I’ve never been big on religion or believing in God, but back in 2022 I discovered I could always worship a tomato. Seeing Psychedelic Porn Crumpets live again at SO36 on 11 March 2026 confirmed my faith.
Don’t click out yet. I’m talking about Found God in a Tomato, from the Perth band’s debut album High Visceral {Part One}. A track I enjoyed every second of back in 2022, and somehow even more now in 2026.
Let me explain.
One thing the Aussies bring is music that gets you into a trance almost immediately. No wonder they started the show by blasting Nessun Dorma at full volume before opening their set.
This tour came after a ridiculously productive year for the band, celebrating Carpe Diem, Moonman and their latest release, Pogo Rodeo, where atomic rhythms, distortion up the wazoo and surprisingly stubborn melodies all get thrown into the same beautiful mess. If this was the rock mæss, they came ready to preach.
It’s hard not to smile while being pushed around in the moshpit of the legendary, and sold-out, SO36. Your writer here, also the photographer, struggled a tiny bit with a 3kg camera setup while being thrown around by the crowd. Fair. And worth it, to be honest.
Because it’s all fun.
Even when the music is heavy, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets never make the room feel hostile. Their lyrics and stories live in that same strange place, somewhere between cosmic nonsense and very committed imagination. Jack McEwan once explained Found God in a Tomato by saying he had a trip, opened the fridge, found a single tomato, and it basically revealed the universe to him.
Which, honestly, is the kind of theology I can get behind.
The set moved exactly like that too. Salsa Verde and Manny’s Ready to Roll kicked things off with full-speed chaos, Lava Lamp Pisco brought that wonderful floating weirdness, and Found God in a Tomato became the obvious moment of collective worship.
They also pulled from different corners of their catalogue, from High Visceral classics like Marmalade March and Cornflake to newer tracks like Hot! Heat! Wow! Hot! and Pogo Rodeo cuts like The Real Contra Band.
Maybe that’s where the gospel thing comes in. Not because there was anything solemn about it. There really wasn’t. It was sweaty, loud, ridiculous and occasionally dangerous for anyone holding expensive camera gear. But there was something oddly communal about a whole room being led into friendly chaos by a band called Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, screaming along to songs about tomatoes, lava lamps and whatever else was happening inside their heads.
Maybe worshipping a rock tomato just makes me giggle.
All images were taken by Pablo Iriarte with the permission of the artist and venue and are subject to copyright.
For usage rights, please contact photo@piriurdi.es .
