October 19, 2024

Strawpeople – Hollywood Avondale: October 18, 2024 (13th Floor Concert Review)

Decisions, decisions…Friday night in Auckland and I’ve got to choose between seeing Tami Neilson and Strawpeople. If I had my druthers, I’d attend both, but as Strawpeople gigs are as rare as hen’s teeth, the ultimate decision was a no-brainer.

Paul Casserly and Fiona McDonald revived the Strawpeople name last year, releasing Knucklebones, the act’s first new album since 2004. The band, such as it was, was formed by Casserly along with Mark Tierney back in 1990 and soon became a sleek, solid showcase for the duo’s songwriting (Tierney split in 1996) and the vocal (and often songwriting) talents of the likes of Fiona McDonald (who was serving double duty with Headless Chickens), Leza Corban, Stephanie Tauevihi along with occasional appearances by Anika Moa, Bic and Boh Runga, Victoria Kelly and others.

It’s a tribute to Casserly’s people skills (and willingness to hand over the spotlight) that some many of New Zealand’s top vocalists were keen to work with them and even more so that, over 30 years later, three of them…McDonald, Corban and Tauevihi are on stage with him tonight, along with long-time “bandmates”, guitarist Chris van der Geer (of Stellar*) and keyboard wiz Matthias Jordan (of Pluto), both of whom appear on the new album, Knucklebones.

90’s nostalgia is all the rage with everyone and their mother connecting to their inner Nirvana/Soundgarden/Bikini Kill…but Strawpeople were always at the vanguard of what is commonly called electronica, or trip hop…atmospheric, synth-driven beats and melodies made for radio and club play. As such, Strawpeople were indeed heard all over the radio back in the 90s, but rarely played any shows.

The new album sounds as good as anything they’ve done during their heyday, so now, we get the live version of Strawpeople.

While Paul Casserly is happy to sit back in the dark behind a bank of keyboards, it’s the vocalists who are laying it on the line now…most, I’m guessing, in their late 40s or 50s.

The band has a couple of festival gigs under their collective belts, having played WOMAD and Splore, but here in Auckland’s Hollywood Avondale, there is no place to hide.

The show is sold out. The audience is a good mix of young and old…ok, mostly older, but that seems to be the case at a lot of shows these days…perhaps ticket prices are keeping the youngsters out of the bigger venues.

Whatever, just after 9pm the lights go down, a prolonged synth chord builds up, creating a sense a drama as Fiona McDonald’s distinctive voice rings out with the first words of Baby It’s You, the one cover found on the new album. So, appropriately, something familiar, but presented in a new package…how very Strawpeople.

Strawpeople McDonald’s voice is flawless as she is flanked by guitarist Chris van der Geer on one side, her two co-vocalists Leza Corban and Stephanie Tauevihi on the other, with Matthias and Paul back in the shadows. Eventually a very young bass player, Fiona’s son Darby, will join the after a few songs.

“Well, what a night, I feel like I’m home now”, says Leza, as she takes centre stage to sing Scared Of Flying.

I love how supportive Leza, Fiona and Stephanie are of each other. From where I’m standing there seems to be very little ego and lots of love on the stage.

“This is Porcelain”, intones Fiona, and it feels we are whisked back 30 years as we hear Porcelain Hands from Vicarious.

Stephanie takes us back to 1992 and their version of John Hiatt’s Have A Little Faith, a song that was instrumental in getting Strawpeople noticed back in the day. Paul plays flugelhorn…filling in for Greg Johnson’s original trumpet part.

Then Fiona takes over, performing a stunning version of Taller Than God, with just the piano accompaniment of Matthias. It’s a great song and it is sung and played perfectly.

“I used to be in this other band…” Fiona reminds us as she then sings a powerful, acapella version of Headless Chickens’ hit George. Those lyrics still hit hard 30+ years later.

And before we know it Headless Chickens guitarist Chris Matthews is plugging in to help out with Cruise Control. Chris seems to be on another wavelength than everyone else we’ve seen and heard tonight and the duet with Fiona threatens to come undun, but ultimately holds together seemingly by Fiona’s sheer will.

The result of Matthews’ appearance is to loosen things up and suddenly this feels like a much smaller, less formal show…almost as if we are at the Kings Arms.

Strawpeople

The crowd is much more involved, shouting out to the band and sings along.

Fiona hands her mic over to Paul so he can say a few words and he tells us how thrilled he is that Chris has been part of the show and that Headless Chickens were his favourite band.

Again…so good to see everyone being so supportive.

We are an hour into the set and, after a very dark Papercuts…”so punch me, draw blood that I can taste…” the bangers come hot and heavy.

Everyone around me, young and old, is dancing, 90s-style to hits like Trick with a Knife, Wings Of Desire and Crying…the latter showcasing Chris’ guitar slinging.

Stephanie croons a propulsive Under The Milky Way and Leza takes us home with Sweet Disorder.

“It’s never too late”, Paul Casserly mutters as the light go up.

Strawpeople Live…worth waiting for.

Marty Duda

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