Live Review: The Wellington Sea Shanty Society at Breaker Bay Hall, Wellington

The Wellington Sea Shanty Society

Breaker Bay Hall, Wellington

Friday 31 July 2026

I met my friend Vorn about sixteen years ago. We both worked for Tranz Metro, the commuter rail network in Wellington. Our job involved selling and clipping tickets on the trains. Many of the staff had worked there for decades – much longer than I’d even been alive. So Vorn and I were both among the “young” staff, even though he has about ten years on me. I don’t remember the exact circumstances of meeting him, but I do remember that Donna from the pay office shared that he was a musician, and not long after he sold me three CDs of his eponymous band. [My reviews of his most recent albums: The Winter Session, The Late Album]

We became friends and I remember him recruiting me to film him for a DIY music video. A few months later he asked me to drum for a gig he’d organised for the adult guitar class he’d been teaching. I was just a teenager, fairly fresh out of school, and finding my footing in the world. It meant so much to me – that a real musician would ask me to contribute to some of his projects – and it gave me a big confidence boost.

Vorn on accordion

Vorn has always been iconic. He used to rock these huge red bejeweled sunglasses that clashed with our navy blue uniform. He was frequently seen biking around town in his fluro yellow Tranz Metro issue jacket, and busking on the waterfront, playing Jimi Hendrix covers on accordion. Vorn is a lovable enigma, perpetually true to himself. [See also, this great Audioculture article about Vorn, written by Michael Hollywood]

The first time I saw The Wellington Sea Shanty Society was at a bar called Mighty Mighty in 2013. I was there to see legendary Japanese rockers Guitar Wolf, and WSSS were playing at the other end of the room while the stage was being set. I remember thinking that it was a novel, fun concept. Most of the songs were reasonably well known, and invited audience singalong and participation.

WSSS was actually Lake’s project. Known for his groups Lake South and Urbantramper, Lake had befriended the French shanty crew Croche Dedans during his travels in France and transplanted the idea back in NZ. It made a lot of sense in this setting, a country settled by seafaring navigators and sailors, and populated by many whalers when first being colonised by Europeans. Lake asked Vorn to collaborate with him, and WSSS was born. WSSS’ third album, Ahoy!, is a collaboration with Croche Dedans, and Lake and Vorn have toured France a few times with them. [I should also share the most recent Croche Dedans album, Glou].

Lake

I remember seeing this video on the Croche Dedans Facebook page. The song was incredible, compelling and meditative, with gorgeous bones that could be fleshed out. I took it to some friends who I was starting a band with and we all agreed to cover it with a blues rock feel. It’s a shame we never properly recorded it, because it was easily our best song.

The first Breaker Bay Shanty event I remember took place in 2020. To me, this is when WSSS ascended from busking status to something more. It wasn’t just two guys playing singalongs on guitar and accordion, it was now an event, with a full band. Thomas (violin) and Nick (drums) from the Vorn band helped flesh out the sound, and MC extraordinaire Louis Tait helped set the scene with his poetic nautical monologues – a thespian possessed by the spirit of Herman Melville.

The setting was perfect. The backdrop of the stage features a beautiful painting of the bay. [You may also recognise it from this The Beths video]. The venue is right on the shore. Everyone had songbooks for singing along – think hymn missals from church, but more scurvy than spiritual.

I wasn’t exactly on my best behaviour. I’d consumed too much rum before the gig – to get into the spirit of things… Lake still uses footage from that night when making promo material for the band, and almost always uses a clip of me drunkenly staring into the camera, whilst wearing a pirate hat.

There was an obnoxious reporter from a current events show who hijacked the evening to get footage for a segment on her show, but once she and the camera crew had left, it was a fantastic night. Easily the best night of the year, and an exciting fixture in the calendar every time the lads book another show there.

I wrote @winstonpeters a campaign jingle and sang from the heart. Thus achieving my political and sea shanty dreams in one song @NZFirst you’re welcome ™️ pic.twitter.com/87TA8eNRwz

— Olivia Caldwell (@OcCaldwell) August 7, 2020

This was a year or two before “Wellerman” blew up on TikTok, and became the viral song that permeates pop culture now. It’s a genuine whaling-era song from Aotearoa that Lake and Vorn had discovered it in some ancient songbooks. I do remember it being a real highlight at WSSS gigs along with “Drunken Sailor”, long before virality struck. Somehow a postman in Scotland discovered this obscure old song from Aotearoa, and a video of him singing it struck a chord that resonated with people to the point that the song has been appropriated the world over. Even The Wiggles now do a version of it. Wellington Sea Shanty Society had two recorded versions of “Wellerman” before the song blew up, and those two songs currently have over three million streams on Spotify between them.

