Dead Favours - Gig Review: Dead Favours @ Loons, Lyttelton - 21/04/2023
This gig marked my first visit to The Loons, a venue in Lyttelton, Christchurch with an almost nostalgic NZ school/church/rural town hall type vibe, in an excellent way. It looks to have quite a decent capacity, and it's a shame that more of that capacity wasn't occupied with punters tonight, to witness the onslaught of quality rock & roll that was served up.
First on the bill was Dolphin Friendly, a "sonically diverse coastal psych-rock force to be reckoned with", a four-piece from Christchurch. Their first song kicked things off in high gear, reminding me of II-era Led Zep and Dark Side-era Pink Floyd, which is never a bad thing from my perspective. They soon lived up to the "sonically diverse" description, however, as the song changed tack yet again, heading more into dub territory, and then just for the sheer merry hell of it, why not throw on a few bars of Black Sabbath's War Pigs whilst you're about it? Dolphin Friendly certainly took the crowd on a musical journey, all the while oozing a larrikin charm that ably demonstrated why they're being touted as a band to watch. Whilst the whole band were superb, special mention has to be made of their bass player, a joyous, high-energy dynamo of groove and skill, with tone for days. Nice work.
Volts were up next. I'd been really looking forward to seeing these guys, having thoroughly enjoyed their single When You Go, and they were every bit as slick and polished as I'd anticipated. Volts remind me in a most excellent way of Garbage, but with a more modern and relevant slant. Vocalist Lorna Coll was magnificently in the zone, a chanteuse of power and presence, delivering a flawless performance of Volts' stadium-ready bangers. The entire band is vibrant and sexy, and were clearly having an absolute blast. No wonder the crowd loved them.
Dead Favours are a band so filled with mojo, so powerful, such a collection of utter rock monsters that they blew up an amplifier merely by walking past it, prior to their set. Consequently, we had a slightly longer wait whilst a replacement amp, quivering in its valves with fear, was sorted. Worth every bit of the wait, the mighty Dead Favours cursed a brief introduction and then hit us between the eyes with amp-destroying intensity. Their adoring crowd was treated to tracks from the back catalogue, along with new ones like Roundabout from the EP Riffing & Yelling Part 2, although I don't know how much 'yelling' there was.
There absolutely was an abundance of top-shelf riffage, but Jared Wrennall (guitar, vocals) delivered a stellar vocal performance, from warm throaty lower-register through to crystal clear falsetto. If there's any 'yelling' going on with these guys, I'm picking it must be during one of those frustrating times when their raw rock energy has caused another guitar amp to give up in despair, just by being accidentally placed too close to the epicenter. Their songs reminded me of some sort of heady blend of the best of QOTSA and of Muse, knock-down kick-out-the-jams belters, with vocals caught perfectly between sultry and sneering. It was a hell of a good night, I'm really glad I got to check out all three of these superb bands.
Dead Favours continue to tour throughout April and May as long as they can avoid breaking anything else along the way. Chuck a few bucks at a ticket and go see them.
Photo Credit: Bevan Triebels / Triebels Photography
Dead Favours Gallery
Dolphin Friendly Gallery
Volts Gallery
About Dead Favours
Since their formation in early 2016, the band have released a string of singles, the most notable to date being Dig (produced by Shihad’s Tom Larkin), a riff-centric banger that quickly grabbed the attention of both audiences and radio programmers alike, spending an impressive 27 weeks in the charts. The success of this debut single lead to a nationwide tour alongside the already popular Skinny Hobos, Decades and Bakers Eddy which saw the band increase momentum and pick up an army of new fans all around the country.
