I first watched The Phoenix Foundation live back in 2009 supporting Jarvis Cocker at the Town Hall, they were GREAT!
Now they’re back again, ending the tour in their home town of Wellington. This was hopefully going to be as exciting for The Phoenix Foundation as it was for the crowd. James Cabaret is such a cool out of town venue where you feel you can get close and engage with the band, and a good crowd turned up to watch the band perform. Following on from the success of the latest album Fandango the tour has been a hit so far.
They certainly didn't disappoint and the hypnotic guitar riffs and eerie vocals echoed around James Cabaret to the obvious delight of the audience. Sam and Luke certainly sound as good together live as they do on the albums.
Being a huge David Lynch fan, these guys should definitely make a sound track to one of his strange, out there movies.
Conrad's psychedelic guitar tunes could convince anyone that they had had a few too many drinks or popped the wrong pill, and its this quirkiness as well as the tightness of the band that makes it different.
Buffalo is still one of my favourite tracks and to hear it performed live sent shivers down my spine. The build up of the track is so clever and engaging and the drums and bass are so powerful.
If you ever get a chance to watch these guys, don’t turn it down.
The Phoenix Foundation have been performing and producing music together for just on 20 years. As one of New Zealand's most accomplished acts, they have either won or been nominated for every music industry award NZ has to offer.
With a career releasing and performing such a diverse range of music they appeal to any demographic. Their recent releases of Give Up Your Dreams, Fandango and Buffalo, have seen them receive high acclaim from publications such as Mojo, Q, Uncut, NME and The Guardian. BBC Radio Personalities such as Lauren Laverne and Jarvis Cocker are fans. They have performed on stages around the globe from ‘…Later with Jools Holland’ (BBC TV) to The Big Day Out to Glastonbury.
They have written soundtracks for many TV Shows, Commercials and Films, including New Zealand’s Top grossing film of all time Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Boy and Eagle Vs Shark by Oscar Nominee director Taika Waititi.