Pop

Live Review: Sufjan Stevens at Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington

Sufjan Stevens Wellington Michael Fowler Centre
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Sufjan Stevens

w/ Dawn Landes

Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington

Monday 7 March 2016

 

The night commenced with Dawn Landes playing her first of three sets. A member of Stevens’ band, Landes previewed some of the talent that would follow by starting us off on her own material. She had a great voice, and proved adept on many different stringed instruments, chiefly guitar and piano. The highlight of the set was her song “Bodyguard”, which proved livelier than many of her other sweet sleepy songs.

A short break between acts allowed me to marvel at the Michael Fowler Centre. In these fickle times, more and more venues are closing, which isn’t helped by many building being deemed earthquake risks. This makes me question why the Michael Fowler Centre is underutilised as a live music venue, with its striking wooden panelling and great acoustics. It was certainly the perfect venue for this show.

Sufjan Stevens and his band put on one of the most impressive stage shows that I’ve seen in a while. The lights were brilliant, thoughtfully planned out to synchronise with parts of the set. From dazzling spotlights, to coloured beams, to the use of two disco balls, they really added to the mood, made obvious from the stage fog and smoke from the incense sticks onstage. Behind the band were 12 vertical screens, showing images of stunning scenery and clips of Stevens’ home videos from his childhood.

The set drew predominantly from Stevens’ most recent album Carrie and Lowell, save for two songs near the end that clearly didn’t fit in with the rest. It was a sombre affair, the album being named after Stevens’ parents, with a strong focus on death and mortality. His mother had more than her fair share of mental issues, and had died of cancer in 2012. At one point Stevens appeared to be overwhelmed by revisiting such a personal topics, drawing a sharp breath at the end of one song and covering his face.

The musicians were all incredible, all accomplished on a number of instruments. Most members ended up playing piano, synth, mandolin, ukulele throughout the course of the night, and most songs featured the most gorgeous three part harmonies. It was a lovely marriage of old and new, full of juxtaposition. Chimes and incense sat next to bright lights and Tron-like neon tape, and muddy distorted synthesisers let loose before tender piano breaks and recorder tunes.

Following a short break, the band returned for a second unplugged set, with all five band members crowding around one microphone. This was a more jovial affair, with the musicians showing a less professional, but more accessible side of them. Most of them had changed into brighter clothing backstage, and they appeared more relaxed. One funny moments involved a banjo string snapping whilst being tuned, prompting Stevens to forget the lyrics to his own song. Stevens hadn’t even talked to the crowd beforehand, but now was happy to talk banter and share some thoughts. He told some stories about his upbringing, being one of six children, with a gazillion pets. These stories brought levity to the until-then somewhat depressing tale of his parents.

From the mesmerising first set of Carrie and Lowell, to the lighter, stripped back second set of hits, Stevens’ and his band kept us spellbound. There was no shortage of talent, and the visuals complemented the music perfectly. They inevitably ended with their hit song “Chicago”, leaving everyone humming the refrain well into the night.

Sufjan Stevens Wellington setlist

Joseph James

EP Review: Daniel Amedee – Everything Will Change

Daniel Amedee Everything will change
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Something caught me off-guard when I first listened to Daniel Amedee’s forthcoming EP, Everything Will Change. The opening riff is almost identical to one my band wrote for a song we played at Rockquest (a battle of the bands for New Zealand highschool students). While this is by no means an indicator of quality, it made me like the song due to its familiararity.

And to be honest, the entire EP is likable. It’s fairly low-key, but with interesting touches. I can’t tell what it is, but there is an ambient effect that reminds me of a chorus of birds during the first song. And there are other subtle touches hidden within the other songs – the reverberating glockenspiel in the chorus of “Let Love Out”, the trashy cymbal punctuating the verses in “Love Is Not Gone”, the lovely percussive beat in “Swimming Through The Unconscious Disconscience”- small elements that enhance the overall feel.

