Ruby Field
Ruby Fields, Mac The Knife and Smol Fish live at Freo.Social, Fremantle | 16 May 2026
Australian indie-rock favourite Ruby Fields closed out the Small Achievements tour with a stop at Freo.Social. The tour centred around performing the album in full alongside older songs from her catalogue.
The evening kicked off with local favorites Smol Fish, who instantly charmed the already large crowd with their endearing, bittersweet indie-pop. Their infectious melodies and conversational lyricism made them the perfect fit for the lineup, easing the crowd into the evening to come.
Then Mac The Knife arrived. All movement and restless energy; Delivering the night’s liveliest performance with chaotic, theatrical punk fury. Frontman Bryn Chapman Parish, fully committed to the rockstar theatrics, twice abandoned the stage to venture into the crowd. Turning an already energetic set into something far more chaotic and intimate. With their gritty sound and commanding stage presence, they delivered a headline-worthy performance, leaving the crowd wanting for more.
Then came the main event. Ruby Fields and her band took the stage to deafening reception.
Launched directly into the tracklist of Small Achievements (her first studio album in five years) playing it in its entirety, in sequence. Opening with the spoken word ‘Dunny’, transitioning into the driving rhythms of ‘92 Purebred’ and the hook-heavy single ‘Half the Laugh’, the crowd was immediately locked in for the ride. The crowd fell into a hushed reverence during the heavy, atmospheric build of ‘Mosquitos’ and the raw vulnerability of ‘The Floods’ (played solo on the piano), before bouncing back with absolute fury during the grittier, guitar-heavy climax of ‘Muscle’.
Ruby paused occasionally to chat with the crowd with her trademark, down-to-earth wit, reflecting on the tumultuous few years of floods, breakups, and self-reckoning that influenced the album.
Woven seamlessly throughout the set were the classic hits that skyrocketed Ruby into the hearts of triple j listeners years ago - Pretty Grim, Dinosaurs, I Want, and Ritalin. Dinosaurs triggered a venue-wide singalong so loud it threatened to shake the exposed beams of the old artillery drill hall. A pair of inflatable dinosaur costumed punters were seen dancing amongst the crowd.
Playing an album front-to-back can sometimes be a gamble, but the album’s themes of self-compassion, suburban life, and navigating adulthood resonated strongly in the room.
A night of small achievements that felt entirely monumental. No pretense, just a guitar and a grin.
Review by LG
Photography by Ava Thomson
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