I’ve been coming to Shanty gigs at Breaker Bay Hall since 2020 now. So do they ever feel stale? Not at all. The setlists change over time, although firm favourites usually remain constant. They’ve just released a new EP, Never Mind the Rowlocks (with album art styled to imitate The Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the Bollocks), so have a few new songs to add to the repertoire.

It sounds like the tour to date has been a total blast. The band played a low key pop-up gig on Leftbank in Wellington the night of the EP release. They’ve sold out a lot of their shows on the tour. In Auckland they played a live-to-air for bFM, and featured as the musical guests on televised comedy show 7 Days.

The EP release pop up gig on Leftbank

As we arrive in Breaker Bay, the locale gives a taste of the night to come. It’s a surprisingly calm day, so there is a distinct lack of waves crashing on the rocks nearby. But it’s certainly right on the shore. The air is lightly scented with seaweed. Thankfully that’s about the only smells we get whiffs of – the local sewage treatment plant has been infamous for mishaps all year, with no set resolution in sight for a long time yet.

It’s always interesting to see who shows up to these gigs. We see lots of pirates and sailors, as well as a squid. And stripes. So many stripes. It’s enough to get a zebra hot and bothered.

Dressing up is highly recommended. I won best dressed one year for a sexy mermaid outfit I’d made (complete with wig, shell earrings, and shiny scaled tail/skirt). My best friend Craig won the following year by wearing The Titanic.

You can tell that a lot of people popped into the local Look Sharp shop to get a suitable accessory – think plastic pistols and sailor caps. We see some people waving cutlasses in the air. But some people really put the effort in, and their outfits are quite impressive. Long leather boots, velvet shirts, corsets and waistcoats. And as the saying goes, you get out of it, what you put in. Those who dress up, sing, dance, and embrace the spirit of the night, have the best time. This is not a passive experience.

My mate Paddy had been up late the night before using a hot glue gun to attach trimmings and gold buttons to his blazer, and had pinned a soft toy kookaburra to his epaulette as a stand in for a parrot. The winning outfit of the night was a siren, with shiny tail, blue face makeup and trident. Well deserved.

I don’t want to share too much, lest I spoil the show for any yet uninitiated seafarers. There’s a lot of crowd interaction. Captain Louis, master of ceremony, welcomes us in with his welcoming address. He provides context for the night – touching on the band’s recent album, explaining what a rowlock is, and casting a spell that summoned seabirds and cephalopods into the hall.

And then the band begins. They start with a new original punk shanty. Thomas on the fiddle is that star in that one. Lake and Vorn share lead vocal duties, playing guitar and accordion, respectively. Nick is trialing his new compact pancake drum set, which sounds good despite lacking the depth or resonance of your standard drums.

The set list is varied. The new stuff is more punk themed. One was written in the vein of the much maligned ‘stomp clap hey’ genre of the 2010s. There are authentic olde tyme shanties – some true to form, some with updated lyrics. Lots of WSSS written originals. Shanties sung in Spanish and French. Contemporary covers with nautical themes (“Anchor Me”, “Whaling”), as well as ones that have been reworked to become nautical. I like the songs that are a bit more boisterous and involve punctuating the singing with the odd “HEY!” and “HOORAH!” and the like. There’s so many shouts of “Ho!” throughout the night that we could be at home in a 1990’s rap video.

Louis returns throughout the night to lead games and challenges. It’s a cold, windy night and we’re on the coast. But here, inside the hall, everyone is grinning and breathless and sweaty from all the singing and dancing. It’s frantic and silly and loud. Louis adds a lot to the night, making the evening an experience, more than just a band playing some songs on the stage. He casts quite the figure, with his wild, teased hair, and his poetic addresses. It’s probably a difficult balance, inspiring interactions, mutiny and shenanigans, fending off the heckles, and keeping the evening going roughly to script. As usual, it’s mostly my friends misbehaving. Louis takes it in his stride. We have an awful lot of fun.

