Concert Review: Fathe & The Sweetos – Neck Of The Woods July 25, 2020

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Fathe & The Sweetos – more cool local music that would most-likely be overlooked if it wasn’t for the dearth of international acts.

I was on K Rd last week when a friend approached me to let me know that I should make sure to get along to Neck Of The Woods next Saturday as there would be a big band played that I would surely enjoy.

Thanks Bob!

You were right. The band was Fathe & The Sweetos and they were numerous. I’m sure there were at least 11 or 12 musicians on the tiny NOTW stage at one time or another.

Fathe is from Africa (Sudan I believe) and has been living in Auckland for the past 10 years or so.  He just released a new single, titled Sisters, this past week and that featured as the opening tune for their 45 minute set.

Their sound is a mix of Afro-beat, Cuban and Hip Hop. In fact, a Cuban gentleman hopped on stage halfway through the set to get things grooving.

The band included two horn players, two backing vocalists and the usual guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.

The crowd at Neck Of The Woods had been mostly unresponsive to opening act Sanguine, whose singer, the striking-looking Jah Nina attempted to inject some identity politics into the room with a song addressing indigenous rights, chanting, “do you acknowledge whose land you stand on”

But the crowd was having none of it, choosing to chatter among themselves ignoring what was happening on stage. The band quickly got the message but seemed to give up, playing a short, mostly instrumental set before giving way to Nigerian DJ Banty who proceeded to get booties shaking.

Fathe Tesfamariam himself was in fine form, trading lyrics with the female backing vocalists and engaging the crowd.

After performing his “anthem” What I See” we were treated to a new song, something of a slow jam with Fathe’s pleading vocals.

The energy level was brought back up as was the Cuban rapper (sorry, didn’t catch his name) and we dancing til past midnight with “Boom Boom Boom, Cha Cha Cha Cha” the highlight of the night.

Actually, there was one last high point.

Fathe reached back to a song, “I remember as a kid”. It was I Am A Disco Dancer from the 1982 Bollywood film of the same name.

We danced in the new day, which was one of the band member’s birthday. It is incidentally mine so when the place erupted into “Happy Birthday” there was joy everywhere.

(Also Happy Birthday to Mick Jagger & Jacinda!)

Thank you Fathe and thank you Bob, for the tip!

Marty Duda

Be sure to treat yourself and view this clip of Disco Dancer, you won’t be sorry!

 

 

Marty Duda
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