Sulfate – Whammy Public Bar: August 7, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
Sulfate the alongside/offshoot/post Wax Chattels (who are seemingly on hold while bassist/vocalist Amanda Cheng makes her mark on the world) entity for Peter Ruddell to indulge/continue his creative affront to the sinister world we inhabit, released two captivating albums pre-Covid (2019’s Sulfate & 2021’s Godzone).
Sulfate last graced Tamaki Makaurau back in 2023, opening for UK spikey art rockers Black Midi. I think this is true, a compadre at tonight’s show agreed, about two years ago, not to be confused with the tremendous (and last known) Wax Chattels show in the now defunct, Whammy Backroom with Cable Ties in 2024.
In the silence that followed, Peter Ruddell has been continuing to produce other’s music (Dick Move, DC Maxwell & Jazmine Mary), and it seems continuing to create a whole new batch of Sulfate songs. Tonight’s show is possibly a preview, a test of an album in motion, as Peter Ruddell introduced the night, an opportunity to share them, as an intimate mass.
Still a three-piece, Sulfate’s personnel line-up has changed, still drums, bass, guitar, sampler (or similar) and maracas. Ruddell, dressed in black, shaved head, he stands in command, dominates (by default) the centre space with sound and movement. It’s frenetic, drummer and bassist add motility, as Sulfate performs as if on tour, rather than in their first show, in possibly 500+ days.
Ruddell’s voice is utilized deliberately, as it always has, but the new materials offers, feels replete; rockier, punkier groovier, while there is still room for their post-industrial sound that always inhabited, elements of Maths Rock are either more pronounced than in the past, or have come into the fray. The use of ‘voice’ samples is exquisitely placed, and prepends the songs, as between songs, Ruddell consults his own little book of lyrical incantations.
Exhilarative best describes the energy of drum and bass (the operator creates distortion, effect noise freely, frequently) that sit on either side, the two are in sync, as they traverse through songs, seemingly flawless in conjoining with guitar (sampler) and vocals. Tonight’s songs swing from forever! to (almost) cut short?: some exude sonic-anthem, others hark back to Industrialism (think SPK or early Fetus Productions) Four years ago, Peter Ruddell was asked ‘Where do you see yourself in five years? Exactly where I am — making records with musicians I admire’ Tonight, Sulfate harked his impending arrival.
Simon Coffey
Click on any image to view a photo gallery:
