Concert Review: Labretta Suede & Motel 6 – Wine Cellar June 17, 2020

Walking into the Wine Cellar concert cave half an hour prior to kick-off, and looking at the wall art which some future android will try and decipher, I see a large American flag and a beatific portrait of the New Zealand Prime Minister, in the style of the iconic Che Guevara image.

America is wild fiery passion and virus-riddled tension. We are the Promised Land?

Labretta Suede is the diminutive female ball of energy that fronts this Roots American band. Dressed in a beaded blue Wonder Woman costume with black fishnets, she would be the perfect foil on stage for the departed and lamented Lux Interior.

She looks Middle Eastern, but she is Greek in origin. Husband Johnny Moondog is the guitarist and sonic carpet bomber. Bloody hell he looks like Bryan Gregory.

They are the founders of this band, fifteen years ago in Auckland.

Took themselves to New York City which is the spiritual home to this style of music mayhem.  The Seventies and the New York Dolls, Ramones, Suicide, and the Cramps. CBGB’s.

They have played extensively in the States to enthusiastic and I sense a good cult following.

The rhythm section and heavy artillery is Tweety Bird on bass guitar, and The Prosecutor on drums.

Were due to be back in the States this year but got caught in the viral shockwave.

We feel very lucky to be stranded here, says Labretta.

They were scheduled to appear at a music fest in North Carolina in July, the Heavy Rebel show. Tonight, they are filming this to be included in a livestream version of that up-and-coming event.

Never having seen them before, I sort of expected some Rock’n’Roll tribute covers band.

That got blown away immediately by the opening attack. Bo Diddley style drum and bass, American Tribal. Distorted fuzztone guitar riffs echoing Link Wray, Davie Allan and the Arrows.

For those of us who are disciples of Songs the Lord Taught Us (File under Sacred) by The Cramps, this IS the real junk.

One Night (of Sin) followed, fast and dirty. In fact, filthy.

There must be some sort of tradition of can heaving here. The band started it; the audience participated. Empty most of the time.

The band then displayed their awesome chops for the rest of the night. Labretta’s vocals could have been higher in the mix. Checked out their records later and she has a good female rockabilly voice.

Mean mouthed Mum begins with a brilliant drum attack until the guitar smashes the door down with MC5 style guitar blasts. The Jacinda poster is referred to, the mean-mouthed Mum?

In Full is revved up surf music. The next, Bait, takes the surf and makes it sound punk like Billy Zoom and X.

Chicken is rockabilly at great speed, ripped out till the guitar sounds like a chainsaw.

24 is described as a ballad, but becomes an extended workout and is a highlight amongst a superlative set…more MC5 noise attack, tribal drumming, the hypnotic and repetitive riffing moving into Velvet Underground territory when in their Art Terrorist mode.

Cryin’ Shame is a Blues. It starts with a John lee Hooker stomp beat. Then the guitar rides up with distorted fuzztones.

Sick begins with a drum and rhythm guitar introduction very similar to the opening of the Sex Pistols Pretty Vacant. Labretta matches this with punk vocals.

Bad News is basic and brutal rhythm, and then more MC5 guitar into the attack.

The musicianship of this band is superb and shows a lot of discipline. Like the Ramones and their guitar players love of drilling his band like a military operation.

Like those New York bands mentioned earlier, this is also serious art with a lot of the diverse components that make up American music honed into a blistering attack. No ballads tonight.

Must commend the sound people, it was perfect and when it’s right, it’s crucial.

Having so much fun, forgot we were all bodies together, touching, pushing, spilling beer, shaking hands. Are we back to normal?

Couldn’t help but be transported back to 1994 and a legendary performance by The Cramps at the Power Station, which may or may not have been enhanced by psilocybin that night.

Johnny Moondog played guitar in the support act for that show. Scary and exhilarating.

A fantastic band. They must be stuck here for a while so go and see them!

• Rev Orange Peel

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Veronica McLaughlin Photography:

Set List
Opening Salvo ..One Night
?? Juice
Etiquette for Suckers
Mean Mouthed Mum
In Full
Bait
Chicken
24
Boogaloo
New Orleans
Cryin’ Shame
Sick
Bad News
Itty Bitty
Tear it Up