The Others Way 2023 – Various K Road Venues: December 1, 2023 (Pt.1)

The Others Way returned and we were there! This year’s festival was so big we had two 13th Floor reporters there to cover all the action.

Our first review comes from Karen McCarthy:

Auckland turned on an uncharacteristically lovely Friday evening for the welcome return of The Other’s Way Festival – warm, still, clear.

So we were doubly-blessed – weatherwise and musically – this first day of summer  Congratulations to musos and crews and the festival bookers and organisers. It ran like clockwork. A feast of music on a beautiful night in Tamaki Makarau, a celebration of community and songs.

So many gigs, so little time, some clashes and crossovers with so much to see.

Among my Other’s Way highlights …

In a truly inspirational and moving choice, iconic band Herbs kicked off proceedings on the Galatos Outdoors stage – the street filling over the course of their acoustic set. “Honoured to be opening” they said.  Three long-standing members on stage tonight, Tama Lundon centre-stage on guitar and sweet, smooth, soulful vocals .. flanked by saxophonist Mori Watene on his right, and to his left guitarist and sole surviving Herbs founding member Dilworth Karaka. Roots and reggae legends.

All three stay seated throughout, Dilworth in his wheelchair. What must be their collective age? Pensioner cool.

Influential on the New Zealand music scene for more than 40 years, Music Hall of Famers, founding fathers of Pacific Reggae, the Pacific strum and island vibes infuse their set which starts with beautiful ballad In The Ghetto, and goes on to include Sensitive To A Smile, Parihaka, Long Ago, Them’s The Breaks, Dragons and Demons, and Kiwi classic protest song French Letter – a song for the ages. Whanau and friends and fans are grooving hard out up front. The respect and affection is palpable. The vibe is chill. Age has wearied them. But on stage, the years melt away. Such a treat. When is that gonna happen again …

Hard act to follow. But Trinity Roots are up to the task, and a fitting second band up on the outdoors stage. Warren Maxwell and Co, a five-piece tonight, settling in quick in front of a now packed crowd, already warmed up by the stroll down Herbs memory lane.

Maxwell, in a flat cap and yellow trackie top, is seated and swaying as the music kicks in. People are dancing before he’s sung a word. It’s tight, sophisticated, psychedelic funk and soul, with fantastic jazz drums – the rhythm section a force to behold – Ben Lemi on sticks .. Rio Hempopo grunty as always on bass .. powering us through Trinity’s trademark kaleidoscopic, highly emotional cacophonies and crescendos. It’s a jam, man. The young guy on keyboards fitting right in – coming in and out ever so light and graceful, Bob James-like at times.

And always, at the heart of it, the soul of it, Warren Maxwell’s voice – strong and pure, cracking and hoarse at times, but utterly soulful. Truthful. Authentic. One of New Zealand music’s finest sons, with a long and storied history, Maxwell always exudes such positive energy.. Losing himself, surrendering himself, to the music but always keeping the connection with the crowd. He’s, it’s a wonder to behold. There are some beautiful harmonies too.

Someone in the crowd lights up a joint. Fitting. The audience for Trinity Roots is feeling it. It’s a cultural and generational melting pot. They really do bring people together. Waren pays tribute to the band on before them – “pretty hard to follow Herbs. The O.Gs. Much respect.”  Indeed.

He brings on Tuhoe wahine toa Ma to join in festivities. It gets a bit political as she sings and raps – “from the river to the sea” – a Palestinian catch-cry. Another reason to feel truly blessed to be out on the streets enjoying music on a Friday night of peace and freedom.

Another joyful jam session ensues. ‘Little Things” trips along at pace, enhanced by smooth keys again – Talk Talk-like even. Then it’s almost over.

Maxwell jests as he introduces “our last song ..but it’s about an hour long, so …. bloody hell ..self indulgent Wellington jazz musicians.”  Bring it on brother. It’s “a cover, Southside of Bombay’s “What’s The Time Mr Wolf”. 

It builds and builds – we get keys, drums, guitar and bass solos all at the same time – mighty and mesmerising as Ben Lumi beats up the drums.

Trinity Roots do it again.

Chur bro.

In between those two veteran performances, I duck into Galatos to catch a bit of  “Minisnap” up from the South Island.

Unbeknown to me (that’s the beauty of a festival like this) they are Flying Nun favourites, a “Bats” side project featuring Kaye Woodward on guitar and vocals and a host of heavenly pop hits. Bassist Paul Kean, guitarist Marcus Winstanley and drummer Malcolm Grant round out the four-piece. All I know is I ducked in and out and noted down “jangle indie-pop-rock goodness , chugging rhythm section … like the Chills, early Straitjacket Fits, an 80s Flying Nun band.”  Well now I know …

Wish I could have stayed for more but didn’t wanna miss the start of Trinity Roots. .