Louis at the pop up gig

It’s election year, and WSSS are a political band. It’s not always super on-the-nose, but these are musicians who believe in worker’s rights. Lake used to have a bumper sticker saying “Back the Teachers” on his guitar. They penned the song “We’re Not In London Now (Sam Parnell’s Law)”, about Sam Parnell, who is credited with establishing the 8 hour working day in NZ. And now, the lead single from their new EP is entitled “I Struck for Better Wages“, a rousing number that takes lyrics from 1893 and couples them with music that draws heavily from Dropkick Murphys’ sound with a punk feeling and fiddle.

And I think that in an era of divisiveness and distraction, sometimes it’s salient to come together in a room full of strangers, and celebrate community and creativity and the arts and things that are important. Some of these songs are from the 1800s, and some were written this year. Some are heartbroken and homesick. Some are full of excitement and adventure. But these songs, these shanties – they have the power to bring people together to truly live for a night.

Nick

Words and photos by Joseph James.

Live Review: David Byrne at Spark Arena, Auckland

David Byrne Who Is The Sky? Tour

Spark Arena, Auckland

Wednesday 14 January 2026

David Byrne came to Wellington on his American Utopia Tour in 2018. It was incredible, one of the best shows I’ve ever witnessed. And it truly was a show. The uniform, the choreography, the lighting… not to mention the music. Outstanding.

And then a few years ago I went to the local Embassy theatre to watch the re-release of the iconic Talking Heads film, Stop Making Sense. I’m too young to have seen it when it first came out, so this was a such a joy to behold for the first time on the big screen, especially with the amazing speaker system that the Embassy boasts.

So I was pretty excited when I saw that Byrne was returning to NZ. I’m not a big fan of going to Auckland, but the promise of an incredible show was too good to pass up.

I happened to sit next to another music writer on the flight up (Alexander Bisley – check out his excellent recent write up on Don McGlashan) and he asked me if that last David Byrne show would rank in my top 10 concerts. It was a very convincing yes. I had no doubt that tonight would be amazing, the question was how would it differ from last time.

The thing that sets this show apart from most is that everyone is mobile. Most bands would have a drum kit set up, amps at the back, microphones on stands… But in this case, everyone had their instruments on straps or harnesses in some way so that they could move about the stage as they played. Drummers playing mounted drums and percussion like a marching band would, and everyone used wireless pickups and headset mics. This changes the dynamic so much because every song is choreographed and we see the performers line up and move in different formations, adding such an interesting visual component to the show.

This was the same for the American Utopia tour, but there were a few updates. They all wore dark blue uniforms, whereas last time they all wore light grey suits that showed up sweat patches, and had bare feet. Last time a curtain of chains enveloped the rear and side of the stage. This time we had huge screen walls showing videos.

This is the Who Is The Sky? Tour, and they played three tracks from said album. Lead single “Everybody Laughs” was a joyous time. But Byrne is synonymous with his old band Talking Heads, so he treated us to many of their classics.

I also liked that they included a Paramore cover. Paramore singer Hayley Williams featured on the Who Is The Sky? album, although they didn’t play that song tonight. Byrne also recently recorded a song with Olivia Rodrigo. I find it so charming that this iconic man in his 70s is so connected to current pop divas.

They started off with the beautiful “Heaven”, and took us through memory lane, with obligatory inclusions of crowd pleasers like “Psycho Killer”, “Once in a Lifetime”, and “Burning Down the House”. These all saw people jumping to their feet to boogie at a seated concert, and looking through the crowd, hundreds of phones were lit up as people recorded the experience.

And although I think people are better off being in the moment, I can see why they wanted to capture things. It was a sight to behold, a baker’s dozen worth of star performers singing, dancing, and playing in complex evolving formations.

I could see what they were playing, but even so, it was hard to believe that it was all live instrumentation. It is so commonplace for bands to rely heavily on backing tracks these days that it makes me wonder how Milli Vanilli was so controversial when they were exposed for lip syncing. But this was the real deal. It’s a shame that he didn’t do it again tonight, but I remember last time they actually made a point of building a song up slowly, player by player, so it was evident how each musician contributed to the sound. Even then, despite the evidence, it still sounded almost too good to be true. Remarkable stuff.

This show would have taken an incredible amount of rehearsing. I can certainly think of some shows that I’ve seen that have felt borderline sterile with how rigid and rehearsed they were. But this was lively, infectious. We could see how much fun the performers were having, full of energy. It was a celebration of music, of the arts, of humanity.

Byrne and Talking Heads came up in the new wave and punk music movements of New York, largely connected to the iconic venue CBGB’s, alongside contemporaries like The Ramones and Blondie. This exciting scene was known as vibrant and innovative. It’s incredible how Byrne has kept the creative momentum going, and remains relevant in his 70s.