 

daniel amedee 4 llamaryon Everything Will Change

Photo credit: Llamaryon

 

I love the deep bass that gives a warm tone to the songs. The opening title track features a drone that sounds like didgeridoo. It is clear that Amedee has put plenty of thought into how he uses rich timbres to colour his sound.

And that is what I think makes Everything will Change so endearing – the warmth and the obvious human elements. Amedee’s voice isn’t perfect, often wavering at times, but his singing style is both haunting and earnest. With a message of hope, and a reassuring feel, Amedee’s music is an affirming listen.

 

Joseph James

 

Everything Will Change release date: February 2, 2016

Daniel Amedee:     Website      Facebook     Twitter     Instagram       Soundcloud

 

 

EP Review: Kacy Hill – Bloo

Kacy Hill Bloo EP cover
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It sounds like Kacy Hill is one of those lucky right-place-right-time people. She started out as a model (which could explain why she looks familiar, especially if you’ve ever seen American Apparel advertisements). This modelling work somehow led on into dancing, which landed her a role as a stage dancer on Kanye West’s Yeezus tour. Hill somehow managed to capture Ye’s attention, and after listening to her demo backstage, he decided to sign her to his label G.O.O.D Music.

If you’re not a Kanye fan, don’t let this put you off. This isn’t a hip hop release. Although it is definitely manufactured pop.

HIll has a great voice. The most similar name I can think of is Florence Welch (of Florence + the Machine).

First track “Foreign Fields” features crackles and static to give it a warm, vinyl-like feel. It’s a simple song that showcases Hill’s stunning voice, accompanied by crisp piano. There is a trip-hop vibe to it, with a handclap metranome transforming into an electro drum beat. The chorus feels messy with extra effects that make Hills sound distant and echo-y, but it helps to contrast against the slightly sterile verses.

EP highlight “Arm’s Length” takes us into Florence + Machine territory, with upliftingly cooed choruses and ethereal bridges. It’s a joyous anthem that marries delicacy with club music.  “Shades of Blue” brings the mood down. The thunderous drums are cool, but I question why Hill chose such a gloomy song as the closing track. When a début EP like this only contains three songs, each song needs to be strong enough to all make a positive statement. Ending on a depressing note taints the overall experience.

The piano-led gospel-come-pop works well, although the overproduction and excessive effects don’t always serve to enhance the music. The songs work best when striped right back to the basics of just piano and vocals. As they say, less is more. Hill’s voice is gorgeous, and I’d far rather listen to her than half the tripe that plays on the radio these days. This short taster is a promising show of Hill’s potential. Let’s just hope that in the future she can let the songs do the talking, instead of hiding behind unnecessary overproduction.

Joseph James

Album Review: Halsey – Badlands

Halsey Badlands cover
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Halsey is an anagram of the name Ashley [Frangipane], the latest of a string of electro-pop stars who will soon conquer the airwaves with her début album Badlands. She shares a similar synth-based pop sound to Lorde, Broods, Ellie Goulding. Her voice is like Taylor Swift at times, but she also has a bad girl attitude like Taylor Momsen or Miley Cyrus. Halsey is going to be huge; a hybrid of all trending chart toppers.

The music is likable enough. Dreamy synths? Check. Percussion driven? Check. Computerised sounds? Check. Repetition to the days? Double check.

It’s unashamed manufactured pop, but it is nice to see that the artist herself has at least a co-writing credit on every song on the album. There is also some odd additions thanks to the slick production, like a cinematic choir on ‘Castle’, or the stunning violin on a number of tracks. There are rap and alt rock influences that are detectable through the punky attitude.

Because that’s the last part of the success formula. If you want to sell your product, it’s as much about image as it is about the music. This music is pop with an edge. Halsey is working on her bad girl image like the aforementioned Momsen or Cyrus. She sings about smoking and using drugs and attracting boys older than her. It’s enough to both upset parents and appeal to rebelling tweenage girls. Those messages could be justified as feminist, but I think it’s just clever marketing.

