Category: review

Bang! Bang! Eche! and Batman Tiddabades @ Mighty Mighty, Wellington (14-03-09)

Posted on by Dr Hitchcock

Finding myself as a new appendage in a newer city, it struck me like a tour bus yesterday that it was high time I absorbed a little Wellington culture. So I did, by heading blinkingly off into the night to see one of my favourite bands… from Christchurch. It had been a while since I’d seen the young scenesters, Bang Bang Eche, in person. Despite splitting a plane with them to Auckland in January, November was the last, where, sharing a stage with Wellington band New Friend, BBE embarked on a whisky fuelled debaucherous, yet comical, set, punctuated by missed timings and mid-song fistfights (Charlie and Zach spent Nike throwing shoes at each other). However, if BBE were a cow, last night’s set with Batman Tiddabades was the cream.

Sidestepping pre-teens with eyes glazed from indulgence at the Homegrown festival, I made my way to Mighty Mighty, and was lucky to get in. The smallish venue was packed to its offbeat and creaking rafters with opshop hipsters, all jiving to the brutish beats of Batman Tiddabades. Despite only forming this year, the boys have built quite an empire. Once they’ve ironed out a few geling issues and manage to drive their grooves from the pocket, they’re truly a force to party with.

BBE appeared around an hour later in a roar of synths and hi hats, and within seconds had toes twitching, heads nodding, pours dripping and floorboards creaking the room over. The kids have definitely permeated the Wellington market with on mass rap alongs and yelps of joy from kids who recognised the opening bars from each of their myspace classics. Four To the Floor evoked waves of fist pumps, and a choral sing along that could have been heard from Masterton. They did, however, grind out as many new tunes as old and their sound showed a new maturity and development. Their new songs are both dancier and punkier, and will sound incredible on record. Here’s hoping that SXSW is going to be the starting gun for future success, and the next time I see them is in an arena somewhere.

:: Tom Darlow

Did you go to the gig? What did you think? Have you say and comment down below or if you want you own review posted on Starlifter.TV, email it to: starliftertv (at) gmail.com

Mother & Father – ignored [song review by Tom Darlow]

Posted on by Dr Hitchcock

Melbourne group ‘Mother and Father’ [who performed at Camp A Low Hum 09] are staying cutting edge by doing things the old way; their impossibly simple website oozes with self proclamation and loaded rhetoric, something no one has really mastered since axel dated models, their albums come in super limited, hand crafted, 100 unit runs, and their music is a beautifully filthy, antipodean-Seattle throwback. Their latest single, ‘Ignored,’ is a rollicking tip of the hat to the mightiest warlords 90s grunge. Characteristically rough, darkly melodic and clocking in at a mere 2:04 minutes, this tune is a double happy, bursting from the blocks in a blur of feedback and effective simplicity. Expect to see a lot of others follow the lead of these chaps, as they stand of the shoulders of the past, and look to the future. For a glimpse into the world of Mother and Father, check out www.myspace.com/samsarareasons and www.themotherandfather.com.  

MP3: Mother & Father – ignored

Big Day Out 2009 – Review by Darlene Brown

Posted on by Dr Hitchcock

 

The Mint Chicks

The first act I saw of the day was the Black Kids – who, to be fair, I’d only heard one song from (which I don’t like). The band was tight; but when the singer asked the crowd in his drawly accent “are you having an alright time?” I responded “yeah, I guess so”. I will say that the lead singers voice was pretty unique, reminding one of an early Bowie.

Afterwards we had a wander around the grounds in the pleasant sun with partial cloud and a southerly breeze (bliss), and saw a bit of P Money’s set in the Boiler Room. He had some good classic hip hop tunes mixed in with longer renditions of his own songs. Went and watched the Ting Tings in the Beer-Corral and I think the word that best describes this duo is lacklustre. Catchy songs, but live they don’t translate.

We decided to wait to get up front for TVOTR, and with the new stricter security systems they have in place, we waited a long time to get into the D. It WAS made all the more enjoyable by Pendulum though, who seriously play the most fun DnB I’ve heard in ages! When the literal green-light was given for the crowd to enter the D, I was almost crushed by the desperate mob who had to hustle herd-like through the turnstiles to get in. But when we finally entered, it was pure comfort the whole way, actually to the point of having too much room! After their set we caught reliable rockers the Datsuns, who I think if you’ve seen once, you’ve seen a thousand times (not in a bad way – they are steady).