He quoted an interview he’d read with director John Cameron Mitchell, in which Mitchell stated that “love and kindness are the most punk things you can do these days” [my paraphrasing]. After some consideration, Byrne decided he agreed with this. Especially considering the current world events and the state of the USA, choosing to be kind is an act of resistance.

Byrne made a point of highlighting how people have fought to come together for humanity in recent years. He shared how Italians would sing to each other from their balconies during the pandemic – especially on their Independence Day – which was a day celebrating the defeat of fascism. They used the screen walls on stage to broadcast footage of protests, or even just t-shirt slogans, with progressive bumper sticker sayings on them. The audience would cheer loudly when they saw images or slogans that resonated with them. I strongly remember Byrne playing an incendiary cover of Janelle Monáe’s “Hell You Talmbout” at the last show, a powerful song that decries police brutality and racial violence. There’s no denying that he was making strong political statements, but with a filter of positivity and inclusivity.

David Byrne blew me away with his last show in 2018. And this new iteration delivered just as much, but with more Talking Heads hits thrown into the mix.

Before playing “And She Was”, Byrne shared that the song was about a girl he’d gone to highschool with who always seemed super happy. He’d wondered what the secret to her happiness was. Turns out it was LSD… I can’t comment on taking acid, but I think attending a David Byrne concert can deliver a pretty darn potent dosage of happiness too.

Joseph James

After the show Marty Duda from 13th Floor stopped me and asked about my tshirt. I was wearing a House of Guitars shirt I’d bought when I was on tour with Ranges earlier in the year. Turns out Marty used to work there, 30 years ago! And then I met another music writer, Nick Bollinger (author of Goneville and Dancing Sundays) – his daughter and I are both Kindergarten teachers. I thought it was pretty cool to have randomly met three other music writers in the space of a few days.

It’s gonna be Okay: An interview with Taylah

I’ve been friends with Taylah quite a while now. She made the move down from her hometown of Kerikeri along with Dean from Adoneye, and soon enough a handful of their friends followed suit. They are all amazing musicians and we’d often have musical jams and parties at each other’s places. [If you watch her Flat Sessions videos on her YouTube channel you’ll see her old flat in Island Bay where a lot of these jams took place]

Taylah with OddJive at Valhalla, April 2019. Photo by Will Not Fade

I’d seen Taylah play in her old band OddJive, but I remember the first time I went to one of her gigs, doing her own music at Rogue & Vagabond. She was joined by her long time collaborator Sam Nakamura and I was floored. She has an incredibly powerful voice, and can transition between a wide range of styles with ease. Some of the music was super fun and upbeat (e.g. “Undies”), and other songs felt like vulnerable tearjerkers (e.g. “Coming Down”), but no matter the mood, the talent was undeniable. Taylah recruited more amazing musos to her band in time, and each gig was more impressive than the last. The aforementioned Flat Sessions are great examples of how good they are.

It’s never a bad time to listen to Taylah’s music. I’m a Kindergarten teacher and frequently have her music playing throughout the days as the tamariki and I play and learn. Not only is Taylah’s music fantastic and fun, but I also think her themes and messages are great for the children to absorb. She touches on things like whakapapa, self acceptance, identity as wahine Māori, and feels super down-to-earth and relatable in many respects. “Okay” is also one of my favourite songs and a total jam, so why not listen to it at work?

Taylah and Sam Nakamura at Rogue & Vagabond, Jan 2022. Photo by Will Not Fade

Taylah made the move up to Tamaki Mākaurau a few years ago as a step towards progressing her musical career. I miss seeing her as frequently as I did when she lived here, but have been hyped to see how Tay has been doing with each milestone she reaches. I had a trip to Auckland in December 2023 and went to visit her at Stebbings recording studios where she spends a lot of her time writing and recording. We had a nice day together and I loved hearing about how she’s been branching out. She’s been making moves into licensing, collaborating on EDM tracks, and learning how to self-produce.

Things have started to get especially exciting of late. Last year she was asked to join Fly My Pretties, a NZ supergroup featuring a revolving cast of some of the premiere musicians found in Aotearoa. And now on March 21, Taylah is releasing her debut EP, Tilt.

I reached out to Tay to see if she’d be down to do an interview to help promote the new release.

