She drinks like a chimney and smokes like a fish

This is the show I had been waiting for since early August, the Drab Doo-Riffs release party for their new EP 'A Fistful Of Doo-Riffs'. I got this EP at the Liam Finn show on August 3rd but it wasn't out until Sept 9th officially, so I had to bide my time until the release show to truly celebrate its magnificence. DDR were playing at the Winchester in Auckland City, which is a perfect venue for them and they had some quality opening bands including Allan Pitt playing the saw (seriously, it was amazing) and the instrumentalists Hollow Grinders. The Drab Doo-Riffs took to the stage which was decorated with guitar pinatas and a banner with a severed dolls leg painted on it. They started off the show with their theme from A Fistful Of Doo-Riffs played by the toughest trumpet player I have ever seen and from then on out, it was just a tornado of Doo-Riff. Opening with some older material really helped get the crowd into it and then they unleashed some of their new songs like Lunatic Fringe and I'm Depressed. The set list was filled with new and old songs, which is a wonderful thing to experience. The Drab Doo-Riffs now have enough material to entertain all night and that can only be a good thing. DDR writes new music so quickly that they were playing new songs, like Do The Cat and Fantastic Voyage, that weren't even on the new EP (that is how new they were). The Drab Doo-Riffs live shows are the best in the country with Karl Steven and Caiohme McFehin bringing perpetual energy and twitchy dancing to ever show. It was a great night of madness and the best NZ show I have seen all year. I even came away with lots of goodies, including a t-shirt, 10" vinyl, 3D poster, stickers and a lungful of glitter.

The Drab Doo-Riffs. 09/09/2011. The Winchester, Auckland, New Zealand.

The Drab Doo-Riffs w/ Tim on trumpet

Lucy & Karl

The Drab Doo-Riffs w/ Tim on trumpet - Motorscoot Scoot

Karl, Caiohme & M. F. Joyce

The Drab Doo-Riffs - Ill Equipped

DO THE CAT!

The Drab Doo-Riffs Set List

Try hard not to argue the obvious

Everything was coming in 2's with 2 of my favourite New Zealand artists playing 2 nights in a row. Liam Finn and The Drab Doo-Riffs are electric live bands and brilliant musicians, so this was an unmissable event. The first night started off extremely well, with The Drab Doo-Riffs unveiling their new EP, A Fistful Of Doo-Riffs (which wasn't even in stores yet) and playing all of their new songs. The new material was a little rough, but it was the first time some of those songs had ever been played live so it was really a privilege to experience that. Karl Steven and Caiohme McFehin were spastically (yet somehow gracefully) throwing themselves around as usual and being a die-hard DDR fan myself, I was happily dancing my heart out along with them, even on their new songs which I was experiencing for the first time. Liam Finn was the main event, touring in support of his new album FOMO and he lived up to his reputation. A huge musical performance backed by a lovable personality, his guitar was vibrant, his drums were dynamic and his vocals resonated from behind that signature beard. Liam's set list fluctuated between his 2 albums, while he switched between instruments flawlessly and his backing band was magnificently complimentary. The bearded one loves to end with a big finish, howling the vocals for Lead Balloon while the encore took a much more mellow approach, eventually settling down to just Liam and E.J. performing an intimate song. The second night was a lot of the same, The Drab Doo-Riffs were feeling a lot more comfortable with their new material and really let loose in the Kings Arms, while Liam suffered some slight technical problems that would've been problematic, but Liam covered for it with an impromptu jam session. The set lists for both bands changed slightly on the second night, but mainly just shuffling songs. It was a fantastic night and an absolute blessing that I got to experience it twice in a row.

Liam Finn w/ The Drab Doo-Riffs. 03/08/11. Kings Arms Tavern, Auckland, New Zealand.

The Drab Doo-Riffs - I'm Depressed

The Drab Doo-Riffs - Pour Vous

The Drab Doo-Riffs Set List

Liam Finn - Gather To The Chapel

Liam Finn Set List

Liam Finn w/ The Drab Doo-Riffs. 04/08/11. Kings Arms Tavern, Auckland, New Zealand.

