November 9, 2024

Reb Fountain – Hollywood Avondale: November 8, 2024

Reb Fountain made her debut at the Hollywood Avondale, to celebrate the much-anticipated release of her new single, Come Down, with her supporting band – an exceptionally talented and cohesive dream team, perfectly complimenting the astral journey and interweaving of alternative folk and rock, with Reb Fountain’s unique style of musical storytelling.

Conditioning the stage before her debut, we were entertained by the idiosyncratic marvel of Finn Johansson, emerging from my hometown of Wellington, I immediately could resonate with his quirky and very distinct indie sound, and even more interesting, an ultimately efficient methodology to his songwriting technique.

Finn Johansson

Finn introduces himself, and his assisting musicians to rapturous applause, the perfect A-team to massage the crowd with a delightful mix of electric keyboard and violin throughout his playlist, befitting to the momentum and grace of the evenings main act.

The Hollywood Avondale was the most perfect arena to encapsulate all this raw talent too; with its grandiose walls that hold such nostalgia and artistic history, up to its lofty high ceilings. The space immediately felt warm and inviting, even when I at the last minute, found myself sans gig partner; the jovial and seasoned crowd, soon eased my anxiety and embraced me with their inviting energy and genuine love for the artist and for music itself.

Finn Johansson, too, quickly warmed up my soul and my nerves, with his witty and intelligent anecdotes, detailing his colourful travels and the uncanny chaos that can ensue, but all tied together in a most generous and confident spirit; all the while, belting out bold and beautiful ballads, often riddled with his intriguing observational humour. From What a Way to Make a Living, I want my Dad to Hold Me and then tapping it out to the end, with the dramatic and impassioned Love Bomb, Finns’ entire performance was full of fervour and incredibly touching. A dude that beats to the literal sound of his own drum!

Reb Fountain

The Hollywood Avondale theatre, full of old and familiar musty grandeur, was lowly lit with ambient hues of green, and transient shades of magenta, creating a mood that was as mystical and entrancing as the performer herself, Reb Fountain.

Reb Fountain Willowy and statuesque, she commands presence without demand. Her allure and raw magnetism draw you in, and without even before hearing her multi-faceted and incredibly personal songs (as such was the case with myself until only recently) you already feel like you know them, and can therefore, resonate with her passionate and deeply poetic lyrics.

Her introductory tracks included such as Faithless Lover; haunting and ethereal with a strong folk influenced musical arrangement and vocal style, effortlessly blending into the ever so catchy beat and funky melody of the eponymous title track Come Down, with the beautifully resonant chorus of “I wanna be adored”, had even the most stoic of the audience up and grooving. Reb has a wonderful gift of blending musical styles, with both fervour and restrain seamlessly …

She was in great company with support of her creatively cohesive band: Dave Khan, Karin Canzek and Earl Robertson performing on keyboards, bass and percussion. The heavy and progressively harder thumping on one such track, reminiscent of a traditional pirate sea shanty. The slow and hypnotic Faithless Lover had me mesmerized and swaying along with sweet abandon, as I drank in her dreamy melodies and the sentimentality of the Hollywood theatre – Dance in the Shallows literally echoing back from within its walls …

Reb Fountain

A true storyteller, Reb Fountain envelopes you in her romantic and sometimes melancholic web, of reflective sound and lyrical expression. Seductively sashaying from one track to the next, Don’t you know who I am? being one powerfully charged and poignant send off to an entranced and enraptured audience. With cries of ‘encore’, Reb and her band finish with a cover of OMC’s – How Bizarre. A fantastic reimagining of a 90’s cult classic, delivered with Reb’s signature bohemian essence and crooning breathy drawl.

A most enchanting songstress, with some stylistic influence reminiscent of Stevie Nicks, in the manner of her sensuous movement and striking voice, but Reb Fountain ultimately holds her own with a crowd – most definitely satiated musically, yet still yearning for more.

Monique Perera

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Michael Jeong:

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