» Chelsea Wolfe in Sydney – review and photos Something You Said

Chelsea Wolfe in Sydney – review and photos

May 29, 2025

After a week of darkness and storms heralding the arrival of dark folk artist Chelsea Wolfe, a brief ray of sunshine in the city of Sydney was a lovely change before the darkness returned on stage.

Electro goth synth-pop pixie Aphir opened the show at the Metro Theatre as the sole support, bass heavy and heavenly, Aphir bobbing along to bursts of synthetic noise and ambient pop sensibilities. The crowd were silently transfixed, not a ripple of noise was spoken until the completion of each song.

Applause erupting with a chorus of clapping and hollering, Red Giant, Melting Cups and latest dreamscape The Exception, the set was short but sweet, ethereal and bubbling with minimal banter except to say “Thank you” to the full theatre.

On her fourth visit to these southern lands, occult wanderer Chelsea Wolfe has brought a full band with her to explore her music’s darkest (dis)pleasures. Electronica melds with drumbeats to create a discourse of noise, Chelsea’s elysian vocals rising above the dominating howling of noise, beating of the drums, visceral and intent. The opening salvo showing off the considerable sound the four piece are capable of producing, Whispers in the Echo Chamber, Tunnel Lights and House of Self-undoing, latest record She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She featuring in all its entirety tonight.

This set is heavier than her records perceive, more discordant yet equally complete, the drums are driving, pushing, moving towards an enemy shore unknown. 16 Psyche, Survive, Unseen World. The keys are interspersed with the jangly guitars, becoming the crescendo, a wall of distortion that just collapses instantaneously. The next track, Flatlands, is soft, delicate, gorgeous, juxtaposed to the wall of noise we have been subject to, a wave of golden light radiates across the room. The crowd applauds the moment of clarity, the band disappear in the shadows, nary a whisper in the crowd for The Liminal (Unbound).

As she departs the stage the crowd stamp and clap for more, of course more will come but it’s part of the show nowadays. The foreboding drumbeat of Carrion Flowers heralds the return, the lights scatter and flash, the unearthly tempo of Chelsea’s wail resonates, strobe lights flutter deliberately. The closing number builds upon itself, culminating in a bombastic blast of sonic apocalypse, Pale On Pale to bring to an end gothic splendour of the evening.