Joseph (Will Not Fade): Hi Tay, release day soon! How do you describe your music to people who haven’t heard it?

Taylah: I tell them that I write uplifting neo-soul with a flair of cynicism. You know, just to keep ‘em guessing.

You’ve released singles over the course of your career to date. What made you decide it was time to release a bigger body of work in the form of an EP?

Over 2024, I was writing so much music, and I didn’t know what to do with it. So I created this collection. That’s why the subject matter is so varied for this EP. It covers everything from love, corruption, and sex to magic. It feels like a time stamp of all the lessons I was experiencing over the course of the year.

I’m often really impressed by your lyrics. When writing, how much time do you dedicate to lyrics compared to the music and composition?

I’d say it’s 50/50. I’m still new to producing, so the music creation takes longer because I’m still learning new skills through the project. But writing lyrics is like second nature for me. I write a lot of poems and opinion pieces that never see the light of day, but they tend to pop out through my lyrics. I’m a firm believer that partaking in all art forms will better inform your chosen art form, if that makes sense? Like, doing pottery, cooking, dancing, or woodworking will help me write better lyrics at the end of the day.

Which of your songs are you most proud of?

From this EP, my favourite is ‘Glow’. It’s euphoric, and its message is really beautiful. But from my entire catalogue, my favourite is ‘Today is Hard’. Its lyrical flow is just so pleasing to me.

Last year, you were invited to join Fly My Pretties to co-write their new album Elemental. Tell me about that.

It was the biggest project I’ve ever been a part of. I was flown down to Pōneke for a few songwriting sessions in the beautiful Massey studios to co-write with Laughton Kora (Kora), Barnaby Weir (Black Seeds), Louis TM, and Tawaz. It was such a surreal experience to be creating music with musicians that I’ve listened to since I was a kid. The album we created is incredible, and the live show is even better! The concept surrounds Te Ao Māori and the natural elements. We’ve got another round of shows in Auckland and Christchurch coming up in May/June.

You have Casual Healing doing a guest verse on “Okay”, and you’ve been a featured vocalist on a few EDM tracks. How did that compare to your usual process?

I put on another persona when writing vocals for EDM. I’m more sultry and direct. And the vocals are much more ‘feel’ oriented, so I use a lot of imagery to evoke movement, since dancing is usually the main objective of EDM. It’s been really fun!

You’ve lent your voice to Dera Meelan for previous releases like “After Dark”, what was it like having one of your original tracks remixed by Dera?

It was really cool to see how differently our ears work. When you get a track secured in its pocket, it’s hard to hear it any other way. So a house mix of ‘Sundown’ was really refreshing to hear. Dera has this crazy ability to make sounds that shouldn’t work, musical. It shows in his work with ‘Church & AP’ which I think is vital to their unique sound.

Which musicians have you got on your radar that you’d like to collaborate with?

I would like to write with more Māori artists. I’m on my reo Māori journey, and my dream is to eventually write waiata Māori. So collaborating with artists who are already doing it would be amazing, like MĀ, Lee Stuart, or Jordyn with a Why.

A lot of your early work was produced by Tiny Triumphs, and he has mixed your new EP, but I know you’ve self-produced all your latest releases. How have you found that transition?

Hard. Toby made it look so easy! In all seriousness, though, I have found it both challenging and validating. A big lesson that helped my progress is: writing to my own taste. Instead of trying to sound like someone else, or write ‘radio’ bangers, I’ve learned that if I can listen to it and enjoy it, that’s the tahi. Basically, don’t listen to anyone else’s advice. Keep going.

I really love the covers you do. “Broke” by Samm Henshaw is obviously one that stands out. How do you settle on which songs to cover?

I can feel it in my body. I like to perform songs that feel good to sing, vibrationally. I’ve also really taken to the music coming out of London at the moment, there’s something brewing over there that’s making truly electric music.

You’ve made the shift from your home of Kerikeri to Wellington, and then to Auckland, where you’re currently based. How have things changed for you with each move?

Kerikeri was where I discovered my love of music. Wellington is where I explored different styles, and Auckland is where I’m choosing to launch my career. And I’ve fallen in love with each place. Each step has been vital to my progress as a musician, and I’ve met so many truly inspiring and supportive people throughout.

What do you think success looks like, as a musician?

Well, I used to think it was when lots of other people validated your art. But now, I think it’s the fact that I’m still creating. I still have the itch to write, perform, create, and collaborate. I still feel inspired by other musicians and I still crave connection. THAT is success to me.

