Concert Review: Harper Finn, Tuning Fork, 17 July 2020

Harper Finn tells us in the middle of his uplifting Art Pop set tonight at the Tuning Fork. This may be the only live show in the world today. Sad reflection amongst a warm cheering audience.

My second time at the Fork since lockdown lifted. Tables are largely banished to fit the almost 400 largely younger audience. Getting friendly, inside from the cold wet Auckland night.

Warm up act is Basement Collective, four young Aucklanders who deliver a set of Rap driven by dub rhythms. A drummer and bass guitarist provide the engine, a keyboards player plays melodic overtones. He turns up later to play with Harper.

Louche Rap grooves. South Pacific Kiwi Rap. Two guest female vocalists add some soulful singing on a song each.

No Comply are two brothers from Auckland, Flynn Blackwood and Ethan Blackwood.

They are music producers and bring to their sound a broad range of musical tastes and styles.

The name comes from a style of skate-boarding, and also from a philosophy of being provocateurs, change artists, disruptors. Which immediately appeals to me. Essential to a healthy society.

Onstage they leap and bounce around with huge energy which feed directly into the audience.

A lot of their material sounds similar to later style Eminen.

Rapid-fire speed natter. Hyper-Rap. Words used as a percussion instrument, let’s say like tablas. Or jack-hammers.

Tic Tac Toe is a crowd favourite. Has a rowdy, good time party atmosphere like the early Beastie Boys. Tic tac toe/ Demons always follow me home/ You don’t wanna carry this load.

Familiar braggadocio lyrics about women. Young male hormonal behaviour undercut with black humour.

As the set goes on, they get bolder. The NWA/Muthafuck sub-genre of Rap. And as liberating as shouting profanities in public can be.

I found this duo very engaging and enjoyable. Perfect warm-up to the next big UFC event at the adjacent Arena.

Harper Finn on stage resembles a young and possibly better-looking Steven Patrick. He has an excellent stage presence and I even thought we may see flowers thrown onstage.

Well-crafted melodic and arty Pop songs on released recordings. Given a large boost on a funky rhythm section live tonight.

Conversation with the Moon is given a bigger punch onstage as compared to the single. Vocals slightly buried in the mix.

Teenage Queen starts with a slow ominous atmosphere, sub-sonic bass rumbling. A light floating keyboard melody, the vocals rise up. Great surf guitar break over the second half.

The next song Look Who’s Sorry Now, and all the elements seem to come together and the set takes off. Harpers voice becomes brighter in the mix. Everything moves along like a Tesla.

After displaying his dance chops, Harper moves to the keyboard for Good to Me. I understand his songcraft is primarily built from piano, and on this his voice is showcased to great effect. A ballad which sounds more in keeping with Uncle Neil than Father Tim.

Now I’m dead to the world/ Who’s looking out for me now/ Oh don’t you know/ it’s was only me.

Norway has a bouncy rhythm and singing similar to Two-Tone Ska on a great Pop song. The audience react with lots of enthusiasm.

Waiting in Line has one of the Blackwood brothers up on stage. Pop Rap with a bright melodic keyboard. Then the Rap speeds up and becomes harder, the Funky Drummer breakbeat appears and the keyboards switch to ghostly. A highlight.

As is Sundown, the audience rev up on this one too. A sun-bathed shimmering Pop tune. We’re on an island/ shaking the sun down/ I found you at sunset. The drums and bass really kick this one along, and then the piano joins in to build this up to the peaks.

Really a superlative set from both Harper Finn and No Comply. I couldn’t help feeling that there was an alchemy and energy here which you only do find when everyone is together in the same room.

Both young and relatively new acts. In these unusual times we find ourselves in, I look forward to seeing them flourish.

Rev Orange Peel

Click on any image to view a full size gallery of photos of Harper Finn and No Comply from Endeavour Photography