The band quickly followed with the singles High Flying and Better The Weather (produced again by Tom Larkin) which has seen the band go on to be invited to perform at festivals such as Jim Beam Homegrown, Demon Energy Rock The Park and share the stage with international acts Royal Blood and Rise Against which was received with rave reviews;
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Dead Favours
Releases
Other Reviews By Peter K Malthus
Menzies - EP Review: Spaghetti Land
18 Jul 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Menzies are a four-piece melting pot of marvellously talented folk from Wellington, comprised of Chris Brown (Friendlies), Miles Sutton (Welcomer, Prizegiving), Doug Kelly (Girl Boss), Nikita Piper (Friendlies, Androgynous Lemon). They have just released their debut EP, Spaghetti Land, to riotous applause, fanfares, parades in their honour, a 21 gun salute, and the keys to the city.
Read More...
Matt Langley - Album Review: As Real As You Want It To Be
18 Jul 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
From Dunedin, but currently residing in Japan, Matt Langley is an artist who has already made an impressive impact on the New Zealand music scene, and with new album As Real As You Want It To Be, he's certainly poised to consolidate that position. Matt is an acclaimed and awarded songwriter, and has a weighty list of artists he has collaborated with, toured with, or supported, including names like Lindon Puffin, The Eastern, Martin Phillipps, Sir Dave Dobbyn, and Head like A Hole.
Read More...
Silk Cut - Album Review: Silk Cut
02 Jul 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Having already released two EPs, and then followed up with full length album Our Place In The Stars, Silk Cut have returned to titillate your earholes with a brand new, self-titled album. The line-up of two guitars, bass, and drums also has shared lead vocals, and delivers a heady blend of 60's psychedelia and 90's guitar-based pop/rock.
Read More...
Cherry Slits - EP Review: Cherry Slits Are Back
01 Jul 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
So, there's a wee bit of a story to go with this one, and it's been a lot of fun to review. Nicola Cheeseman Is Back is a new play by Kathryn Burnett, detailing the story of a 50 year old woman having a midlife crisis, who decides to get her '80s punk band, Cherry Slits, back together.
Read More...
Marsha - Album Review: In Circles
01 Jul 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Marsha hail from my hometown of Christchurch, and I'm a tad ashamed to say I hadn't actually heard them up until now, but I'd heard many good things about them. In Circles is their debut album, containing some previously released singles, and has been in the works since 2021, and all the painstaking care that was put into its creation is evident in every note of every song.
Read More...
Album Review: The Trials And Tribulations Of Miss French Part Two
21 Jun 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Miss French is the performing name of Julie Foai, who spent 20 years touring the world with South Pacific band Te Vaka, and managed them into securing a contract with Walt Disney Pictures. Having released her debut solo album in 2016, The Trials And Tribulations Of Miss French, Pt.
Read More...
Taveets - EP Review: WINT/HER
21 Jun 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Taveets has been steadily releasing singles and EPs since 2019, including 2023's Balcony Nights EP which could almost be considered album length at seven songs. The Wellington-born and raised Samoan/Futuan artist/rapper has just released his latest HipHop/RnB offering, WINT/HER, the five songs looking at love and relationships from different angles, and in different moods.
Read More...
Dónal Gunning - EP Review: Born To Perform
13 Jun 2024 // by Peter K Malthus
Dónal Gunning's travels, since leaving his native Ireland, have seen him eventually relocate to Wellington, where he has been regularly gigging as a solo artist, and with backing band The Bucks. The Bucks are comprised of a collective of Wellington session musicians and have also accompanied Dónal on two north Island tours, delivering fun and energetic shows.
Read More...
Most Viewed Artists
Latest Galleries
NZ Top 10 Singles
- BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Billie Eilish - NOT LIKE US
Kendrick Lamar - MILLION DOLLAR BABY
Tommy Richman - A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
Shaboozey - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
Sabrina Carpenter - ESPRESSO
Sabrina Carpenter - LOSE CONTROL
Teddy Swims - TOO SWEET
Hozier - GOOD LUCK, BABE!
Chappell Roan - HOUDINI
Eminem
More Content on muzic.net.nz
Google Site Search
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report A Problem
