Mountaineater, Left or Right, Full Fucking Moon and Ryan Prebble @ Bar Bodega, Wellington - 16 September 2011
Music fans turning up to Wellington’s Bar Bodega on Friday night were lucky to be treated to a wide range of musical styles.
The Nudge’s Ryan Prebble kicked things off, playing solo for the night. He played some songs by the Nudge, a couple of tracks I hadn’t heard before, and was full of banter for the dozen or so people who trickled in after (presumably) the rugby had finished, including an anti-littering message for us all (but especially smokers). I’ve been enjoying the recent Nudge album, and thought they were great live (you can read my review of the album here and the live show here), so it was interesting to see a different spin put on familiar songs.
Ryan’s got a great bluesy voice and his guitar playing last night reminded me a lot of Jimi Hendrix’s style of blues – a great, warm guitar sound, a bit of distortion and a rawness that gives the music an edginess.
Wellington psychedelic noisemakers Full Fucking Moon then treated us to a set of tribal drumbeats, reverbed out vocals and freaky synth sounds. I saw this trio of shoeless vagabonds at Wellington’s Mighty Mighty about 6 months ago and couldn’t remember much about them (my fault, not theirs); all I took away was that they were pretty out there.
I’m glad I got a second chance to check them out; I was definitely impressed by their sound this time around. It’s pretty basic music, but it works for me. It was a great set, highlighted by the songs featuring Bek Coogan’s eerie vocals.
It’s was reggae’s turn next with Dunedin band Left or Right. The crowd suddenly seemed to swell when they appeared on stage and a sea of dreadlocks began dancing as one to the heavy tunes. I’d heard their album before and was keen to see how that translated into a live setting. I’m please to report back that the songs are great live; a blend of heavy rock and reggae grooves, with a bit of trumpet and melodica thrown into the mix. Think Kora with more of a reggae, good time feel to it.
Their drummer, Metua Marama was impressive, smashing the drumkit to the point where it started to fall apart.He’s an awesome drummer and drives the energy of the band. During their finale he was even on his feet as he played out the ending to the song.
As the dreadlocked masses drifted away Mountaineater came on and it was obvious from the excitement
amongst those remaining in the crowd that they’ve built up a strong following here. I’d heard a lot of buzz about this Dunedin trio, although hadn’t seen them before. I’d also been warned that they were loud and they certainly lived up to that reputation, with my ears still ringing today despite wearing some pretty heavy duty earplugs.
Don’t let the risk of hearing damage put you off seeing these guys though, you won’t be disappointed. Basically carrying on from where frontman Tristan Dingemans’ previous band, the legendary HDU, left off, they create a wall of rock driven by heavy bass riffs and pounding drums. Standing in front of the stage is like being buried in an avalanche of sound; you can’t fight it, you just have to relax and let it take you wherever it’s going.
Mountaineater were definitely the highlight of the night, and I came away from the show feeling privileged to have been able to experience it – and I’ve been listening to the few tracks they’ve got on the internet all morning, definitely a sign of a memorable band.
About Mountaineater
When a new Dunedin three piece made their live debut near the end of 2008, one thing was obvious - for Tristan Dingemans, front man of the formidable band HDU, lightening had struck twice. This was no former glory with backing band situation; this was a band, which was instantly capable of creating its own moments of puretranscendency. In short, Dingemans has an excellent shit filter, and proved he wasn't gonna step out until he had something great. And ladies and gentleman, with Chris Livingston (drums) and Anaru Ngata (bass and guitar), that is Mountaineater.
Few bands manage to take the intangibility of experiencing a natural landscape and transform it into sound, but those that do are absolutely momentous. Yes, with this brooding and heavy mix of sonic landscapes and visceral, bludgeoning rock, you can't ignore the pedigree. Yet Mountaineater is a further step down the pathof tension filled catharsis, as immediately inviting as they are unrelenting.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Mountaineater
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