The Drab Doo-Riffs - Lunatic Fringe

The Drab Doo-Riffs Set List

Liam Finn - Better To Be

Liam Finn - Lead Balloon

Liam Finn Setlist

My secret you'll forever be

Unearth were coming to Auckland and they were putting on a big show for metal fans. They had multiple local bands opening up for them and they were bringing melodic death metal band, The Black Dahlia Murder over with them as well. I hadn't seen any of the local bands before but they were all quite impressive, except one band that was really horrible. Awaiting The Storm were the first act to play and they were very young but extremely good for their age. The Dauntless and Mark Of Man played brilliant sets that really got me hooked on their music. It was an awesome couple of hours of NZ metal but now it was time for the international acts to take the stage. I had heard a little about The Black Dahlia Murder before this show but I had never really been exposed to them before. There seemed to be endless amounts of people wearing beautifully illustrated and coloured BDM t shirts though, so they must have been good to have such a cult following. As the night went on, I would discover that they were more than good, they were FUCKING AMAZING! The Black Dahlia Murder took the stage and blew my fucking mind. They were thrashing heavy metal music at a blistering pace but there was an underlying melody created by some inspired guitar riffs. The lyrics were complex and morbidly fascinating, while the atmosphere of the band was so playful and fun. Lead vocalist, Trevor Strnd was a demonic puppet master as he psyched up the audience and pumped his fist in the air. They were so quirky and had such a party attitude, but their music was genius and fucking exciting. I fell in love with this band that night and I have been obsessed with them ever since. After their set I was hugely satisfied but to my utter delight, Unearth were about to take the stage. They played another hour of brilliant metal to the point where they were thrashing so hard, Drummer Derek Kerswill broke his drumstick during Endless (which he then threw to me). It was a heavy night filled with amazing bands and life changing discoveries.

Unearth & The Black Dahlia Murder. 29/05/2010. Kings Arms Tavern, Auckland, New Zealand.

The Black Dahlia Murder set list

Running schedule w/ Unearth guitar pick

Extract the venom, spit it over the shoulder

Shihad are one of the most successful bands to emerge from New Zealand, I was lucky enough to get to witness them take home the Legacy award at the NZ Music Awards in 2010. Earlier in the year, Shihad were touring the country in honour of 2 of their best albums, Killjoy and The General Electric. I would've loved to have gone and seen them both but being a poor art student, I had to decide which one I was going to attend. In the end it was obvious, I was going to see The General Electric album being played in its entirety. The show was sold out and local shredders, Heavy Metal Ninjas opened the night with an impressive display of guitar manipulation. The NZ audience was now ready for Shihad and they delivered with interest, kicking off the show with My Minds Sedate. They transitioned straight into The General Electric (the song) and the atmosphere was buzzing. New Zealand loves when Shihad plays and Shihad love putting on one hell of a show for us. The rest of the album was played with the usual intensity that Shihad have always brought to the stage and lead vocalist/guitarist Jon Toogood was at his best, rocking out like a true skinny white guy. The encore was filled with lesser known tracks from earlier albums and Jon even climbed the sound system at one point. It was a great night that NZ fans can always expect from one of our greatest rock groups ever.

Shihad. 07/08/2010. Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.

Shihad - Jon Toogood

Over New Years, I headed down to Waihi to see Shihad play another show. This time they were playing as part of a summer festival that was travelling around New Zealand over the holidays. I live in Auckland, so it was a pretty decent drive down to see them, but that would never stop me from seeing a band I loved. To add to the allure, one of my favourite NZ bands were playing in support, Christchurch duo Cairo Knife Fight, along with Chart Topping Indie Pop group, The Naked & Famous. I drove down there in the morning and spent the day on the beach and walking around the cliffs, until I headed off to the venue, Waihi Beach Hotel. A big stage had been built outside the Hotel and I was able to grab a spot in the front row, just to the right of the centre. Cairo Knife Fight opened the show to a rather calm crowd but by the time they were done playing, the audience was alive and thriving. I've seen CKF many times and they always manage to win every single person in the audience over by the end of their set. The Naked & Famous played a good set, their style of alternative pop music got everybody moving and really appealed to the younger people in the audience. Finally, Shihad took the stage and the place just erupted. Unlike earlier in the year when I had seen them, they were playing a set list of their greatest hits and it was an amazing display. Starting with the new and haunting Final Year that lead straight into heavier hits My Minds Sedate and The General Electric. They worked their way through their history playing older songs, like Semi-Normal and Run with newer songs, like Engage and Lead Or Follow. Ending the show with massive hits Comfort Me and Sleepeater, the atmosphere was absolutely electric. They came back for an encore where they played their 2 most well known songs ever, Home Again and Pacifier. The show was well worth the trip down to Waihi and I even managed to see the band afterwards and get them to sign my set list.

