What a night! If you also had the pleasure of seeing The D4 on any leg of their 21-year anniversary tour of their debut album, 6twenty, then you'll already know what a treat it has been.
The D4 are a household name in Kiwi rock n roll, and for many, they represent years of memories.
Totara St on Friday night marked the band’s third to last show, and what a venue for it. Totara St is a rich, open space with wood accents. Opening its doors in 2015, it stands as a proud and inviting multi-functional venue.
My teenage self had the pleasure of witnessing The D4 in the thick of their 6Twenty years, here and overseas. Those years were formative, exciting and special. Fast forward to now, guess what - it still is.
What better way to kick things off with a band that are also no strangers to the grits of rock n roll than San Diego trio, The Schizophonics. For many of us, it was our first experience of seeing them and let me tell you, live, they are a band you wouldn’t forget anytime soon.
Take the MC5’s and The Stooges, with a heavy Jimi Hendrix layer that makes for some insatiable music. Their cacophony of frantic riffs and chaotic energy was infectious and riveting to watch. This is a band that knows the hold they have over an audience, and do it well.
Vocalist and Guitarist, Pat Beers possessed the stage like someone who didn’t need a map. His energy was unpredictable yet measured and certainly won over a new set of fans on Friday.
Musically, their sound is honed and deliberate as bands strive to be, and not a single note was missed despite Beers impressive aerodynamics onstage and off. Halfway during their set, he disappeared into the crowd, parting it like the proverbial red sea.
It was epic.
The Schizophonics only served to prime the palette and once The D4 took to the stage, the energy was palpable
The 6twenty tour not only marks the re-release of the album, but brings the back a band that can say they earned their stripes, since disbanding in 2006.
The setlist bought out a heady mixture of songs and opened with Get Loose. For those who also remember the devastatingly talented, Luger Boa that The D4 powerhouse, Jimmy Christmas fronted, well, you can imagine the frenzy that bought as Jimmy ripped through the number - a rare treat and probably caused a few heart palpitations in excitement. Pairing that with the bulk of 6twenty - Heartbreaker, Party and Exit To The City to name a few, was of course was a sure way to win over a crowd that has already said yes.
Like a time machine that never really went anywhere, The D4 proved yet again that their blood, sweat and probable tears that went into their early days was seen and heard around the world, and we’re lucky to call them our own, long after the door has closed.
Photo Credit: Kerry MB
Auckland Gallery
Lyttelton Gallery
Wellington Gallery
The D4 was assembled in the North Shore suburbs of Auckland in 1998. The band then started playing at the legendary Frisbee Leisure Lounge parties. They have also played at the Big Day Out and at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX.
Facts about The D4:
- Formed 1998, original line-up included Rich Mixture (drums) & English Jake (bass)