,’ Flora Road wrapped it with ‘Premonition’ to the crowd, starting to build.

Symmetrical Dogs (SMD) a three-piece original from Walyalup (Fremantle) hit the stage and front woman Claire, with her frilled shorts and knee socks, reminded me of a quote delivered by ‘Nigel’ (Stanley Tucci) from ‘The Devil Wears Prada’, “Give me a ballerina skirt and a hint of saloon and I’m on board.” Clearly not wearing a skirt, but the frilly shorts had me enraptured as Claire called out, “Why do you all look so scared?”

Now back to the music. Claire leapt into the set with an impressive high side kick (clever idea to wear shorts), with guitarist Mike and drummer Boyd keeping pace and guiding the experience. The crowd beckoned closer and inched their way toward the stage to enjoy the experimental resonance and perhaps, get a better look at Claire lying on her back singing to the ceiling during ‘Afterthoughts.’

SMD had the audience moving – swaying then head banging, with the music turning on itself, leaving the author with a touch of whiplash (possible class action, anyone?).

Leaving with ‘Project Pig,’ and bathed in red light and a guttural howl, SMD ‘blessed’ the head liner ‘to the Heavens.’ A solid local following will see SMD refine the direction and attract new listeners with their future releases.

The slight shift in audience was clear as the local five piece, LoveMeNot, who included a crossover of Flora Road’s keyboardist, Qayla Locke, brought a much heavier mix, occasioning transcendental with a punk edge to the night.

Looking back through the socials, the appearance, the line up and the fashion choices have evolved. No more capes, crystals or backyard party appearances it would seem as LoveMeNot have forged ahead and are making their mark around the WA live scene.

A minor issue with an errant cymbal, brought a slightly longer than expected melodic sway. This may have been when vocalist, Eleanor sank to the floor and brought the moves, reminiscent of the psychedelia inspired lead singers, such as Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick or Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks. Once rectified, the direction was clear and the interlude of shoe gazing, ended – briefly.

Introspective, wild and angsty, LoveMeNot are noticeably more aurally polished than previously. Tight musically and clearly, they love what they do.

The only thing with all three of the vocalists was that in some cases the vocals got lost in the music. Maybe an issue that occurred as a result by the location of perch chosen by the author or perhaps a mix thing? Not having that level of musicality experience, the author will be aware for future experiences. Thought-provoking, nonetheless.

A moment to recollect and reposition themselves, this writer looked up and the venue was full and the anticipation for ‘10 year-in-the-making’ band Yomi Ship was unmistakably clear. The almost ceremonial feel of the incense being lit; drummer, Nick Osbourne, stripping off his jacket; Jarrad Osbourne, guitarist, and Jade Champion, bassist stepping up onto the stage. This was about to get serious.

The difference in lived musical experience was obvious. There is a damn good reason that Yomi Ship have supported some of the biggest acts and gained independent success locally, nationally, and internationally.

Whether you prefer to use the term ‘Prog Rock’ or ‘Math Rock’ (Yes, it is a genre explained to the author by a millennial earlier in the week during a painful Pilates class and then ‘fact checked’ using Wikipedia), Yomi Ship are a heavyweight, professional act.

Having been mildly deterred there were no vocals, I was surprised to find myself absolutely enthralled in this performance whilst reliving a memory from the now defunct Flow Festival. Yomi Ship would have been perfect for that.

Kicking off with ‘What About Fish’, the delight in the audience was clear. After saying hello and thanking all for coming out, ‘Mudokon’ and ‘The Izoko’ saw the collective sink into a state of transcendental bliss.

A quick merch spruke and the band was back into the performance with ‘Ice Drake’, ‘Interlude 2’ and ‘Kohaku/Kawataro’. Undulating, pulsating and confident in their reverb and control, Yomi Ship sailed forward. Jarrad gave us a bit of a joke about despite having been around for ten years, when they first started, they were booted out of the pubs straight after their set as Jade was only 15 years old at the time.

Jarrad paid tribute to “Father Yomi” (father Mal, recently passed) with ‘Of Agartha’ ‘Oni’ as “his favourite”.  Being careful not to be in striking distance of their manager, Jarrad let the cat out of the bag, so to speak, by announcing the release of a new single ‘Dream Eater’ which will be accompanied by a new album and another tour, hopefully by the end of the year.

Mentioning the luck that all their first selections jumped at the chance to support, they were “completely humbled and stoked, all at the same time”. Finishing the set with ‘Sea Monkey’ and ‘Pantathians’, all and sundry were thanked for their support and love, with a promise Yomi Ship will be back soon.

Clearly feeding off each other, Yomi Ship are totally engrossed in what they do and clearly, are talented musicians. Whether connected by the Great Beyond or just fortunate to have stumbled across each other, the author’s prediction is that long after the incense smoke has dispersed, Yomi Ship will endure and keep collecting grateful souls (including this writer) on their continuing journey to the Underworld.

 

 

 

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries