REVIEW: Worn Villain

WORN VILLAIN
VALVE
THURSDAY 27 SEPTEMBER
Words and Photo's by Charlette Hannah



Worn Villain totally rocked my socks off on Thursday night at Valve. From the very first song they had me hooked, with their pounding drums, and melodic, dynamic guitaring. On the second song the bass player put his bass down and took the mic. I was impressed that the band managed to keep the full tight sound even without the bass underneath. I got a bit frustrated with that song though - the primal screaming doesn't really do it for me, and I wish metal bands could be loud and sing powerfully without the screaming. Having said that, they do the screaming thing very well.

The music was unpredictable and very dynamic. The drums were forceful and solid, and the bassist and guitarist switched between instruments and vocals with equal fluency. According to a friend who is more familiar with this style of music than me, they sound like a mix between Shellac and early Metallica in their instrumentation.

I feel I have to make a note about Blair, the Valve sound engineer - again, proving himself to be one of the best around. Not only does he mix a wicked sound, at one point the bass player's strap came off, and as he knelt down to continue playing, Blair got up on stage and fixed it for him so he could stand up and resume the dual vocals. Credit to Worn Villain is due of course, for not pausing for even a second and letting up on their assault - the drummer threw away a stick, the bass player lost his strap, and you wouldn't have even noticed aurally.

All in all, the music was original and powerful. I loved it, and it's not even my usual kind of thing. Worn Villain appear to be a mostly instrumental band, which is unusual, but suited me fine, as I turned off a bit during the growling vocals. The last song was my favourite, it was powerful and absolutely beautiful in a slightly disconcerting way.

If you like quality heavy rock/metal, I would definitely recommend checking these guys out. I think if they brought in some more melodic vocals (ie. Tool, System of a Down) they could have a much broader appeal.

myspace.com/wornvillain

REVIEW: Pisces

PISCES
ACOUSTIC LOUNGE
SAN FRANCISCO BATHHOUSE
WEDNESDAY 26 SEPTEMBER
Words and Photo's by Charlette Hannah



Guitarist/singer Martin started the show with his back to the audience - a brave move. Picking the guitar strings, he then launched into a rich and interesting full band song. With Martin providing ample guitar instrumentation, and backing from a varied and competent rhythm section, Pisces were a great listen right from the start.

I have to admit that I couldn't find anything on the web about the band, so I don't know their full names, or the spellings of them. If anyone would like to help out with that information, it'd be much appreciated!

Backing singer Carly had a beautiful soulful voice, with a lovely trill and easy feeling to it. The tambourine got a little boring, but it did add another dimension to the percussion. She took the lead on a fantastic acoustic rock 'n roll number - Jimmy Jones I think it was called. It was great to hear the harmonies between her and Martin. She smiled the whole way through, nice to see someone really enjoying being on stage.

The upbeat pop/rock had slight country tones, and the performance was dynamic. The songs were instantly catchy, and with the laid back drumming, powerful guitar and great bass tones, Pisces were an entertaining and pleasant listen for a Wednesday evening.

REVIEW: OdESSA and The Thomas Oliver Band

OdESSA
THE THOMAS OLIVER BAND
SAN FRANCISCO BATHHOUSE
FRIDAY 21 SEPTEMBER
Words by Peter Baillie
Photo's by Sheryn Simpson

Matt Pender

Paul Mouncey

Dan Ryland

Matthew 'Puba' Swain

The Thomas Oliver Band

Expectations were high on Friday night - after a long wait, OdESSA's much anticipated second album was ready for release and they wanted to celebrate it in style. A good portion of Wellington decided to join them.

OdESSA has become a local legend with their feverish, high-octane performances coupled with fantastic tunes and beats that you can't help but dance to. Their album 'The Prize' finally manages to capture the energy and polish of their live show in a studio album.

With so much expectation for the headliners, the Thomas Oliver Band took to the stage with no fanfare- not that stage fright is a problem for a young man who opened for Eric Clapton at the Mission Estate concert earlier this year!

It only took a minute for the crowd to get right into their performance, and each song ramped up the excitement from there. A three piece comprising Thomas (guitar and vocal), Steven (electric and upright bass) and Tom (drums), they made effortless changes through folk, pop, rock, soul, slow blues and country. Closing with the show-stopper 'All I Can Say', Thomas led the band through a medley of 'Cocaine' by JJ Cale and 'Ground On Down' by Ben Harper before snapping back to their own song to close the set. They left the stage to rapturous - and justified - applause, with many new fans.

OdESSA has played hundreds of shows in the last 5 years (I've been to almost all of them!) but obviously wanted to make this one special. Usually playing as a four-piece, they were joined this evening by a female vocalist, percussionist and keyboard player.

Concentrating on numbers from the new album, each band member excelled. Laying a ferocious beat that belies the scaled-down drumkit, Matthew 'Puba' Swain gave unstoppable groove to each number. Paul Mouncey on bass laid down fantastic lines that complemented everyone else's performance, and blew the crowd away with a bass solo that most guitarists wouldn't have a hope of replicating. Dan Ryland, the new guitarist, threw off melodic lead breaks and gentle acoustic numbers with equal ease.

Above all, Matt Pender, the ultimate frontman, blessed with athletic dancing, a fantastic voice and unbreakable stage presence. His dancing turned the crowd into a wild, sweaty yet good-natured mosh pit. The crowd danced, jumped, clapped, sang and yelled for more.

This was undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable gigs I've been to, and it's a wonderful thing that two bands should have the courage to play a wide variety of styles and be so warmly received by everyone present. Out of five stars, this gig gets a Milky Way.

REVIEW: Changeling

CHANGELING
THE ADELAIDE
FRIDAY 21 SEPTEMBER
Words by Charlette Hannah
Photo's by Matt Walsh


Not many bands these days seem to have the guts to begin a set with a blistering guitar solo before moving into a song. However, newcomers Changeling did just that, bringing to mind great instrumental bands such as Led Zeppelin. For a debut gig, this three-piece had a helluva stage presence, and quite a unique sound in these times dominated by indie pop/rock. Not to say I don't like indie pop/rock, because I do, but it's nice to have a change. I kind of think they would fit in well with those late 70's bands - Led Zeppelin, Cream and the like.

With Julian van der Krogt's blues/rock riffs, solid and interesting bass from Jamie Hughes, and hard hitting drums from Hans Weston, Changeling are a forceful live act. Julian was singing live on stage for the first time - there were a few shaky notes, but overall I was more than impressed with his rich deep voice.

Like any new act, they do need a bit of polishing and tightening up, the sound was slightly messy, but they have the raw energy and quality of songs that make a great live band. They were well received by the crowd with whoops from the audience, and a patron even singing a riff after they finished playing. I think we can expect a lot more to come from these guys.

myspace.com/changelingband

REVIEW: Infrared

INFRARED
THE ADELAIDE
FRIDAY 21 SEPTEMBER
Words by Jim Kyak Jr
Photos by Hans Weston

If you could make it through the doors of the Adelaide last Friday night and bare the intense fire of noise created by Infrared, then you might have noticed this was their EP release, and they weren’t going let you get out of the joint without knowing about it.

Steve Davey (vocals & bass), Carl Green (guitar), and Ben Payne (drums) unleashed a 100% proof concoction of visceral high energy rock/punk. Steve has some strong pipes inside him and is matched well by Carl’s creative wall of sound guitar playing and Ben’s tight and energetic drumming.

Only slight quibble is that the sound level could have come down a notch so that I didn’t get waxy fingers, but that said, music like this is meant to be loud. Infrared aren’t background music. This was a tight and energetic set by the Wellington three-some and I strongly recommend you catch them around town on one of their many local EP tour dates.

myspace.com/infraredmusic

REVIEW: White Night

WHITE NIGHT
THE ADELAIDE
FRIDAY 21 SEPTEMBER
Words and Photo's by Charlette Hannah



It was a night of hard rock at The Adelaide on Friday night, and for me, the standout performance came from White Night. From the first upbeat ska-like rock song, with the singer Mat Lear throwing himself round the stage, their energy was infectious, and the music followed suit.

White Night's tight beats were overlaid Mat's smooth, powerful vocals. Mat has a great voice, one of the best male vocals I've heard for a while. Each band member really moved with the song. Mark Traveller's sometime pounding, sometimes tricky drum beats were perfectly complemented by Steve Hitchcock on the bass. With guitar coming from Mat and Dave Ralph, White Night have a wicked live sound.

The dynamics were loud without being obnoxiously overdriven, and pulled back without losing the flow. The songs were catchy, and reminded me somewhat of Sublime, but rockier. I'm already addicted to their songs 620 and Rainman (on their myspace).

REVIEW: Achilles Botes

ACHILLES BOTES
THE MIGHTY MIGHTY
THURSDAY 20 SEPTEMBER
Words and Photo by Charlette Hannah


It's only the second time I've seen Achilles Botes perform live, but his songs seem familiar already. He's definitely one of the more interesting solo acts, with his loop and various other pedals, slide and layered rhythms.

Achilles has a tuneful voice with a bit of a rock edge, and his songs are very catchy. He ranges from melodious folk to upbeat rock. He even threw in a Greek song.

The word that springs to mind when thinking about his song is earnest. Not a 'nice try dear' kind of earnest, but an open, honest, sincere kind of authenticity. It's a pleasure to watch.

Visit myspace.com/achillesbotes
Earlier review

REVIEW: Tim Beveridge

TIM BEVERIDGE with
RUSS GARCIA
THE OPERA HOUSE
SATURDAY 15 SEPTEMBER
Words by Charlette Hannah

It was an unusual music experience for me this Saturday. My neighbour popped over at four in the afternoon with some tickets for Tim Beveridge, saying she'd had one beer too many, and didn't quite feel up to it. So they were mine. For someone who is used to standing up, loud talking, sometimes dodgy sound systems, and a wide range of professionalism, it was actually rather nice to dress up a little and join the baby boomers for a seated, orchestrated concert.

Tim Beveridge is a pretty average looking guy, but wow can he sing. It's no wonder the legendary Russ Garcia came out of semi-retirement to work with him. Russ credited 'my music, and beautiful young Italian wife' for still being on stage at the age of 91. Ninety-one! It was cool to be part of the audience for a man who has worked with artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

The instrumentation and singing was, of course, flawless. Tim seemed a little wooden in the first half, but relaxed and improved dramatically in the second half. His humourous side came out when performing a Tom Lehrer song 'When You Are Old and Grey', as well as a satire of the Catholic Church. As well as performing many great classics, such as New York, New York, The Lady Is A Tramp and Bad Leroy Brown, he quite amusingly did the Loveboat theme.

Guest singer Sarah Bradley from Good Morning was slightly less impressive vocally, although she does have a lovely voice. But she has one helluva sassy attitude and is a great performer. The duets of Summertime and When I Fall In Love were a high point of the show.

The backing Neophonic Orchestra were superb, both as a whole, and as individual soloists.

It was a lovely evening, although I did find myself longing for rock in a bar by the end!

REVIEW: Timothy Blackman

TIMOTHY BLACKMAN
HAPPY BAR
FRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER
Words and Photo by Charlette Hannah


Arriving from Auckland just in time for his gig with Matthew Holleman, ex-Wellingtonian Timothy Blackman strode up on stage with his strapping frame and small guitar, and proceeded to tune with a pitch pipe. I decided I liked him. Sometimes people get so bogged down with fancy equipment and the professional image that it takes someone like Tim to come along and remind us what it's about. Which is music of course. But it's also about having fun and connecting with people, and this is something Tim does pretty darn well.

It wasn't a case of non-stop banter, but I still got an impression of strong humour, and someone who was there to have fun rather than sell CD's. Some of the guitaring was pretty simple, but it was more than made up for by his powerful voice. Vocal delivery was interesting; after one unusual song he admitted "got a bit silly there". Tim is certainly not your standard singer/songwriter.

All in all, it was tuneful and interesting, and a pleasure to watch.

Visit myspace.com/timothyblackman

REVIEW/INTERVIEW: Good Laika

GOOD LAIKA
THE MIGHTY MIGHTY
THURSDAY 30 AUGUST
Words and Photo's by Rosie Morgan

On Thursday night, I was fortunate enough to attend the over-crowded, and inspiring show for Good Laika's debut album release (Heads I Win, Tails You Lose) at the Mighty Mighty. Due to work restraints, I missed Age Pryor who started the show, but arrived just in time for Good Laika's set. The band all looked a little nervous, but were excited about the new stage the Mighty Mighty had put in, and firmly reinforced the fact that there would be no encores as they were all very tired, which is a shame really, because Good Laika are one of those bands you could sit and listen to for hours, and not get sick of.

I was very impressed with the music, the relaxed atmosphere, and the friendliness of the band welcomed you into the set, and invited you to get carried along into the Good Laika sound. One look at these guys, and you just know they deserve to be a success.

After the show, I interviewed Ricky Boyd (drums).

ON NZ Music vs International:

"Nz's definitely pushing boundaries. I mean, we've got the Mint Chicks, the Pheonix Foundation... its all happening. Our resources though are more 60's, 70's. We know {nz music} is there, but we're more like ostriches, keeping our heads underground and see what we like".

RB says they're more into soaking up "old history", that their music is ethics based, and that they play with emotion and feeling. They use it in their approach to each individual instrument. "Our past present and future are elemental", he says.

And it sure shows. Robin Hinkley's vocals are just one example of the way GL do this. He has a voice that carries far above the vocal melody, far above all the other intrumentation, that carries far. You just know he's singing from the heart, and as soppy as that sounds, I think the sure sign of a a good musician is the ability to express heart and soul and effect the audience. In Tooth and Nail, he sings "I know you're tired" repeatedly, and the audience were swaying, captivated. When you combine RH's voice in harmony with the backup vocals of Jason Faafoi, you have this effect maximized.

Jason also has the same gorgeous, soulful quality to his voice that RH does, but with a little more of an Island Twist. During the Mighty Mighty set, he dedicated a song that he wrote (Coming Home) to his "island sister", who was getting teary as he sang it. This song was a gorgeous island/calypso/melodic tune, that fitted so nicely with the rest of the set, and again, there was much swaying along.

On Keeping off the Radar until now:

They've actually been together for around 4 years, but all of the members have been involved with solo projects, or other bands... for example OdESSA, Boomshack, TV Acting... to name the few obvious ones.

Ricky's' also been involved with drum lessons at various schools and jazz groups, so its a wonder how they even find the time to practice, let alone perform.

Its really only been the last year they're all been able to commit 100% - and, more impressively, only the last 2/3 months that they've recorded, promoted, and released thier Debut- Heads I Win, Tails You Lose, available in stores from 3rd September, if you weren't lucky enough to snatch up one at the show.

On their Overall Sound:

"I'd say... soulful. Its like the ethics of trying to get the best out of a song without being egotistical. So, ego-free. I suppose its truthful" - RB says, and I agree. Everything they play, everything they sing, they're in a moment, and they're reaching out to you.

Aside from the vocals, which embody the soulful element, you also have the talented Nic Marshall on the keys, carrying away the melody, giving it all a dreamy feel, and Matthew Armitage on bass, adding his own spin on calypso rhythm with unique bass lines that compliment all the other elements of the band.

With a band like this, sometimes its easy to forget drums and leave them out all together, but Ricky's skill as a drummer shows in that he can integrate various types of drumming into the band easily, that elevates the music to a new level.

What's on your iPod at the moment?

"Obviously we listen to a lot of Calypso music, thats a major influence". He also listens to TV on the Radio, Grizzly Bear, Air and Beck quite alot at the moment.

If you could tour with anyone, who would it be?

"I suppose I should keep it kiwi, but i'll say Air, Beck, or maybe Belle and Sebastian"

Whats your vision for the bands future?

A World Tour, of course! But a relaxed tour. "To enjoy each others company. I'd like to tour the world and keep that relaxed, friendly aspect.... we're an eclectic, slow band, so a slow tour would be best. We're all friends, so, whatever we do, we're going to have fun." And because of that aspect, he says its also one of those projects that they could leave for a year and return to, with no major issues.

This was shown in the Mighty Mighty show also. There was a lot of joking, a lot of laughing, and a lot of Robin telling the audience off for complimenting Matthew on his shirt, and not complimenting anyone else. "If you're going to compliment him, you have to be nice to the rest of us!!!". I hasten to say the show was "comfortable", but you felt welcomed, you felt at home with the music. Often it felt more like a home gig or (albeit amazingly brilliant) jam session. So it was a friendly relaxed atmosphere, and I think the band should be pleased with that.

Hopes for Heads I Win, Tails You Lose

"We're not trying to push it too far, we're trying to be ourselves", RB says. Promotion and business come 2nd. While of course they do want the album to be a success, he says "its like the first photo of a series yet to be finished".

This is the album of (hopefully!) many more, so its a snapshot of where Good Laika are at now. RB - "We're constantly moving forward and changing, so who knows when the next photo will be."

(Heads I Win, Tails You Lose is available in stores from Monday 3rd Sept. Hit the boys up on their myspace if you've never heard of them- you won't be dissappointed - I'm glad "Midnight" is up there!. myspace.com/goodlaika )

ED's note: Interview with Robin Hinkley posted next week.

