Concert Review: Avantdale Bowling Club, Hollywood Avondale, 23 October

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Avantdale Bowling Club‘s Tom Scott returns to the stage for an utterly absorbing set in hometown Avondale

When you’ve got an album as masterful as Avantdale Bowling Club in the bag, West Auckland rapper Tom Scott doesn’t need to reinvent much.

Back for a sold-out show at Avondale’s Hollywood Cinema on Friday, his 2018 acclaimed project, an ambitious blend of jazz, rap, and spoken word, proved once again exceptional, and, undeniably, best served live.

The show began with Scott’s impeccable five-piece band featuring Julien Dyne, Guy Harrison, and JY Lee, among others, teasing the crowd’s anticipation with a jazz interlude before he joined them on-stage to applause.

In his hometown Avondale, Scott beams with pride from underneath a fluffy bucket hat. “I just literally walked from my house onto the stage,” he says, taking a neat swig of whiskey straight from the bottle.

Pocket Lint and F(r)iends kick off the hour-long set with Scott diving straight into his intricate rhymes, spitting out every double-paced bar with vigorous passion.

The album’s deeply personal lyrics, mostly about his struggles growing up, fatherhood, and transitioning into adulthood, still seem ever-present, his rap talents magnetic as ever.

As with the Avantdale Bowling Club record, the ensemble of top-tier musicians that play behind him elevate this gig to a whole new level. Trumpets and sax blast with full force into the stuffy, smoky air; silky keys dance around lush, groove-oriented arrangements. The music quickly takes over with each track, stretched out with powerful instrumentals, blurring into one continuous stream of trance-like escapism.

Water Medley and Home are highlights of this, clocking in around the six to eight-minute mark. Tonight, Water, is brought to life with a brilliant drum solo by Dyne that escalates with non-stop energy. Home showcases Scott’s love for the local community. Looking around the room, with every word being recited back, it’s clear how much this music means to his day-one fans.

Lucky also, was an on-stage appearance by fellow Avondale rap legend Melodownz. The friends deliver their punchy single To Live and Die in AD – an anthem for the neighbourhood they grew up. Seeing these talents side-by-side is a reminder to the world-class rap born on these nearby streets.

Saved for the encore, debut hit single Years Gone By ties the whole show together, with a bang.

Scott exits the stage, but the majority of the crowd stays for the extended music outro taking in one final glimpse of the multi-layered, story-telling they’ve just witnessed. Live music at its best.

– Sarah Downs

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Sarah Downs
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