14 Nov 2024
UsernamePassword

Remember Me? | Join | Recover
Click here to sign in via social networking
  • Articles »
  • Reviews »
  • Fat Freddy's Drop - Gig Review: Fat Freddy's Drop @ Western Springs, Auckland - 18/01/2020

Fat Freddy's Drop - Gig Review: Fat Freddy's Drop @ Western Springs, Auckland - 18/01/2020

24 Jan 2020 // A review by Ben Ruegg

If you haven't seen Fat Freddy's Drop before, like I had not, you need to get out and see them.

Walking around the crowd it was awesome to see so many parents bring their kids along to it. It was an extremely family-friendly environment and crowd. On entry, wrist bands were put on kids with their parent's phone number should they become lost. The whole vibe just felt chill and very kiwi and that all comes down to what Fat Freddy's Drop believes in.

With a sleuth of acts warming up the crowd, it really was Fat Freddy's Drop's night. The moment the band took the stage, the crowd roared and began dancing away to the upbeat sound that is so uniquely them.  The idea of not having a drummer, but instead having Chris Faiumu use an MPC and sampler to keep the beats isn't new, but it is the chemistry that exists between the whole group that makes them so important to music. Joe Lindsay's swag, dancing around is contagious. The way he was able to control that trombone with such finesse and precision, alongside Scott Towers and Toby Laing is inspiring.  

While watching and listening, I couldn't help but notice that the group becomes one unit that lives and breathe together. Known for their improvised jams, you could see how this all worked. Iain Gordon was to the left and raised a bit and yet space doesn't get in the way of this group. Blasting horns, killer beats, smooth vocals from Dallas mixed in with his wonderful guitar playing, it is almost like they shared one mind. This also plays out to the crowd who understand the chemistry that exists within FFD. The audience is dancing, vibing and singing along to this magic that is unfolding in front of us.

One omission from the night was Wandering Eye, and while the encore was only one song, they chose to play Roady, still a fan favourite and one that had us all singing and dancing along. By the end of the show, the audience had been treated to some incredibly precise jam sessions that were driven by the collective.  It was mesmerizing and totally something I need to see again. Even the size of the venue did not hinder this magic.  

Make sure you get out and see them at the next opportunity!

Setlist:

Blackbird
Silver and Gold
Kamo Kamo
Slings and Arrows
Special Edition
Raleigh Twenty
Flashback
Mother Mother
Cortina Motors
Shiverman

Encore: Roady


Fat Freddy's Drop photos courtesy of Bruce Mackay for Darker Arts, from Williams Park, Wellington on 20 January 2020.

 

About Fat Freddy's Drop

Fat Freddy’s Drop is internationally regarded as one of the world’s finest live draws. The seven piece band has navigated their way from the incubator of sunshine reggae through a colour-saturated field of soul psychedelia before swerving onto a desolate Detroit superhighway at night. It’s a sound that demands to be heard live, a potent mixture of jazz virtuosity and diaphragm-wrecking digital sonics.

These influences have not only been formed by the band’s individual predilections, but also experiences on the road: Fat Freddy’s appearance at Detroit’s Movement festival in 2006 was a watershed moment for the band, fuelled by hearing May’s, Atkin’s and Craig’s stark futurism ricochet off the cold concrete of America’s broken dream. This stoked producer DJ Mu’s love of analog techno, balancing and fusing vocalist Dallas Tamaira’s adoration of soul and reggae with the band’s collective passion for Jazz, Rhythm & Blues, Rock, Disco, House, Post Punk and Balearic oddities.