Badlands lasts roughly an hour, with 16 songs. I enjoy most of the songs, but an hour of it is a bit much. The music starts to lose its punch when it doesn’t deviate enough. That said, the demographic that this music will appeal to tends to listen to singles instead of albums, so the music it won’t lose its effectiveness outside of an album context.

Halsey has a great voice. Coupled with slick producers, and riding a trending genre, there’s no way she won’t sell. Hear her blasting from a defiant teenage girl’s bedroom soon.

Joseph James

Live Review: Jim Beam Homegrown 2015, Wellington Waterfront

Jim Beam Homegrown Wellington 2015
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Jim Beam Homegrown 2015

Featuring a selection of New Zealand bands across multiple stages

Wellington Waterfront

Sunday 8 March 2015

 

The lead up to Jim Beam Homegrown has been interesting to observe. Tickets sold out about a week ago, prompting a frenzy of online ticket on-selling. An influx of first-year university students had just come down from their collective O-week high and decided that the cure was to attend Homegrown, no matter what it costs (Thanks Studylink!). Tickets that had originally sold for $109+bf were fetching $250. One girl even paid $700 for two!

Then the weather hit. The festival was postponed from Saturday to Sunday in light of predicted hurricane strength winds. Most visitors from out-of-town had return travel booked for Sunday, so suddenly couldn’t make the event. On top of that were locals who for whatever reason couldn’t escape Sunday commitments. Cue another ticket frenzy, with people desperate to get whatever they could for tickets that they were unable to use. I’m sure that hundreds went unused. Ticketing agencies refused refunds, citing terms and conditions. A postponed event is different to a cancelled event, and they can’t help it if someone is unfortunate enough not to be able to make it.

As a consolation, Homegrown organised two shows at TSB Arena on Saturday for those who couldn’t attend on Sunday. There was an early afternoon rock show featuring Villany, I Am Giant, Devilskin and Blacklistt. A later evening show featured rapper David Dallas, dub-rockers Kora, rock heavyweights Shihad and drum and bass favourites Shapeshifter.

Out-of-towners could choose one of the Saturday shows to attend. Seeing only four bands may have felt like a raw deal, but it was better than nothing. Not enough people showed up though, so Homegrown organisers allowed local ticket holders to attend as well, to fill up the venue.

On Sunday morning the weather was stunning. Still, bright and warm: the perfect recipe to ensure that thousands of drunken concertgoers get their generous dose of sunburn. There was no evidence to indicate the lightning, floods and gale winds of the previous day. The Wellington waterfront was already alive with activity due to the weekly vege markets, and steadily got busier as punters arrived for the festival. Lining up to swap tickets for wristbands was surprisingly painless. No half hour queues like I’d seen in previous years.

Silence The City

The first band I saw was Silence The City on the rock stage in TSB Arena. The day was still young so there wasn’t much of a crowd gathered in front of the stage. They played a short set of alt rock, complete with blinding strobe flashes at regular intervals. A few songs have got airtime on the radio recently and the crowd reacted well to those, along with a cover of Ellie Goulding’s “Burn”, that was quite different to last time I’d seen it played.

It seems that most shows have a standout member of the audience (like Amelia, the blonde girl at Dragonforce a few weeks ago). Well the star of the day at Homegrown was the bare-chested dancer at the rock stage. He was a bearded man with long hair and an open denim shirt who was tearing up the dance floor as if he owned it. He was effortlessly elegant and graceful as he strutted and twirled. The way he moved his feet was especially impressive, seeing as how the floor was so disgustingly sticky from all the spilled drinks the night before. I found myself spending more time watching his dancing than watching the band.I’d seen this same man at Westfest the previous week, dressed and dancing exactly the same during Soundgarden’s set.

Black River Drive

I like Black River Drive but I haven’t really followed them since I saw them about five years ago, when they were promoting Perfect Flaws. They have a nice light rock sound that still retains an edge. I noticed that they have a new drummer now, but still sound largely the same. It made for nice listening as I watched our nameless dancer friend boogie his day away at the back of the arena. BRD also get bonus points for having a bubble machine onstage.

Black River Drive Image: Bradley Garner Photography.

Black River Drive.   Image: Bradley Garner Photography.

Nothing scheduled for the next few hours was of interest, so my friends and I took some time to rest up for the night ahead. We bought some ice creams that melted almost instantly in the heat, and made sure to drink plenty of water.

David Dallas

Come 7pm I made my one foray away from the rock stage to the Pop and R&B stage for South Auckland rapper David Dallas. It certainly was a different crowd. Gone were the seas of black band t-shirts and heavily tattooed limbs, although there were plenty of #makehistory temporary tattoos that the Jim Beam girls had given out all day.

Dallas’s band, The Daylight Robbery, were absent due to Homegrown having been postponed. But this didn’t stop Dallas delivering a hit-heavy set. With a DJ manning the backing tracks, Dallas and long time collaborator Jordache tag teamed and performed songs from throughout Dallas’s entire career. If anything, losing his band let Dallas mix things up more. Sid Diamond joined him onstage for “Southside”, followed by another guest spot from PNC. Dallas was right at home onstage and he knew it. He smiled coyly and beckoned for more applause. He rapped a few pre-intro verses before finishing his set with “Runnin'”. It’s true: Not many can rock a show like this.

After wolfing down a burger and a punnet of chips we ventured back to the rock stage for rest of the night.

Blacklistt. Image: Bradley Garner Photography.

Blacklistt. Image: Bradley Garner Photography.

Blacklistt

Front-man Damien Alexander started off the set with a vicious rap, before Blacklistt gave their typically aggressive performance for the hard rock fans. They played to please, from the Blindspott stuff that we all wanted to hear to the newer Blacklistt songs that became the next step for the band. The reality is that Blindspott/Blacklistt are one and the same, save for legal dramas. Both have the syncopated beats, the pent-up anger, the DJ scratches, the high-pitched guitars, the reggae ballads… all those aspects that make up the overall sound. One interesting moment was when a chant started up between songs mid set, with half the crowd shouting “Blacklistt”, and the others chanting “Blindspott”.  Without being formulaic, the show was everything I’ve come to expect from the band – no matter what you choose to call them.

Shihad. Image: Bradley Garner Photography.

Shihad. Image: Bradley Garner Photography.

Shihad

I first saw Shihad play in 2008, at the first Homegrown festival when I was 16. Tonight was the twelfth time watching them play. And there’s a reason I keep coming back.

Shihad are rock legends, veterans of the stage who have played together for longer than I’ve been alive. They play every show with such energy that the audience can’t help but become infected by it. The way that front-man Jon Toogood punches the air with such force, and keeps the roadies panicking by climbing atop the speakers side of stage. The way the Karl Kippenberger plucks those bass strings in a way that you can’t help but move to. They way that Tom Larkin pummels those tight tribal patterns out of the drum skins. And although Phil Knight is the least showy, his guitar playing is vital for filling out the band’s sound. When the four of them play Wellington together, they make sure every time that it’s a homecoming to remember.

I actually watched Shihad play the same set the night beforehand. A large majority of the songs played were from the latest album FVEY, with their throbbing beats and abrasive riffs. Four were from The General Electric. The one hiccup was that Knights guitar sounded like it was tuned differently for “Home Again” on the Saturday night, something that was quickly remedied just after the bridge. I think this is the sign of a great live band, that I’d be more than happy to watch the same show two nights running, and not feel bored.

The set that Shihad played both nights. They also played the song "Pacifier" for the encore on Sunday.

The set that Shihad played both nights. They also played the song “Pacifier” for the encore on Sunday.

When I was a teenager my friends and I would road trip from our hometown of Nelson up to Wellington to attend Homegrown each year. After seven years I’ve already seen most of the bands on the lineup that I’m interested in multiple times. Even so, it still always proves to be a lot of fun. It’s easier now that I live in Wellington, and the lineup never varies much, but I can see myself happily attending more Homegrown festivals in years to come.

 

Joseph James