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  • Clap Clap Riot - Clap Clap Riot with Buzz Moller and Fazerdaze @ Kings Arms, Auckland - 18/10/2014

Clap Clap Riot - Clap Clap Riot with Buzz Moller and Fazerdaze @ Kings Arms, Auckland - 18/10/2014

22 Oct 2014 // A review by Andrew Smit

The good boys of Clap Clap Riot delivered a show with a startling prodigious beat full of power and drive, I cannot overstate how stimulating the effect the incredible beat that these guys created had on the audience. Clap Clap Riot are a very dynamic ensemble that knows how to play together, sometimes there was three guitars and bass going at it and it never sounded overdone or out of sync. Sometimes the beat was softened and other times there was bright little guitar and synth effects to arouse your interest. In many ways their live sound is better than the studio recordings, due to the great sound they had booming from the well worked Kings Arms speakers. Stephen Heards unique vocal was sounding spot on and full of strength, while Dave Rowlands guitar wailed and cried dutifully all while throwing his healthy head of hair around! They belted out their hits likeSo You Say and Sweet Patricia which we were reliably told by Mr Heard that we can use on any girl in our lives… as long as their name has three syllables.

The early audience we were warmed up nicely by the wonderful Fazerdaze, the smooth and attractive sound (and sight) of singer guitarist Amelia Murray with her warm and soulful voice backed by crisp drumming by Andrea Holmes and cool bass from Gareth Thomas. They have an electric folk sound with a bluesy feel, their songs are enjoyable, stimulating tunes with great rhythm.

After Fazerdaze the cheeky Buzz Moller jumped on stage to tell us the joke about the rock guitarist who plays 3 chords to 10,000 people while the jazz guitarist does it the other way around! It got a laugh, but more significantly it made the gig feel like a private party with your mates. As he tuned his miniature guitar he talked about his latest song delving into depression which sounded very sweet and thoughtful. In the end there was a trilogy of songs about depression but he did admit the last one was about being sarcastic so it must be the opposite of depression hey! He then allowed his backing band to join him on stage, and up jumped Clap Clap Riot to rattle out some Voom tunes and raise the vibe. He then tagged off with Stephen Heard, and the official Clap Clap Riot set began. Much later Buzz jumped up again and traded vocals and guitars with Stephen. So we ended up with four guitarists strumming together to further test their syncopation which they admirably achieved. It was a great night So You Say oh yes I do, ah ah.

 

About Clap Clap Riot

Clap Clap Riot will soon be known as the hottest NZ indie-rock band of 2009….five extremely catchy tracks packed with dueling guitar riffs, heavy hitting drums and powerful vocals giving the songs a lot of substance…" Groove Guide

"Overall verdict? Standing ovation from me..." The Press

"Five bristling songs, 14 minutes . . . doesn't get much tighter than that…" Graham Reid of Elsewhere.co.nz

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Clap Clap Riot

Releases

Nobody/Everybody
Year: 2013
Type: Album
Counting Spins
Year: 2012
Type: Album
Yoko Ono
Year: 2011
Type: EP
TV Knows Better
Year: 2009
Type: EP

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