10 Must-See Acts At Perth Fringe World 2025

A new year marks a new realm of entertainment, and what better as a Boorloo local than to get down to Perth Fringe World’s 2025 smorgasbord of talents. From its humble beginnings in 2011, the festival has grown into one of the largest annual arts festivals in the Southern Hemisphere, celebrating everything from circus, music, theatre, dance, comedy, and miscellaneous acts. With hundreds of shows across dozens of venues, there’s something to spark the imagination of every festival-goer. To help the average music punter navigate the pages-long spread of entertainment, we’ve handpicked 10 acts that we’re most keen to see this Fringe-mas.

How Not To Run A Music Festival

Those who recently caught Loch Hart Music Festival on its final annual Great Ocean Road spread will absolutely want to keep Tess Birch’s How NOT To Run A Music Festival comedy show on their radar. Birch has a career worthy of a set’s run of anecdotes, having a background as a lawyer, comedian, AND founder of the Loch Hart Fest. From the outrageous chaos of running a music festival five times, from runaway vegan food truck workers, Covid strain outbreaks, and playing-up patrons, Birch’s comedy special will leave music fanatics in stitches. 

Dates: 17th-19th January

Venue: The Laugh Resort at The Shoe

TAB Family 

TAB Family is paving a way of their own in Boorloo, making what they dub “groovy + sexy afro-pop music”. The brainchild multi-talents Ayo Busari and Ayuba SOQS along with an ensemble of Angelo Ravina on keys, Tao Mott on drums, and Ridge Moss on guitar, TAB Family are creating something new amongst the onslaught of Perth’s typical surf-rock exports. The duo released their latest single Ecstasy last week, which can be heard in all its glory over their 2-night Fringe World debut. 

Dates: 24th-25th January

Venue: The Courtyard at State Theatre Centre of WA

Soweto Gospel Choir - History of House

Forget techno - Soweto Gospel Choir urge you to get back in touch with the prime of house music! For two weeks the award-winning South African ensemble will be performing reimagined house hits from their latest collab with DJ Groove Terminator ‘History of House’. Iconic hits such as World Hold On, Free, and You Got The Love will be performed with a flair of South African kwaito. 

Dates: 23rd January - 9th February

Venue: The Rechabite Hall  

Bygone Days: The Music of Studio Ghibli Reimagined

Relive the enchanting scores from iconic Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke. This orchestral reimagining of Joe Hisaishi's work is a must-see for fans of the daydreamy illustrated universe. 

Dates: 4th February

Venue: The Ellington Jazz Club

The Empire Strikes Up The Band

If the silly jazz tune of the Cantina Band has been stuck in your head since you saw A New Hope for the first time, you will LOVE catching this Star Wars-themed jazz set. From the same ensemble that brought Gamer Jazz - The Music of Video Games to 2023 Fringe Fest, this time around they are paying tribute to the arrangements of John Williams through a run of galactic jazz standards. 

Dates: 19th January - 15th February

Venue: The Ellington Jazz Club

Down Under: The Songs That Shaped Australia

Celebrate Australia’s musical legacy with powerhouse vocalist Michelle Pearson and her five-piece band. Featuring classics from Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Paul Kelly, Tina Arena and more, this nostalgic performance is a tribute to the nation’s musical pioneers - and makes us proud to have such a rich music culture! Having won the 2024 Fringe World Award for Music and Musicals, you should definitely keep this one on your list. 

Dates: 30th January - 1st February

Venue: The Courtyard at State Theatre Centre of WA

Cameron James - Broken Records

Comedian Cameron James delivers a mix of sharp storytelling, cultural commentary, and musical comedy in his latest show, Broken Records. Fresh off sellout shows and rave reviews, James’ unique take on life’s absurdities will leave you laughing and singing in equal measure. Described as a “rockstar without a band”, James has a knack for turning bits into catchy earworms - enjoy having him stuck in your head all week long!

Dates: 12th-16th February

Venue: Oasis Comedy Club

Dan Lees: The Vinyl Countdown

This next comedian comes across the great sea from a region with a similar taste in laughs. UK funny man Dan Lees indulges in the fun of crate diving for his new set, taking us through his journey of recreating wacky vinyl covers and breathing new life into them. Reconnect with some old classics, and hold back tears of laughter while doing it.

Dates: 17th-31st January

Venue: The Parlour at The Pleasure Garden 

Kangaroo: The Musical!

Engage with some marsupial magic on one-woman show Kangaroo: The Musical! Written and performed solely by Canberra-based creative Katie Cole, the show is a bundle of Australian bush antics centrered around our most cherished animal. Ranked best in Fringe’s Carabet & Musical Theatre category, hop over to The Leederville Precinct to see what the hype is about. 

Dates: 22nd-25th January

Venue: Evergreens at The Leederville Precinct

An Evening Without Kate Bush

Channel the unconventional whimsy of Kate Bush at the State Theatre Centre in the upcoming weeks, although be warned - “Kate's not there, but you are.” 

Presented by production company Hey Dowling and created by Sarah-Louise Young and Russell Lucas, An Evening Without Kate Bush already proudly dons an award badge and a four star rating, and promises to get both eighties babies and Stranger Things fans alike up and about for some interpretive dancing. 

Dates: 28th January - 2nd February

Venue: State Theatre Centre