Tilt is a big milestone, being your first EP. Where to next?

Well, I’m about to embark on my first headline tour, which feels like such a leap. And once the dust settles for this EP, I’d really like to write a full-length album and maybe get some of those collabs going I was talking about.

Thanks for your time. Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Support local artists! You’ve always offered your help to promote my music, Joe, and that is the mahi that truly supports us small artists. So I appreciate your time and energy to uplift the arts in Aotearoa 🙂

Tilt will be released on March 21 2025, with Taylah doing a three date tour in support of Tilt in March/April.

Tickets can be found via https://linktr.ee/taylahmusic

Taylah links:
https://www.facebook.com/taylahmusic/
https://www.instagram.com/taylahmusicnz/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Fu39RmIeY5HD1DGJS4Xk7?si=8A6XkpTSRXabPAU4BrYCRA
https://www.youtube.com/@taylahmusic2897

Taylah at San Fran, July 2023. Photo by Will Not Fade

Live Review with Photos: Peachy Keen Festival, Basin Reserve, Wellington 2021

Peachy Keen Festival

Basin Reserve, Wellington

Saturday 3 April 2021

After a week of truly abysmal weather, Wellington seemingly changed its mind and decided to about turn, blessing us with a beautiful sunny day at the Basin Reserve – ideal for a festival.

Peachy Keen felt different from your usual festival as well. One of the key things that stood out is that every act on the bill were fronted by women [except Sweet Mix Kids, the between-set DJs]. Look at most festival posters and you’ll notice that wāhine are glaringly absent, so this was a super welcome progressive change. It also felt more laid back. Many festivals feel like waster-fests (in NZ at least) with a strong focus on punters getting inebriated. Although alcohol was available for purchase all day, I didn’t notice anyone getting out of hand. It felt like a safer than normal environment – I’d even go so far to say family-friendly, seeing as many children were in attendance as well.

KITA

I love Wellington. Say what you want about the politicians and the wind, but it’s an awesome city to live in. Last week the main street in the CBD was closed off all weekend to accommodate a huge free festival called Cubadupa, which involved a hundreds of bands and artists showing their creative side at the numerous stages and areas that had been built for the festival around the city. I’d seen local trio KITA play on the Sunday, attracting a fair crowd with their hypnotic music.

Thinking back, I used to see drummer Rick Cranson and keyboardist Ed Zuccollo play with Adam Page years ago. They were a wonderful match, very technically proficient and able to improvise and synergise with each other. Now they have Nikita Tu-Bryant at the helm, who has a fantastic voice.

Their music was great for the setting. Enough groove to entice some dancers to the front, and laid back enough to suit the sunny Saturday. Really great stuff, and an awesome start to the day.

*Also, check out their new video clip for “Private Lies” that that released today*

Chelsea Jade

Chelsea Jade was dressed all in white – a nod to cricket, which is what usually takes place at the Basin Reserve where the festival was being held. Flanked by a backing singer on either side, Jade delivered a polished pop set with choreographed dancing.

I’m out-of-the-loop but clearly Jade’s fans knew what was going on, she had them crouching down during parts of her set. She worked the crowd well, evidenced by the throng of fans all dancing against the barrier. She even invited one girl up onstage to dance, who promptly admitted that she had a crush on Jade. “If you dance well enough I may consider it mutual” Jade laughed.

Paige

I can’t decide if it was laughable or genius (possibly both), but Paige started off her set by covering the Highschool Musical song, which garnered a great reaction. It was a strong start, with instant participation from the crowd and a big sing-along. Her music is fairly laid back so the energy died down a bit, but she’s got a great voice and it was a nice set. I loved the backing visuals too, with bumble bees buzzing around on the screen at the back of the stage.

The Beths

The Beths were definitely the act I was most looking forward to seeing today. They’ve been progressing from strength to strength in recent years and always killed it during the handful of times I’ve seen them play live. I consider their recent album Jump Rope Gazers the best release of 2020 and was obviously excited to see them play some of it live again.

Of course they delivered. I’m a rocker – no doubt about it – so it was great to see a full band letting loose. They’re fairly humble about their abilities, but watch guitarist Jonathan Pearce shred and you’ll soon see why they deserved to win so big at the recent Aotearoa Music Awards. And of course frontwoman Liz Stokes was the star, with her unapologetic Kiwi accent shining through.The sound quality was a bit patchy – unfortunately something that is fairly common at outdoor gigs – but this didn’t detract from the set too much. The Beths delivered a set of irresistibly fun and catchy hits. Seriously, check them out if you haven’t listened to them already.

Stellar*

It was a pretty spread demographic attending the fest, split among gender and ages. But looking at the lineup, the promoters were clearly targeting a younger audience. This makes Stellar* an outlier, seeing as most of what they’re known for having happened 20+ years ago.

I’d seen Stellar* open for Shihad in Riwaka (just out of Nelson) on New Years Eve a few years ago. I was shocked at how similar this set was to last time, with singer Boh Runga introducing the songs almost exactly as she had last time I’d seen them play. They should at least be able to mix the banter up so they don’t feel stagnant. The audio mix was also quite bad, noticeably worse than The Beths’ mix had been. The set was fine. I do enjoy their music but it looked like they were struggling to garner much of a reaction from the audience. Stellar* need to work on freshening up if they want to be more than a boomer nostalgia band.

Foley

I’ll admit I hadn’t really heard Foley before today. But they were fun. I always prefer a band over a DJ or backing track, and they were full of energy. I don’t have much more to say, but I enjoyed them.

Ladi6

Ladi6 was sliiiick. You can tell that she’s been doing this for a while, because this was a performance in every sense. There were three DJs (?) at the rear, manning decks and a mini drum kit and I’m not sure what. Ladi6 was front and centre, commanding attention. She used Samoan fans as props (and I’m sure to keep her cool – it was hot!), and had dancers dressed in bright orange to either side of her. The dancers were super effective – totally in sync and they really stood out with their orange attire. Peachy Keen was all about feminist representation, and Ladi6 upped the ante by making a point to address cultural inclusiveness as well, with the dancers incorporating Pasifika flags into their routines. I’ve gotta say it was certainly the most professional and polished set of the day, and visually it really stood out.

Ladyhawke

By contrast, Ladyhawke fell a bit flat. The acts had been running progressively later throughout the day and there was quite a wait before she came on. I don’t know what the cause of this was but I’m guessing it was something to do with soundchecking and set ups? Sweet Mix Kids helped to amp the crowd up during these breaks with their DJ sets but that energy dispersed when Ladyhawke came on.

It was finally dark by this point, making the lights onstage effective, but there was just something missing from this set. A few of the better known singles caused ripples of excitement among fans, but overall it was underwhelming.

Gin Wigmore

Gin Wigmore knows how to party. Brimming with confidence, she showed us a good time. Her band rocked. I’d heard a rumour that one of her guitarists had caught covid on the way to NZ so she’d had to recruit a ring-in, but honestly, you wouldn’t know it. They played flawlessly.

Wigmore also joined in, playing guitar on a few tracks, and thumping the hell out of a floor tom drum towards the end of the set. You could tell she was enjoying herself and it was infectious.

Jason Aalon Butler in the mosh pit during Gin Wigmore’s set at Peachy Keen

Her husband Jason Butler managed to get on someone’s shoulders in the mosh pit. He stripped of his shirt and beanie and threw it onstage. Security guards quickly flashed their torches at him and made him get down, but Wigmore lapped it up, flirting with him from onstage. “Hey sexy man, I think I’ll marry you and have your babies!” she shouted. “Hmmmm I can smell some weed. I live in LA, where you can have someone deliver it to you in a three piece suit. Not like here in NZ, where you have to go to a dodgy area to pay $20 for something wrapped in aluminum foil. Anyone want to share?” she joked.

Benee

And now for the big act. The stage was noticeably bigger, with some of the clutter from the wings removed to make space. The drums looked formidable, with odd perspex shields set in front (I guess for acoustic mix reasons). Benee was the big draw card that many people had come for.

She came onstage rocking a red puffer jacket and a fluffy bucket hat. And fair enough – it’d been a scorcher earlier on, but there was a definite chill in the air now it was past 10pm. The stage was quite dark despite the lights, and Benee nonchalantly walked from side to side as she sang.

I don’t know if it was forced or is she’s just odd, but Benee was full of quirks. She adopted different accents every time she addressed the crowd. She made animal noises during the pauses between lyrics. At one point she just lay on the floor of the stage as she sang.

I’ll be honest, the appeal was lost on me, but obviously my opinion didn’t matter because thousands of adoring fans were hanging onto every word. Benee’s set started more than an hour later than scheduled, but there was a strict sound curfew of 11pm, so her set was cut a lot shorter than anticipated.

