Monday, 18 June 2007

REVIEW: The Aviators

THE AVIATORS
MIGHTY MIGHTY
SATURDAY 16 JUNE
Review and Photo's By Charlette Hannah

Paddy Breakley on guitar

David McGurk on drums

Kane Sherwood on guitar

James Mason, Dave Brennan, Simon Love and Kane Sherwood

Paddy Breakley, Ned Worboys, James Mason and Dave Brennan

James on Sax and Dave on Trombone

Mighty Mighty on Saturday was thick with ‘funk, crunk and grime’ courtesy of The Aviators. The funk is obvious – these boys are so full of it you could imagine them dancing themselves off the edge of the building and on the way down too, where they would get up and just keep on dancing. Or maybe it’s just me. The grime became clear about two songs into the set, when sweat was dripping down my face, and I was hardly even dancing! The venue was so packed out there was hardly room to move, and even less to breathe, but it was all worth it. (Someone’s going to have to explain ‘crunk’ to me though.)

The gig marked the release of The Aviators first album (following on from their EP in 2004) and the turnout proved how popular the band has become since they first started as a five piece way back in the day. Now an eight piece, The Aviators are even tighter than when I first saw them at Southern Cross a few months back, and they were tight then. It’s hard to tell how much is playing a song and how much is jamming, but I don’t think it really matters, as the result is good.

Each musician stands out, while contributing to the overall sound, from Simon Love’s wicked bass lines, to Paddy Breakley’s interesting and controlled guitaring. Drummer David McGurk is brilliantly creative with those sticks. Singer Ned Worboys has a smooth slick voice, and the songs are quality.

The whole band is great to watch, in their suits, dancing and communicating with each other. It’s good to see a band dress nicely. I figure, if you expect people to come along and listen to/watch you, it’s important to respect their eyes. Also, The Aviators are never standing still. That’s also an important ingredient in a good live show.

If you missed out, you really missed out. You can still get their album though, and they seem to have quite regular gigs at the Southern Cross, so head along next time you see a poster. Also, I recommend checking out the ‘band’ section on their website below, as it contains a rather amusing description of each member.

www.theaviators.co.nz

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