The Mint Chicks

Next up, the irrepressible Mint Chicks, who remain one of my favourite bands of all time after the performance they gave – despite the sound mix being weirdly muddled. It was the first time I had seen them play minus Micheal Logie, and although I did notice his absence, they still have “it”. Songs from the new album “Screens” sounded great – and in general MC fashion, their set did not lack controversy. When told to end their set, Kody announced their last song “Enemies” which they got a minute into…before the Black Seeds on the stage next to them literally started playing over the top of them, forcing them to stop.

The Arctic Monkeys were next on the list, and their songs sounded great, but I wish I had of seen them play at the Powerstation the night before. I think they struggled to exude enough energy for the whole stadium; which I imagine must be quite difficult!

We sat in the stands for Neil Young, who is without a doubt a rock legend. He still has all the moves, his voice was fantastic and his songs were as classic as ever; but after an afternoon of dance, he totally bummed me out! I found myself thinking of all my lost loves and all the bad things I’d ever done…and decided I’d better leave. Apparently the second half of his set got more upbeat, however I’d already ditched Neil for the Prodigy…

I had no idea how much I would enjoy the Prodigy. The energy and intensity of their MC’s Maxim and Keith reminded me of a wild, caged dog. They make you want to scream and dance at the same time. They played all of their old hits, and nothing from Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned. I really thought they might be a bit tragic by now, they ended up being my favourite act of the day.

I’m already looking forward to what acts 2010 will draw to the BDO.

The Incident, The Curfew Girls, Mean Street, Demi Whores, DHDFD’s @ Whammy Bar 10-12-2008 [Gig Review by Darlene Brown]

Posted on by Dr Hitchcock

Scott from The DHDFDs – http://www.myspace.com/thedhdfds
Photo by Mark Burrows – http://www.flickr.com/photos/masterburrows/

Curfew Girls – http://www.myspace.com/curfewgirls
Photo by Mark Burrows

Have you ever had the feeling where you just NEED to get fucked up? Or the insatiable urge to give your innermost soul a treat? I do, and I did just that when I went to the DHDFD’s Pt Chev Christmas Party gig featuring the Incident, Curfew Girls, Mean Street and the Demi Whores held at Whammy Bar.

If you don’t recognise those band names, just know that they are a punk/grunge/garage lovers orgasm – and all for a meagre $5! I could not believe the extent of this bargain, or the ferocity of this gig. It had everything: blood, fights, angst, rock, sweat – and, with an equal gender ratio of performers.

Mean Street – http://www.myspace.com/meanstreetfighter
Photo by Mark Burrows

Unfortunately we missed the Incident, but I’ll sum up the other bands prior to the main course; first up, the Curfew Girls. Three girls and a guy play a hard, almost screamo type of solid punk rock, reminding one of a female version of the Misfits. The lead singer looks hard, and like she could probably kill you with one punch. Next, Mean Street, who play everything that’s good about grunge and new wave, think Nirvana, Hole, Frances Bean Cobain…Well anyway, they have a new drummer who used to drum for the DHDFD’s, but guitarist/vocalist Emily and bassist Billie are definitely the heart of the group anyway.

The DHDFDs – http://www.myspace.com/thedhdfds
Photo by Mark Burrows

The Demi Whores were everything you expect – tight, raw and powerful. I can’t decide if it was this band or the DHDFD’s which caused my ears to hurt 24 hours after the gig ended…speaking of pain, you can’t dance to the DHDFD’s, you convulse. This band is funk, mental, punk, crazy, psychotic. I can’t describe how amazing their guitarist is. A DHDFD’s live show is fast, mental, constantly shapeshifting and dangerous, with vocalist Scott leaping around the whole building, jumping on people whilst throwing hard objects. He screeches higher than I ever could, even as a baby. At one point in the show he forward flipped onto a man spilling his beer and cutting him – the guy was so infuriated at this (the beer spilling) that he bayed for blood; he pushed Scott off the wall he was perched on and tried his best to fight through the writhing mob and kill him. Scott continued to eyeball and scream at him – see pic.

I left this show with other peoples blood on my skin, and wild eyes. Please see these bands whenever you get the chance.

The Demi Whores – http://www.myspace.com/thedemiwhores
Photo by Mark Burrows