I can’t believe since I turned eighteen, which was almost
four years ago, I have not taken the opportunity to go to The Cabana in Napier.
Walking in, I saw posters on nearly every visible surface showcasing past
events. My friend and I stood there going ‘Yup, I would have definitely gone to
that one.’ or ‘Oh my gosh, I love those guys… How did I not know about this?’
Well now that I know the kind of events that occur at The Cabana, they can
expect to see my face around more often. Lucky them!
As soon as The Phoenix Foundation came on stage the dance
floor was packed. For us shorter human beings, we had to resort to standing on
tables, chairs and barrels to get a better view. The guys opened with their
song Mountain which is my favourite from their latest album, a psychedelic
sounding tune that got people moving. I loved how they played their entire
album, no song was left out from Give Up Your Dreams, and we were also
treated to songs that could only be heard if you bought their cassette tape… So
retro!
The audience was fantastic. Seeing as The Phoenix Foundation
have been around for almost twenty years, the range of ages there was all over
the show. It was so nice to have such a variety of ages dancing and prancing
around. The fellas kept up a good banter with the audience, so it felt more
like a performance amongst friends then an actual gig.
I do have to say that I adored their encore set in which
they played my favourite song Buffalo. I started dancing on my chair like
nobody’s business! That being said I prefer their older tunes to their latest,
but that does not mean that GUYD does not contain excellent tunes that deserve
being listened to. It is just my personal preference.
I had a fabulous night, dancing at a venue (that I hope to frequent more) while listening to an album containing a great collection of songs. And to the lady while dancing, dropped to the floor and did the splits wearing heels AND jeans… I envy you!
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.