The Longest Johns & Albi and the Wolves – The Tuning Fork: May 22, 2025
Has the Tuning Fork ever seen such gusto in both a band and crowd? Perhaps. But I doubt it. The Longest Johns – three lads from Bristol – take the crowd on a rollicking voyage from the get-go, with the opening songs generating energy usually reserved for an encore.
Usually, when I show up to the Tuning Fork at opening time there’s just a cluster of enthusiasts and the place only fills up as the night wears on. Tonight I get there ten minutes before doors and it’s an astonishing sight: a snaking line-up stretching back to Spark Arena. Something special is drawing the devoted.
When the headline acts gets going, I wonder: has the Tuning Fork ever seen such gusto in both a band and crowd? Perhaps. But I doubt it. The Longest Johns – three lads from Bristol – take the crowd on a rollicking voyage from the get-go, with the opening songs generating energy usually reserved for an encore.
Albi and the Wolves
First up, its locals Albi and the Wolves. High octane as aways, Albi (Chris Dent) centre stage on guitar with wolves, Pascal Roggen (electric violin) and Micheal Young (mini upright bass) flanking him… filling the room as if there are more than three.
Scoundrel Dog, the opener, has Pascal adding hound-like howls and his violin shimmering across registers like another voice. How tight are they tonight! The emotionally fraught The Is War is delivered with crisply synched chord changes and precision endings. These guys are on fire and the audience loves them.
“Who’s ridden a bus?” asks Albi before launching into a sad tale of getting lost in Melbourne in search of a love interest. Brief snippets of stories shed light on the songs but don’t detract from the focus. I’m Not Free is Albi’s homage to sobriety, a looking back to the bondage of drinking. Finding himself getting nowhere, hitching on the wrong side of the road. A bleak memory and potent metaphor. Ironic perhaps to see the crowd respond waving arms, beers in hand.
As the set progresses, Pascal and his violin, seem a cyborg-like entity, an ever-weaving bird-like creature, mop of hair and dressed in scarlet. “He must do a lot of yoga” I hear spoken beside me. His energy is a foil for Michael on bass, the steady hand on the rudder: cool, calm and smiling.
On All I Am, Pascal take a rare lead vocal and the line “I’d cross the ocean just to be with you” offer a teaser for the maritime themes to come. A decade together, Albi and the Wolves have honed their craft to the point that when let loose on a stage they crackle with an alchemy of spontaneity yet precision.
The Longest Johns
Suitably stirred and warmed by the openers, The Longest Johns stroll on stage with the question “Are you ready to sing with us?”. There’s only one reply to that query.
Audience participation invited for the outset.
They are another trio whose voices and harmonies are the big attraction : Robbie Sattin sings the highest, Andy Yates sings lower and JD (Jonathan ) Darley sings bass. Mandolin, banjo and acoustic guitar. Occasional harmonium. But mostly it’s the voices that carry the momentum. Sometime acapella.
“We’ll all be well tonight”, a line from opening song The Llandoger sets the theme for the evening. An early highlight is a cover. We are told one of their ‘three hero influences” is Stan Rogers, Canadian chronicler of historical events. Taken too soon in an air accident at 33. Who’d have thought? An Auckland audience heartly singing as one to his Mary Ellen Carter.
A fast-paced set. Changes in style and tempo. Songs about lungs wrecked through mining, men lost at sea… hardly happy themes but sung with such oomph and joy it’s like tragedies are redeemed.
Banter and memorable moments a-plenty. A tambourine’s shattered in the vigour of the percussive moment, a plastic stool whacked with a drumstick, wild tales of the road (“beware of kettles in a green room; we found someone had peed in one once”), audience asked to pretend to be trees ( for Oak and Ash and Thorn).
The question “Are you ready for a sea shanty?” evokes the night’s biggest cheer so far. It’s the traditional Santiana dating from the 1850s. Tales of Mexican armies and demise of a general. Far away in time and place but tonight its three Englishmen in their 30s dressed in black and dungarees and an audience in love with new renditions of old songs. Clearly not missing flashy special effects; in love with a band who reverses convention and claps at their enthusiastic participation. I turn to Waiheke duo, The Wellermen, who play in this tradition and are standing beside me. Their smiles are wide.
A mid-set highlight is Mutiny. The crowd seems to know the words better than the band tonight. Lapses are all in good humour. “Mutiny” calls continue from the floor. Songs of Australia, Mexico, Canada, England…and plenty of originals too. A generously long set.
“Rise again” as says the chorus of the Mary Ellen Carter. Let’s hope we can rise to our feet again soon to The Longest Johns.
Robin Kearns
Albi and the Wolves
- Scoundrel Dog
- This Is War
- Underpass
- I’m Not Free
- One Eye Open
- Heart On Fire
- All I am
- Settle Down
The Longest Johns
- The Llandoger
- Byker Hill
- The Mary Ellen Carter (Stan Rodgers Cover)
- The Hammer and the Anvil
- Ye Mariners All
- Hog Eye Man
- Oak and Ash and Thorn
- Santiana (trad cover)
- Mining for Gold (Chemical Workesr Song)
- Bones in the Ocean
- Mutiny
- South Austraila (trad cover)
- Randy Dandy-O
- One More Pull
- The Workers Sing (Dick Gaughan cover)
- The lady of the map/The White Whale/A mighty Wave
- Beer is Great
- Leaving of Liverpool
- Wellerman (trad cover)
- What Shall We Do with th Drunen Sailor
- Ashes
- Hoist Up the Thing
