Clara La San
Clara La San and Croww live at Freo.Social, Fremantle | 17 June 2026
Walking into Freo Social was like entering a pub in the 90s. With a lot of haze from the smoke machines giving off a mysterious aura. And noticeable lack of visibility. With a lot of younger kids coming out to catch Clara La San on her Chosen Silences tour, with producer CROWW as the support act for the night.
As it was so dark and foggy, there was a striking technological illumination from dozens of
phones recording CROWW's live set. A sight fuelled namely by the content consuming habits of the ‘Tik Tok’ generation, or ‘Gen Z’. It was a brave new world for older concertgoers (and the chaperoning parents sat at the back at the venue).
Still there was joy to be found in seeing the next generation come up and enjoy the live show, reminding this cynically 31-year-old greying music reviewer that live music would continue to live on in the young masses.
There were blinding strobes throughout the night. Undoubtedly similar levels of sensory overload are probably utilized by a few unnamed intelligence agencies and authoritarian states around the globe. It was quite a blinding experience for the photosensitive (with one young punter finding the lighting overwhelming and taking a fall). Despite this, it really added to the eclectic quality of the live music.
CROWW threw down a lot of raps and EDM samples amidst all the blinding flashes that matched to the rhythm of the bass drops and other sounds. It got the young punters moving, and created a moody, almost auspicious atmosphere to dance in. It felt simultaneously dystopian yet euphoric. As if you were dancing to humanities technological collapse, but took too much MDMA to care.
It was a great opener, but the aesthetic really got in the way of seeing who was performing. Even if it was intentional, and a large part of creating the atmospheric quality of the performance. Some level of seeing what you were hearing would have been nice. That aside, hats off to the sound crew and CROWW for a decent opening performance.
The flashing was a little less intense with Clara La San. But the lighting really showcased her
resilience as a performer. With a minimalistic set up of just a microphone, donning sunglasses and black get-up. The focus was very much on La Sans moody, brooding vocals that screamed introspective pop that spoke from a velvety, reflective soul.
Translated live, it really presented La San as a performer that possessed a mysteriously, anonymous aura. Something which the young punters absolutely resounded with. Having themselves also been raised with the anonymity of online life from birth. There was a pull in La Sans music. Which stood on its own, but for older folks felt like a blend of early Banks, Charli XCX and the aesthetic of Lorde.
Her live set harkened back to the old days of musical production via social media. Where it was just your tracks, a social media profile and your listenership. Giving punters something authentic and intimate to dance to. Just her vocals, a blinding bunch of strobes and emotional tracks accompanying a crisp sound that resounded with the youth of today.
It was weirdly sexy, but a total vibe to get onboard with. With the night finishing with La San exiting stage left just as mysteriously as she entered. In the Gen Z equivalent of a Roman Emperor signifying their approval in the gladiatorial arena. Before exiting the venue, a female punter gloriously twerked against Freo Socials wall. In a reverent salute of approval for Clara La Sans moody, velvety music.
Review by Joe Wilson
Photography by Ava Thomson
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