REVIEW: Peneloping

PENELOPING
SAN FRANCISCO BATHHOUSE
FRIDAY 10 AUGUST
Words and Photo's by Charlette Hannah

Christopher

Kirsten

At the start of Peneloping's set I was pretty unimpressed. It sounded loose and unrehearsed and there were a few 'what's going on?' moments. As the set went on I was more won round, however in all honesty I wasn't particularly inspired.

Both Kirsten and Christopher have lovely voices, although some of the harmonies were a little shaky. The second song was a vast improvement on the first, and it did get better as they continued. I found the overall tone pleasant, and there were a lot of melodic changes, which is always nice, but not many dynamics.

The music is cutesy and charming, catchy quirky pop tunes. It sounded unpolished to me, but there is definitely potential. It's good to hear male and female vocals together.

REVIEW: Carol Bean

CAROL BEAN
THE WANTED SESSIONS
MIGHTY MIGHTY
THURSDAY 2ND AUGUST
Words and Photo by Bill in NZ

Recent additions to the music scene around Wellington are the "Wanted Sessions" at Mighty Mighty - on the first Thursday of each month.

The past Thursday had a treat for lovers of real music. Carol Bean opened, with backing by Jim Nicolson on bass, Costa Botes on guitar and harmonica by Lester Mundell on the occasional song.

Carol learned her guitar playing from Ry Cooder, and performs in several styles - blues, folk-blues, alt-country, roots, a bit of bluegrass, Americana - call it what you will, but this night let's call it alt-country at its best. Think of Lucinda Williams and Gillian Welch - and you'd be close. Carol did songs by both, as well as some of her own songs.

Good music from each of the musicians, made special by Carol's vocals.

It was the kind of music and kind of winter night where one set by Carol and her band weren't enough.

For information on Carol Bean

www.carolbean.com/

and information on Mighty Mighty
myspace.com/mightymightybar

REVIEW: The Matt Langley Band

THE MATT LANGLEY BAND
HAPPY
SATURDAY 28 JULY
Words and Photo's by Charlette Hannah

Matt Langley

Matt goes solo

Hometown Records founder Dylan Galletly and Matt Langley

The band

The show started gently, with a slow acoustic riff, sparse bass notes and harmonica. Gradually the band built up, and launched into a solid country rock groove with Moving On. Matt Langley was in fact the first act I ever reviewed for Wellington Live Music, and I liked the music right away. Months later, with the band fuller and tighter, and an EP, Lost Companions, recently released, it's even better.

My personal favourite is the upbeat country rock song Cry Johnny Cry, but Matt shows his depth of emotion and skill in writing in other songs, such as Sometimes Love Is Not Enough. His voice is smooth and full, but with a slight gravelly edge to it which brings to mind great rock singers.

The sound filled the venue, people were up and dancing, and it was the biggest crowd I've seen at Happy yet. I would have liked to hear a bit more keys in the mix, and for while my view was blocked by dancers, but that's not really anything to complain about.

The band took a break after the first set and left Matt on the stage to do a couple of mellower solo songs, after which they returned for a second, shorter set. I think Matt could really go a long way with his music, and I don't like to make such predictions often.

REVIEW: Rosy Tin Teacaddy

ROSY TIN TEACADDY
HAPPY
SATURDAY 28 JULY
Words and Photo's by Charlette Hannah

Betty Grey

Billy Earl

I was lucky enough to arrive in time for the last few songs of Rosy Tin Teacaddy's set. Opening for Matt Langley and band, Rosy Tin Teacaddy were not only dressed deliciously, they even had a tea set on stage with them. I like it when musicians dress nicely. It's like giving the audience respect, and saying thanks for coming to watch us. The super cute Betty Grey was a particularly refreshing contrast to the general dress code of jean's and t'shirts.

But enough about that. The music is even better. Mixing between two vocals, two guitars and harmonica, Rosy Tin Teacaddy created quite a dynamic between them. Vocally flawless, and with gentle melodies, Rosy Tin Teacaddy are an altogether lovely experience.

I'm afraid I can't say much more, as I only caught a few songs, but I believe they're playing support for Ragamuffin Children at Happy on August 11, and I'll be there!

