It takes a certain kind of alchemy to turn a cavernous industrial relic into a temple of sound, and at Perth Festival, C.FRIM didn’t just transform the East Perth Power Station—she set it ablaze. Headlining a line-up that brought high NRG back to the abandoned power station for the first time in decades, the Ghanaian-Filipina selector delivered a skilful, genre-blending mix of afrobeat, dancehall, grime, techno, and everything in between, all fusing into a relentless and visually beautiful spectacle.
Supporting act HiTech set the stage for what was to come, priming the crowd with their boundary-pushing soundscapes and madcap antics. HiTech’s three-person assault on the senses felt like a rallying cry for Detroit’s underground spirit, a mix of ghetto tech, house, and hip-hop delivered with reckless joy. Their energy on stage was maximal and even spilt over into the crowd as they jumped off the stage into welcoming arms of amped up revellers. Their performance helped ramp up the crowd that didn’t fill the space. Looking around, it was rather sad, not seeing the place packed for the rafters. The boys were pure lads, and I had to giggle when they talked about consent before launching into a song about bitches and panties, all of which highlights the madness of these post-modern times.
But it was C.FRIM who took things to the stratosphere. Fresh off turning heads at Boiler Room, she commanded the decks with a presence that was both playful and ruthless. Her rewinds were sick, her basslines heavier than some of the crumbling architecture itself, and when she unleashed a thumping dancehall cut laced with warped techno synths, it felt like the whole building might crack apart.
The set was not in the power house but in a recess between the main building and supporting structures. The lasers, lights, smoke and effects were well done, but dancing on gravel felt a bitch sketchy. The venue as a whole, however, was a joy to behold. It was good to see the old girl have a new lease of life, and they did well in projecting art onto the façade of the venue facing the river. It’s sad to think that this will probably be turned into some richo’s apartments as I feel like it should belong to the people of Perth and stay an art space.
The back part is open for evening drinks; even if you don’t have tickets to an event, I recommend you check it out and enjoy a bevvy as you watch the lights dance like fairies on the Derbarl Yerrigan’s cool dark waters. Just don’t blame me if you heed the sirens call and end up buying tickets at the box office for whatever slamming act is pumping out the tuneage in the belly of the power station beast!
C.J. O’HARTE
C.FRIM with nasthug and HiTech appeared at Perth Festival on 15 Feb 2025 at the East Perth Power Station. For more information on this past event, click here.
