Minuit are one of those bands that people seem to either love or hate, and it was all about the love at a full San Francisco Bathhouse on Saturday.
The night began with Wellington beat maker D:UNK, playing some funk heavy tunes that quickly turned an empty dance floor into a writhing mass of people and was the perfect warm-up for the main event.
And then, Minuit. This three piece always amazes with their energy and sense of fun when they play live, and Saturday was no exception. Taking us through a selection of songs from all their releases and throwing in a couple of new songs as a treat, they had the crowd dancing from the opening notes, and they didn't stop until the last notes were played. Aotearoa, from their last album Find Me Before I Die A Lonely Death, seemed to be the hit of the night with the entire crowd singing along; one of those spine tingling moments in music.
Time seemed to warp during their set – a lot of songs played but it didn’t seem like we’d had anywhere enough time with Minuit by the time they left the stage. It didn’t matter though; after a few chants for an encore they were back with some more tunes.
Unfortunately, when they left the stage again it was for good and no amount of pleading could get them back on.
And so it was left to Wellington’s K+Lab to wind the night down for the weary crowd with his special blend of breakbeat and drum and bass; while many people left after Minuit, there was still a decent crowd who were enticed to stick around and carry on the party by K+Lab.
Minuit has a heart. And it beats loud. Real loud.
Having toured their synths and samplers from Hanoi to Helsinki on the live circuit for over a decade, this trio have crafted their own energetic sound – and it's refreshingly different.
Out front, the enigmatic Ruth Carr mixes sinister with salvation in a jubilant cascade of lyrics, while bandmates Ryan Beehre and Paul Dodge forge their rib-rattling, hip-shaking beats around her.