Tearing up to Pitt Street Methodist Church next to see some of American harpist Mary Lattimore. She brings a contemporary take on the classical instrument. She is solo tonight, but  has performed with indie musicians like Kurt Vile, Sharon Van Etten, Steve Gunn and Thurston Moore.

Lattimore is a golden vision with her stringed instrument towering over here, caressed lovingly. The California calls it a friend, her 85-pound sculpture. It’s mesmerising.

The vibe is ‘angels at the pearly gates’ .  Spell-binding. Beautiful and fragile.

She is soft-spoken in between songs, and tells a lovely yarn about writing a song for astronaut Scott Kelley who spent the most days in space of any NASA astronaut – making history with a record-breaking year-long mission aboard the International Space Station. She sent the composition to NASA. They sent it on to Kelley. She’s clearly still chuffed.

I race back to the Galatos outdoors stage for indie pop darling Amelia Murray and band, better known as Fazerdaze. It’s grunty and guitary dreampop …lapped up by adoring fans. She’s a rock chick, rocking out ..at one point bringing special guest Buzz Moller from Voom onstage for their catchy collaboration “Magic.” A rare performance. A real treat. This band, her vocals, are evocative of Brits “Wolf Alice.”. That appealing. That good.

Shimmery, shoegazey, they also rock hard, with a frontwoman with a powerful set of pipes. And one that likes to have fun while doing it. The band’s joy is infectious. Live and in the studio, impressive.

At some point I take a quick detour into East Street Hall to see what PachyMan is all about.. A pocket rocket of Puerto Rican goodness is what … captivating the dancehall crowd. The Los Angeles-based producer, singer and multi-instrumentalist  cuts a slight figure on stage behind his gear, but he creates a huge vibe, hyping up the eager crowd  on the mic as he dubs out his mixes – ‘toasting’ as he goes in true roots-reggae sound system style.

Real name Pachy Garcia, he is a born entertainer – all smiles and hip-swivelling, ass-shaking on the dancefloor. Latin rhythms and energy aplenty. A true showman. It’s fun fun fun. The clock is ticking. The crowd is hungry for more, chanting ‘one more song.” Pachyman wishes he could but his time is up,

I catch a little of  iconic U.S hip hop group Souls of Mischief from a distance as I head back to Galatos Street. West Coast rappers. Total pros. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of their breakout debut album ’93 ‘Til Infinity.‘ They say they love it here and the crowd loves them. It’s loud and on point.

Closing out the night for me, it’s back into Galatos for The Veils. So many times have I seen Finn Andrews, solo and with band, and they/he never disappoint. He was flying solo at Auckland Art Gallery last time.  Tonight rocking out with full band, including the ubiquitous and very talented Dave Khan on strings and keys. It starts off dark, ominous, moody. And stays that way really. In the best possible way.

“You’re A Long Time Gone” is a gorgeous unholy racket – one of many. Nick Cave is writ large over proceedings. Andrews in his signature fedora and black suit, is in full flight – such a softly spoken soul, but like a man possessed behind the keyboard when he really gets going. And a howling dervish when he’s up on his feet – theatrical as hell tonight, all grand gestures and gesticulating as his distinctive voice rises and falls, and he snarls, and bares his teeth. We are well and truly warmed up now.

There are Spaghetti Western vibes. Dave Khan alternates between his fiddle and keys and shredding electric guitar – the go-to for so many musos, and a producer to boot, he always brings the goods and that special something.

“Holy Roller” brings out the fire and brimstone again. Like an oldtime preacherman, whipping his worshippers into a frenzy. There is uninhibited dancing for joy, people bouncing up and down. Chainsaw fiddle. It’s a riot.

The Veils debut two new songs tonight – one a Gothic fairytale/folktale – ‘Across The Water” I think it was called? The other inspired by a visit to a palm-reader who Finn says “told me everything – told me too much.” The name escapes me – ‘Fortuneteller‘ perhaps? It’s epic. Beautiful piano melodies. The man is a poet. A storyteller. He should be writing novels. Perhaps he already is.

Many many years ago, in London, and here, I was entranced and enthralled by bands featuring singer, songwriter and keyboard player Barry Andrews – “XTC” who I never got to see, and “Shriekback” who I did.

Extraordinary to now – decades later –  be being enthralled and entranced by Finn, the son of …

What a musical bloodline. What a history. What a thrill. What a fucken’ talented father and son.

Rock on, both of you, all of you … and all of us.

Karen McCarthy