There was a bit of an outcry over the drastically shortened set, but there’s nothing that could be done.

All in all it was a fantastic day. Thankfully it was sunny. The Basin Reserve was a suitable venue, with plenty of space for a stage and dancing area, as well as surrounding banks for those who just wanted to lay back and soak it all in. Most of the acts played well, although it was possibly a bit ambitious booking so many. Once events like this start falling behind time it can snowball, and it’s a real shame that the two last acts had to cut songs from their sets.

Sure, there were a few teething problems, but overall it was a great success, and it’s very likely that we’ll see another Peachy Keen event in years to come. It had a unique vibe that I hope they can replicate in the future. I wonder if they’ll aim to pull international acts or if they’ll stick to Aotearoa artists, but either way, they deserve congratulations for taking such a progressive stance and making a point of celebrating women in music.

Words and photos by Joseph James

Album Review: Tash Sultana – Flow State

I often wonder about why certain artists are household names, and why some of the best musicians I can think of are virtually unheard of. It’s not a case of talent equating to fame. Many major stars don’t even write their own music.

The reason I bring this up is because Tash Sultana is huge, but has only just released her first album. One of my American friends suggested that I look her up when I was travelling last year. So I did. I dug her sound – chilled out songs that utilize looping pedals. Next thing I know, I’m seeing her name everywhere. She’s headlining festivals, and even sold out a sizable show here in Wellington [which I sadly missed] a few months ago. How has she made such a name for herself without even having an album out?

Let’s be clear: Sultana deserves the attention. Flow State is a great album, and is all the more impressive when you consider that Sultana recorded every instrument herself. Much like Drax Project, Sultana’s story began with busking on the streets, and has arrived at the point of her ascending to stardom.

Solo multi-instrumentalist albums are nothing new. Mike Oldfield is one of the more classic examples. A more recent high-profile example is Dave Grohl’s Play. And Will Not Fade has covered countless more such projects. But Sultana’s work falls into a different category, partly because she sings, but also because her entire feel and approach stands out as separate from the post/prog rockers. “Blackbird” heads in a different direction (think Kaki King or Rodrigo y Gabriela) but on this album Sultana owns a distinctive sound.

Sultana sets the mood instantly with album opener “Seed”. She shows us that she’s no stranger to guitar as her fingers dance upon the fretboard, masterfully conjuring notes rich in reverb. Her voice is just as great as her playing, transferring from angelic coos to smokey singing.

Lazy campfire strumming lays the base for “Big Smoke”, while a shuffled drum beat extends the laid back feel. Bright finger picking and a contrasting solo allow Sultana to show off the breadth of her guitar playing chops.

I cannot tell you why “Cigarettes” isn’t one of the singles, but in my mind it is undeniably the pinnacle of Flow State. The laid-back groove is simply sublime, but it’s not until we reach bridge that things begin to stand out. A jangly riff and fast paced drums come into play, before Sultana lets loose with a scorching solo that simply rips for a few minutes.

In fact, this appears to be the template for many of the tracks. Mellow for the most part, with a searing solo that emerges during the bridge.

The soundtrack-esque “Seven” is also one of the more interesting tracks. An early violin melody adds Oriental flavours, which stall for a piano segment that transforms into a tense ostinato, with ominous Godspeed vibes. This is a track that takes you on a journey, through a variety of interesting terrains.

“Free Mind” feels a lot different to many of the other songs. It still retains groove, but with synthetic sounding drums it sounds like it has been produced differently to the other tracks, and the polished feel doesn’t sit well alongside the others.

One could argue that an hour is slightly too much. The mellow style works, but isn’t the most memorable – especially when many of the songs seem to follow the same formula. But Sultana does enough to mix it up if you listen carefully. “Salvation” has organ sounds, “Mystik” features horns and sweet, sweet bass lines. “Mellow Marmalade” takes the campfire feel to a new level with acoustic guitar, while “Harvest Love” gives Sultana a chance to show us how well she can wail.

Summer is fast approaching this part of the world, and I can see this being the perfect soundtrack to a carefree day in the sun. But likewise, Sultana’s smokey singing and smooth playing could be just what you need to warm you up in less desirable weather.

Tash Sultana is the whole package. Whether rocking you to sleep with smooth lullabies, or setting you ablaze with furious riffing, she plays with masterful ability. And her voice complements the playing brilliantly. Flow State is worth your attention. Do yourself a favour and give it a listen.