Belief is a beautiful armour but makes for the heaviest sword

It was in April of 2010 that the mature ladies man with a sense of humour came to town. John Mayer hadn't been to New Zealand in over 3 years but this would be my first time seeing him live in concert. I was lucky enough to be sitting in the fourth row and was blown away right from the opening act. I had never heard of Lisa Crawley before but she came out on stage looking adorably nervous and played some of the most beautifully lovable music (for those of you who have read my New Zealand Music Month posts, then you are probably already familiar with Lisa Crawley's amazingness). Despite the fact there were not many teenage/young girls, the scream that erupted from the crowd when John Mayer came on was unbelievable, and there was no shortage of the random, shrieking declarations of love during the momentary silences between songs. John Mayer is the perfect example of a modern blues man and an amazing improvisational guitarist, breathing new life into all of his songs through his suave personality and electric fingers. I have not seen a performance like that since around the time of my 18th birthday when I saw the legend, Eric Clapton in the same venue (according to the album booklet of Continuum, John steals from Eric Clapton but he is cool with it). Backed by his 5-piece band, he put on one hell of a show, and he even managed to make the audience laugh. He was full of jokes and little monologues, helping everyone to relax and have a great time. The greatest moment was when John asked a question to the audience (in the middle of a strange rant)

John Mayer: Who would win in a fight between the Karate Kid and Rocky?
Random Guy: JOHN MAYER!
John Mayer: That's right, John Mayer would.

John Mayer w/ Lisa Crawley. 28/04/2010. Vector Arena, Auckland, New Zealand.

Lisa Crawley & The Conversations

John Mayer

John Mayer

John Mayer and his snazzy checkered pants

John Mayer w/ Band

John Mayer

John Mayer - Talking nonsense to the audience

New Zealand Music Month 2011 - Part II

This is part II of my New Zealand Music Month tribute, it will be dedicated to all the slightly lesser known bands that are currently out there being awesome. I limited my first post about NZMM to only four bands because they are my absolute favourite New Zealand bands, but there are so many more that the rest of the world needs to know about.



LISA CRAWLEY

She is a charming songstress from Auckland who plays a beautiful mix of indie pop music. She is backed by her band, The Conversations, who feature a wide variety of instruments including trombone. Lisa is an extremely talented songwriter and vocalist with mesmerizing skilled on the piano, guitar, glockenspiel and many other instruments. She currently has 2 EP's out called Shoot The Night and Hello, Goodbye and Everything In Between, and she has also opened for Jools Holland and John Mayer. Currently recording her first full length album.

Best Songs: Brother, Back To You, These Friends Of Mine, Birds

TAINTED

A death/thrash metal band from Christchurch, these guys are one of our most brutal and technically proficient exports. I first saw them open for Iron Maiden back in 2009 and since then they have opened for such legendary acts as Metallica, Trivium, Unearth, The Black Dahlia Murder, Chimaira and Arch Enemy. They have become one of the best live acts in New Zealand metal with their dynamic energy and brutal sound which landed them a place in the line up for Big Day Out 2010. With 2 outstanding albums under their belt (The Awakening and Carved and Created) they are still a strong force to be dealt with on the NZ metal scene, leaving most NZ cities bruised, battered and desperate for more.

Best Songs: Beneath The Veneer, Say What You Mean, Tyranny, Scars

CAIRO KNIFE FIGHT

The most dynamic and explosive two-piece to come out of New Zealand ever. They play a unique style of rock that has numerous twists and turns that develop and evolve as their songs unfurl. Their live performance can only be described as hectic and intense, with Nick Gaffaney on drums, keyboard bass and vocals simultaneously, while sometimes operating the loop pedal to keep things interesting. He is supported on stage by the charismatic Aaron Tokona, whose infectiously rhythmic guitar playing is electric and yet, somehow sexual. These two set up their equipment to face each other on the stage so that they can build off of each other as the songs develop and grow. Always starting a gig on a suspense filled note, with long droning sounds of feedback and building to a destructive climax of rock brilliance. With a fantastic eponymous EP out now, they have opened for legendary bands like Queens Of The Stone Age, Foo Fighters and Them Crooked Vultures.

Best Songs: Big Face, The Happy Couple, This Is Love, All I Ever Wanted

OTHER HONOURABLE MENTIONS:


BEASTWARS
The Mint Chicks
Die! Die! Die!
The Dauntless
Cobra Khan
Nathan King
Ladyhawke
Goldenhorse/Kirsten Morrell
Liam Finn
Antagonist AD
Oilbarrons
The Transistors

+

Flight of the Conchords
Shihad
Split Enz

Check out New Zealand Music Month - Part I