Daddy Long Legs – Whammy Bar: December 1, 2022

Daddy Long Legs are a cult-favourite, rhythm’n’blues bar band from Brooklyn, doing their first tour of New Zealand and slaying the die-hard aficionados and purist fans of classic rock’n’roll in their path.

The original trio kicked off in 2010 and have been collecting accolades steadily to become a critic’s band. Which can be a curse and a blessing. The group’s focal point is tall and lanky Brian Hurd (with a monkey-shine on his head), lead vocals, demon harmonica blower and guitar. Murat Akturk guitar and Josh Styles drums and maracas. Most recent addition to square the circle jerk is Dave Klein on keyboards.

Maybe we are a little starved of this music here, but the last time I can recall a similar act was Doctor Feelgood way back in the late Seventies. They spoke recently on 13^th Floor about the recent death of ace guitarist Wilco Johnson.

They recreate that atmosphere immediately with opening song Long John’s Jump. The harp blows loud and raucous.

Then slam into a cover of Bob Seger’s Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man. A call to arms for the evening. You better move it! The sound is distorting and flattening out. But it’s fixed for the next. Doctor Boogie from the Flamin’ Groovies.

They’re on the track properly now and they really unleash a raver on current single Nightmare. Has the sound of a dirtier James Brown’s Night Train.

They can do country-inspired blues. Blood From a Stone has a nice slide guitar intro and works around the melody line to the Rolling Stones’ Sweet Virginia. Blood from Keith.

Silent Letters

Warming up the Whammy crowd tonight is the duo Silent Letters. They say this is just their second public performance, but they are veteran New Zealand musicians. Phil Somervell (Datsuns) guitar, keyboards and Cameron Rowe (Shaft, Bloodbags) on drums and percussion.

A new incarnation for these two then. The opening instrumental sets the tone. American Sixties garage rock as followed in the wake of the British Invasion.

Third song in, with lyrics that may be about seeing God. The fuzztoned grunge sound of rock’n’roll as put out by the Sonics and the Wailers.

Following song, they say is their first single but I can’t find it anywhere. A similar opening riff to the Pistol’s Pretty Vacant. The singer starts with you should be running, and works it up with a feverish passion.

He mentions feeling a little of an existential crisis in the middle of it to the drummer. But he’s fine now.

Gonna tear you apart/ Tear your heart out as they rip through the next one.

Hypnotic keyboard buzzed riffs open another. The throttle is opened and they race off into a great trash organ piece.

Take time to drop a slower, melodic pop number before revving up the chainsaw again. Getting to slam out a surf punk number at the end.

A very accomplished set and a great way to light the flame for the Daddy’s.

Daddy Long Legs

There have been several Daddy Long Legs from the Sixties onward. A raucous and rowdy English act which caught the ears of John Peel. An acoustic indie pop and soul duo from New Hampshire which started the same time as these guys. A blues quartet from Canada. Even a German Folk/Celtic band.

This band makes it clear where their roots are.

For High Fly, Herd picks up a shiny-bodied resonator guitar, played with a slide finger, like Son House. The amplified slide sound reaches back in time to the diddey bow.

They pay tribute to recently departed Jerry Lee Lewis, on High School Confidential. Rockabilly which races through the gear changes. The vocalist can phrase it like the Killer.

Pink Lemonade, off current album Lowdown Ways, has a rolling riff and the primitive sound of a John Lee Hooker.

They eschew the tag of punk blues. But Motorcycle Madness creates that screeching industrial sound of cutting metal in Bo Diddley fashion. What follows does sound like rough and ready punk rockabilly.

A real treat is Death Train Blues. Herd makes this a spectacular harmonica breakdown. Ultra-fast and just accompanied by maracas.  You could think of Little Walter or Walter Horton. But it really goes all the way back to Deford Bailey. Pan American Blues, and the first Black artist to perform on the Grand Ole Op’ry.

Big Road Blues may be inspired by the Tommy Johnson classic. Or it may not. It starts with the opening riff from the Fall’s Fiery Jack, then proceeds to build and shake it on down. I notice then that the drummer’s dark shades make him appear like Roy Orbison.

The band is inclusive of sounds old and progressive.

Evil Eye gets some Beefheart growling. Rockin’ has sly comedy wearing the sharp suit and tie of rhythm’n’blues, as in a classic Coasters’ song.

Daddy Long Legs are a welcome act in finally gracing these remote shores. They embody the spirit of Tear It Up, one of the greatest rock’n’roll albums ever by the Johnny Burnette Trio. They do it fresh and vibrant.

Rev Orange Peel       

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  Daddy Long Legs plays two more shows in Auckland this weekend!