REVIEW: Anika Moa

ANIKA MOA
SANDWICHES
FRIDAY 27 JULY
Words and Photo's by Charlette Hannah

Anika Moa

Dressed in a plain dress, barefoot and much shorter than I realised, Anika Moa's image doesn't necessarily portray her incredible stage persona. It's the first time I've seen Anika live, and she made sure to let us know that she hasn't done a gig in six months, as she's been recording her third album, In Swings The Tide. It wasn't obvious, as Anika is professional, and her natural charm and talent shine through every second she's on the stage.


It was almost like a mix of a comedy show and a music gig. The woman is extremely funny. The audience was in hoots, and her down to earth, kiwi girl, crude humour was well appreciated. She kicked off the set with an unnamed song, working title 'I Miss You Heaps' and invited title suggestions from the audience after the song. These turned out to be 'I miss you', an intelligent interpretation of the song. Following with a song off the new album, Miss Universe, she then sang Good In My Head, the popular single from her first album Thinking Room.

Anika telling one of many jokes

She then asked us what we though of her new haircut, describing how it came about. 'My hair was down to my bum bum and we were doing the album cover and I thought I'd cut it. All my friends said don't cut it 'cause you'll look like a lesbian'. Her jokes in general did tend to be on the dirty side, and it was always difficult to tell if she meant it or not! She brought out an omnichord and played Blue Bayou, sometimes breaking out in giggles herself.

Anika playing an omnichord

She opened the stage up to requests, and grudgingly, it seemed, played Falling In Love Again, another single from Thinking Room. She told us about her new album, coming out in September, and some shows she's playing soon in Australia. 'I'm going over to do shows in Australia, and I'm going to woo them and become famous pretty much. Just so I can meet Silverchair.' Support act Tim Guy joined her on guitar and vocals for a couple of songs, and it took me a moment to notice they are both left handed guitarists, as it looks normal when both are.

Anika Moa and Tim Guy

Her song In The Morning, off her latest album, Stolen Hill, was greeted with loud cheers, and a few audience members quietly joining in. She covered The Mint Chicks' Crazy Yes, Dumb No, which in my opinion, was actually nicer than the original! It goes without saying that Anika has a beautiful voice, confident guitar style and casual stage manner.Anika Moa and Age Pryor

Ending on her hit single, Youthful, she announced she would be doing an encore, so everyone should pretend to clap a lot. Halfway through Youthful, she said 'nice harmonies babe' to an audience member, who then got up on stage and proceeded to sing with Anika, harmonies and all! She took it all in her stride, and obviously got a kick out of out.

Anika Moa and Age Pryor

Returning for her encore, she asked Age Pryor up to the stage to do one of his songs, her 'favourite song', before finally ending on another of her new ones. The whole gig was thoroughly enjoyable, funny, beautiful, and inspiring.

REVIEW: Colonel Mustard

COLONEL MUSTARD
MIGHTY MIGHTY
THURSDAY 26 JULY
Words by Charlette Hannah

Colonel Mustard opened the Hunting of the Snark show at Mighty Mighty on Thursday. With their tight riffs and excellent groove, they quickly had everyone up and dancing. However, from the moment frontman Rowan Miller started singing, I was lost. It's hard for me to say this, as I know Rowan, and he's a great guy. I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt and say perhaps it wasn't his best performance last night, but the vocals were flat and uninspiring.

For me the standout musician in Colonel Mustard was Thom McGrath on drums - tight, solid, hard hitting and all round excellent. Guitar-wise it was all very good, but overall I felt something a little lacking. Perhaps I wasn't drunk enough or something, but the music seemed pretty stock, and though it was upbeat and had a good feel, it wasn't anything particularly special.

However I do need to say that they had the audience on their feet, yelling and dancing, for the whole set, and that is always a good thing. The sound was thick and the players tight. I just personally didn't warm to it.

REVIEW: Ginger Brown

GINGER BROWN
SANDWICHES
FRIDAY 20 JULY
Words and Photo's by Charlette Hannah

Ginger Brown

Joe Dobson

Lawrence Taula

After seeing Ginger Brown at Sandwiches on Friday, I started to kick myself for not having made the effort to see them play before. From the very first note, you can tell this is expertly crafted music, which is truly unique in this world of music where everyone likes to think they are doing something different. Not that they don't have obvious and strong influences, from 50's rock 'n roll, French inspired carnivalesque, 70's psychedelia, to today's rock. Somehow they manage to pull it all together and create something quite wonderful.