For Bays studio album released in 2015, the 9-track LP was exclusively written and recorded at their studio in Kilbirnie, Wellington. Pre-Bays, Freddy's albums were formed almost entirely on the road; the songs slowly evolving live at festivals such as WOMAD UK, SONAR, Bestival, Lowlands, DEMF, Pukkelpop, Glastonbury, The Big Chill and Roskilde.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Fat Freddy's Drop

Releases

Slo Mo
Year: 2024
Type: Album
Wairunga
Year: 2021
Type: Album
Lock-In
Year: 2020
Type: Album
Special Edition Part 1
Year: 2019
Type: EP
Buy Online @ Mightyape
Bays
Year: 2015
Type: Album
Buy Online @ Mightyape
Blackbird
Year: 2013
Type: Album
Buy Online @ Mightyape
Silver and Gold 12"
Year: 2012
Type: Album
Fat Electric Drop
Year: 2012
Type: EP
Live At Roundhouse
Year: 2010
Type: Album
Dr Boondigga And The Big BW
Year: 2009
Type: Album
Buy Online @ Mightyape
The Camel EP
Year: 2008
Type: EP
Fantastic Voyages Vol. 1
Year: 2006
Type: DVD
Based On A True Story
Year: 2005
Type: Album
Buy Online @ Mightyape
Live At The Matterhorn
Year: 2001
Type: EP
Buy Online @ Mightyape

Other Reviews By Ben Ruegg

Ollie McLean - EP Review: Bluesrappin'
29 Sep 2024 // by Ben Ruegg
Ollie McLean's debut EP Bluesrappin' is quite the experience. Recorded and produced by his friend, Ollie who is only 21 brings a sound that reminds me of a cross between old school Beck and Beastie Boys.
Read More...
SKILAA - Album Review: Tiger In The River
04 Jul 2024 // by Ben Ruegg
SKILAA’s sound is a unique blend of RnB, alternative, progressive folk, and hip-hop. The band began writing together in late 2017 after meeting through Auckland University’s Jazz programme.
Read More...
Aotearoa Music Awards 2024
02 Jun 2024 // by Ben Ruegg
Thursday 30 May, 2024 was a wonderful night for our music industry. The Aotearoa Music Awards were being held for the first time at the Viaduct Event Centre, and for the first time in two years.
Read More...
Dan Sharp - Album Review: Between The Brave, Bold and Given Up
30 May 2024 // by Ben Ruegg
The opening track of Dan Sharp's album named Between The Brave, Bold and Given Up sounds familiar in a good way. It's like coming home after a long day, with cold weather and rain, but opening a door to warmth and comfort.
Read More...
Tom Knowles - Album Review: Atarangi - Morning Sky
28 Jun 2023 // by Ben Ruegg
Tom Knowles latest release Atarangi - Morning Sky is a must listen. Like, close this page now, go listen to the album, and then come back and read this.
Read More...
SuperMild - Single Review: Self Respect
21 Jun 2023 // by Ben Ruegg
SuperMild is a 3-piece genre-spanning band based in Auckland. Once cited in a review as spanning Reggae, Dub, Roots, RnB, Funk, Psychedelic, Rock, and Jazz, SuperMild is driven by a desire to not get stuck in one sound, and to bring banter, energy, a good time, and a great sound to as many stages as possible.
Read More...
Mazbou Q - SURVIVR6 - EP Review: Metahuman
11 May 2023 // by Ben Ruegg
This latest EP release, Metahuman, immerses listeners in a captivating cinematic journey from its very first note. With an infusion of sounds and concepts reminiscent of high-budget modern action films, the EP exudes an undeniable sense of intensity and potency that is instantly evident on the opening track, BBDO.
Read More...
Dilz - Single Review: Mentality
03 May 2023 // by Ben Ruegg
Dilz' latest track, Mentality, is a focused and polished work that showcases his unwavering dedication to his craft. The song's beat slowly develops, creating a sense of determination that is further reinforced by the lyrics, "Wake up in morning with a hustler mentality," in the first chorus.
Read More...
View All Articles By Ben Ruegg

NZ Top 10 Singles

  • APT.
    ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
  • DIE WITH A SMILE
    Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
  • BIRDS OF A FEATHER
    Billie Eilish
  • TASTE
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
    Gracie Abrams
  • ESPRESSO
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • SAILOR SONG
    Gigi Perez
  • LOSE CONTROL
    Teddy Swims
  • A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
    Shaboozey
  • GOOD LUCK, BABE!
    Chappell Roan
View the Full NZ Top 40...
muzic.net.nz Logo
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report a ProblemReport A Problem