Concert Review: Fat Freddy’s Drop, Western Springs 18 January 2020

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Clear blue skies made for a stunning start to the afternoon at Western Springs leading up to Fat Freddy’s Drop taking the stage for a 2 hour set at 9pm.

Getting in around 5pm there wasn’t yet much of a crowd giving plenty of space a full view of the stage when one of the support acts Avantdale Bowling Club came on at 5.40pm, for what was the highlight of the night for me by an experimental hip hop / jazz mile.

Headed by Aucklander Tom Scott (also of Home Brew), I first heard ABC’s self-titled album when it was released in August 2018. Although not being much of a follower of hip hop or rap,  I immediately related to the single Years Gone By, myself being a music obsessed troubled youth in the 90s. Remembering friends I’d lost and how time and happenings are continually changing people and place, nostalgic loss painting a rose tinted glass coat over brutal experiences.

Hearing JY Lee on the saxophone on this album was one of the moments that converted this metalhead into a fan of experimental jazz, hearing Lee live for the first time cemented the love. Scott, Lee and other band members including Julien Dyne (Drums), Tonga Vaea (Keys and Trumpet), Ben Turua (Bass) exceeded expectations with a such powerful delivery it made me feel the bitter sweetness of pain and struggle, love and achievement within the quotidian, throughout the core of my being with each note. Scott owned the stage with the best rapping I’ve ever witnessed, assertive and confident in what he has to say and his place on the stage. The live show outstrips the already fantastic album, I will be heading along to ABC’s next Auckland appearance for sure.

By 8pm there was a sea of patterned summer short sleeve shirts and bucket hats numbering in the thousands. Given the crowd size, the facilities were well managed. I was only in queues for drinks, food, and the toilets for up to 10 minutes max. Water was easily accessible at the water station. St Johns staff with lovely smiles handed out sunblock early in the evening which was much needed on my easily burnt skin, me being habitually poorly prepared.

Being an all ages event it was great to see kids on parents shoulders and families on picnic blankets across the Western Springs Outer Field. As to be expected the sun plus alcohol was a bit much for a some, I saw a few (mostly older) people tripping and falling over others drunk or on the ground head between legs. But for the most part the crowd was really well behaved and those obviously drunk were more amusing than annoying. It was great to see an older crowd right up front dancing and singing their hearts out to FFD.

In comparison to ABC, I was a little disappointed with Fat Freddy’s Drop. This was the fourth time I have seen them live and the first time I felt sleepy after the first hour of the set and felt like going home. Technically there was nothing wrong with the performance, they executed songs such as Blackbird, Silver and Gold and Raleigh Twenty true to album form. But the energy I remembered from past live performances was lacking this time. For me it was like they had already tired of making the summer rounds yet again and were going through the motions.

When Joe Lindsay (Hopepa) on tuba played eyes closed, I felt like closing mine laying down and going to sleep like a guy a couple of metres away from me had already, and I was to the right side of the stage fairly close to the front. Although it was Hopepa, dressed in his signature white getup, that also provided some of the best moments when energy could be felt with his tuba protruding swagger and sway front of stage.

At 10.50pm my friend and I started to make our way to the exit when the encore was announced which stopped us in our tracks. Finally I heard the FFD of past recollection with Roady. Vocalist Dallas Tamaira (Joe Dukie) came alive chanting ‘fire’ with the crowd. It was if the volume on all mics was turned up for last few minutes. I was happy I left Western Springs at the end of FFD feeling the buzz I started with earlier in the night watching ABC.

Other artists that graced the stage in support of FFD included: Gates/The Logg Cabin & Printor, Bailey Wiley, JessB, L.A.B. CHAII, David Rodigan (this one a strange but comically interesting choice of support acts).

~Andy Baker

Click any image to view a gallery from each artist.

Fat Freddy’s Drop

Avantdale Bowling Club

Bailey Wiley

Chaii

Jess B

L.A.B.

 

Andy Baker
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