Sandwiches as a live band venue is a little odd - the stage seems quite small, and it is hard to see the performers unless you're right at the front. However in the case of Ginger Brown, it didn't matter too much, as they filled up the venue with their curious music.

Don't get the wrong idea. The 'curious' element to the music is an additional bonus to the pure listenability of the band. It's not an inaccessible musical ego trip. The songs are catchy, driven, melodic and dynamic.

Joe Dobson is a very interesting and creative drummer, and pounds the drums with force as well as pulling back and playing clever beats. His playing perfectly compliments Lawrence Taula's Hammond organ playing and fantastic vocals. Guest guitarist Matthew Armitage filled out the sound and line up.

I would highly recommend a visit to a Ginger Brown gig, it's well worth it.

Ginger Brown's MySpace

REVIEW: Liam Finn

LIAM FINN
SANDWICHES
FRIDAY 20 JULY
Words and Photo's by Charlette Hannah



My first impressions of the Liam Finn concert at Sandwiches went like this: Beard. "Where are all the musicians?" This was soon followed by "wow". I could leave it at "wow" but you probably want to know a little more.

The beard thing is pretty obvious, no further explanation needed there. However, the second can be explained. Sandwiches was packed. I was there in plenty of time, but not bold enough initially to bully my way through the crowd. So those of us 'behind the pillars' had no idea what was actually happening on stage. We heard guitar, then bass, then drums. Slowly, we learnt that this was being played only by Liam Finn.

The guy is a madman and a genius, really. Accompanied by a pile of pedals including a marvellous looping machine, and a backup singer, EJ, Liam really was a one man band.
I wasn't too impressed with his first thump on the drums, it was pretty loose, but you've got to give the guy credit for being bold enough to play the guitar, put it down, and jump on the drums to play with himself. The drumming got better as the night went on, and as I pushed my way to the front, I could see what a crazy drummer he was.

Liam had me on his second song. I'm not too familiar with his songs, but it captured me right away with it's lovely melody. Liam has a gorgeously listenable voice, and is a very proficient musician.

It doesn't even seem right to say it was a solo gig, as there was so much sound and dynamics. Liam went from a song with looped guitar riffs and drums and pulled it right back to a beautiful lullaby. With backup singer EJ providing delicious harmonies and someone to bounce off, Liam was on fire on Friday night.

It's the first time I've seen Liam play, and I have to admit I was never a huge fan of Betchadupa, but I definitely hope to see more of his solo work!

REVIEW: Nigel Gavin

NIGEL GAVIN
WELLINGTON BLUEGRASS SOCIETY
SATURDAY 21 JULY
Words and Photo by Bill in NZ

Petone as location and the Wellington Bluegrass Society may not be the first things that come to your mind for music listening - but Saturday night that was the combination for the place to be to hear an astonishing NZ musical treasure in action.

And action it was. A guy with a guitar - some singing on a couple of songs, some patter and some stories, harmonica backing (by Lester Mundell) on two blues numbers. But for pure entertainment it was the fingers of Nigel Gavin doing the singing - the art of solo guitar music at its finest.

For most numbers the 7-string guitar was used, but also an 11 string fretless glissentar was in action on one song. Intricate and unbelievable finger picking and playing - great music for listening if you dared to keep eyes closed and ears open just to listen. But hard to not watch and just marvel at the fingers in action - and to wonder how he does it.

The music ranged in styles and origin, some blues, some jazz, most improvised on the night, some abstract, a few based on traditional melodies. Varied and imaginative - with the word virtuoso an understatement.

The concert was captured by Costa Botes on video (five cameras plus sound recording) - Costa produced last year's well-received "Struggle No More" music documentary on the Windy City Strugglers. For those of you unable to see Nigel in action - the concert video may be available later.

It's well worth a visit to Nigel's website to get a flavour of his talent and range of musical projects and inventiveness.

But the place to really visit is the next Nigel Gavin live concert - whether Nigel solo, or performing with others. Nigel is off to the USA in the near future, but will be back in New Zealand for touring later in the year - let's hope that includes Wellington.

for information on Nigel Gavin

http://www.nigelgavin.com/

for information on the Wellington Bluegrass Society

www.myspace.com/thebluegrassclub

COMING SOON

Coming soon on Wellington Live Music...

Photo's and reviews of: Liam Finn, Ginger Brown, Hannah Curwood, Simon Comber.
Interviews with: Anika Moa, Nine Signals.
Photo's of random buskers...
And more!