Shihad w/ The Naked & Famous + Cairo Knife Fight. 03/01/2011. Waihi Beach Hotel, Waihi, New Zealand.

Before I blow this life to hell

Alter Bridge was the first band I ever saw live and they have had a special place in my heart since I was young. Myles Kennedy is one of my all time favourite vocalists and hearing that he was teaming up with Slash for a world tour was amazing news. Slash and Myles announced they would be playing 1 show in New Zealand and it was going to be at the G-TARanaki festival in New Plymouth. Even though G-TARanaki is NZ's only international guitar festival, it was still a surprise that one of the biggest concerts all year was going to be in such a small town. The location wasn't going to stop me though, I got my ticket and booked a motel so I could drive down there and spend the weekend at the festival. There was a big line-up of musicians including local bands Shotgun Alley and In Dread Response. Vinnie Moore and Jennifer Batten were the next 2 artists to showcase thier talents. Cover group Hail! put on a great show with heaps of familiar songs and then it was time for the main event. Slash came out at about 10PM and played for around an hour and a half. With the hugely talented Myles Kennedy on vocals, they played songs from Slash's last 2 solo albums, some of Guns 'n' Roses biggest hits and even an Alter Bridge song. Getting to hear songs like Paradise City and Sweet Child O' Mine was an amzing experience, they were the songs I grew up with and now I get to hear them with a far superior vocalist. After their epic performance, Slash performed in a midnight jam session with a few of the other musicians, including Uli Jon Roth. They just played a bunch of cover songs, including Communication Breakdown (Led Zeppelin) and Sunshine Of Your Love (Cream) but they put a unique spin on them all. The whole night was really amazing and truly a once in a lifetime event. The next day I was even lucky enough to meet Slash and Myles as they were heading off to the airport, it was a fucking brilliant experience. I wasn't able to get many pictures and they arn't great quality, but here is the best:

Slash w/ Myles Kennedy. 14/08/2010. TSB Stadium, New Plymouth, New Zealand.

Slash w/ Myles Kennedy - TSB Stadium

Slash & Uli Jon Roth

Slash - Midnight Jam

Me & Myles Kennedy with my wristband that was signed by Slash (although it looks like 'Slush')

 

I hear footsteps in the dark when you hijack my heart

This is the short story of how I got my very first set list, which was the start of the fairly impressive collection that is continuing to expand. I was seeing Ladyhawke, the year was 2009 and the day was Halloween, a holiday that isn't really celebrated in New Zealand but it is still an excuse for normal people to do weird and freaky things. At this point in my life, I hadn't been to many concerts. The only musicians I had seen live were Alter Bridge, Disturbed, Iron Maiden and Eric Clapton (a pretty sweet list actually) but I was young and quite unfamiliar with the concert environment. That was all about to change on Halloween night though, I was breaking in some new shoes so my feet were killing me by the time we got to the venue. We got there after the doors had opened and ventured inside to see how many people had got there before us. A lot of people were inside the Powerstation but for some reason, there was not a single person on the floor in front of the stage. The audience was crowded together and pressed up against the walls, like there was an invisible barrier stopping them from getting too close to the stage. I guess every single person in the venue was just 'too cool' to be the first one on the floor. Being different is something that has never stopped me in the past so I just pushed my way through the cowardly crowd and walked out into the big, open space that was the stage floor. I walked straight up to the barrier and sat down against it, front row and centre. I was probably the 500th person to get to the venue but I had no problem getting front row, and it was my first time front row so I was pretty excited. It wasn't long after I claimed my spot that other people noticed and followed like sheep. I guess now that I was the 'uncool' one who was eager to get front row, it was okay for all them to move towards the stage without hurting their 'street cred'. A local band called Over The Atlantic opened and they sounded so much better live than they did on CD, there music was just so much more dynamic. Ladyhawke and her band came out next and they were all dressed like skeletons. It gave a very cool effect to their whole set, and the microphone stand wrapped in fairy lights helped too. I think it was her first headlining show in NZ since her debut album hit the charts, so it must have been a pretty big deal to her. The show went really well and she played her entire album with a couple of covers at the end. She seemed so adorable every time she shyly tanked the audience after a song, and she was even cuter when she confused some of the lyrics to My Delirium and looked so embarrassed, but she recovered really smoothly and it was a great song to end the night on. I was given the set list by one of the sound techs after the show and I had a really special item to remember the night by. That night is what began my obsession with doing whatever is necessary to get front row and grab a set list after the show. So here it is, my first set list:

Ladyhawke. 31/10/2009. The Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.

As we fall into sequence

This years Big Day Out really lived up to its name. I took the train and arrived at the venue around 10 o'clock, I had to make sure I was there early because one of my favourite bands were playing in the opening slot. Street Chant took the stage at 10:30AM which is exactly when I got through the gates and ran to the barrier, so I could rock out to my favourite NZ band. They played a great set and I even made 3 news that night as one of the crazys who was rocking out first thing in the morning. I stayed at the Green/Converse stage for a while after that but I was only interested in every second band. That didn't bother me too much though because it meant I got to stay against the barrier on the Converse stage and just wait for the bands to come to me (while I tried to pretend I couldn't hear the awful bands playing on the Green stage. Next band to play was Die! Die! Die! and they had a really extreme set with a lot of crazy fan participation. Later, the Greenhornes played and I'm not a huge fan of theirs but I am a giant Dead Weather fan, so there is no way I could pass up seeing little Jack. During that time, I missed seeing Drab Doo-Riffs on the Lilyworld stage, but I will see them plently more around Auckland in the future, so it is okay. I made my first trip to the main stages after that, Airbourne were playing their hearts out and Joel O'Keeffe climbed the stage structure to thrash his guitar high above the ground. I headed over to the Boiler Room next to see CSS, they played a really fun and energetic show. For the rest of the afternoon, I was running between stages seeing the likes of Lupe Fiasco and Wolfmother, until it was time to go see one of the main events (in my opinion), Crystal Castles. The only problem was that Alice was in a leg cast, so their performance wasn't the best it could've been. They still played some of my favourite songs but they cut their set short in the end, I am just hoping that they will come back to NZ one day so I can see a proper show filled with Alice insanity. Shihad were playing their General Electric album on the main stage and they are always a classic NZ BDO band. I started moving away before Shihad were finished though because I wanted to get a really good spot for the next band, Iggy and the Stooges. Despite only playing at 7PM, Iggy was the highlight of the night. His set was an example that the raw power of rock and roll never dies. It started to rain during his set and I got completely soaked but I didn't care at the time. I ran over to the Green Stage in an attempt to keep warm, I got there just in time to catch the end of local band, The Naked & Famous. Sia played right after and it was such an awesome show. She was dressed in this big box with stripes painted in it and then her body was painting in the same stripes, so she looked like a chameleon trying to blend in with her background. Her performance was very sweet and adorable, especially considering it was happening while Rammstein were playing on the main stage. It was now very dark and I was extremely wet and cold, but there was still one band to see. I headed over to the main stage to witness Tool, but I was thoroughly underwhelmed. Not much happened and they didn't even play my favourite song, Parabola. At this point, I was freezing cold so I started to make my way out of the venue and towards the trains, where I could find some warmth and dry clothes when I got home. I don't have any photos from the later bands, but here are some of the best of the earlier bands:

Big Day Out 2011. 21/01/2011. Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand

Street Chant

Die! Die! Die!

The Greenhornes

Airbourne

Wolfmother

Shihad