Wednesday 28 October 2015

The Local Musicians Music Show @ The Dogs Bollix 2015


                       Benjamin Silver and LA Thompson 

Check out: http://localmusicians.co.nz to find out more about the acts from this music review!  

Rolling into the Dogs Bollix I was struck by the
professional set up of LA Thompson's

Local Musicians Music show, a night spearheaded

by the independent artist set to showcase awesome

homegrown NZ talent in the underground stables 

of Auckland City, with the possible inclusion of other 

musos from different areas to be included in the future. 

I wasn't let down by the live sound either.

It was dialled in immaculately on the sound

desk and the speakers were set at just the right

volume for the first performer of the night 

singer songwriter Kerryn playing solo on her 

trusty acoustic guitar. 


Sitting up straight on a bar stool Kerryn

strummed off a bright and chirpy first song

before jumping waist deep into a brooding

cover of Bruce Springsteen's anthem 

"The River". I have to say I was a bit surprised

by the song choice as you don't usually hear

that song being played to much at your local bar. 

But I'm glad Kerryn did as it proved to be a 

real gem of a rendition. With no signs of intimidation

at all Kerryn just rocked into it like any other song 

and did it more than justice displaying solid vocal 

abilities and flare. She also resisted the temptation

to overplay and go full Boss mode on the song 

and try and take the Dogs Bollix Roof of which

Im sure she could've.


 Also of particular interest was Kerryn's original 

song "Dreaming" that followed   'The River". 

Inspired by hard working themes not dissimilar

 to our favourite guitar slinging New Jersey boy

with sullen themes of dissatisfaction and self-

alienation brought about by the working day it even

hinted at a bit of resentment for having to work in the

first place. Kerryn's final song made you think. After it

finished the crowd applauded her final song with a

note or possibly more a chord of approval about the

pains tackled by the subject matter of "Dreaming".   


After the first performer left the stage LA Thompson

quickly jumped on stage grasped the microphone and

let the audience know there would be a brief break

before the next act called Benjamin Silver took to 

the Dogs Bollix's stage. In the mean time Bob Marley's

anti-establishment reggae song "Get Up Stand Up" 

blasted over the speakers loud and proud. 



After sorting out his amp and plugging in his tobacco

stained Fender Stratocaster Benjamin Silver introduced

himself very briefly with a 'how do you do?" before stealing 

the hearts in the crowd of the room with his powerful

gravelly voice and spidery melodic guitar work.

Throughout his short set Ben painted a picture of his

personal adventure through life with its triumphs, 

pitfalls and those many in-between moments.


His original song "Journey to Home" conveyed the 

repetitive lack of meaning in life that sometimes we 

all must face hopefully with a good sense of humour 

as it can be painful to never quite get to a place we are

truly happy with. The line that grabbed me the most in

Silver's first song was; "how many more miles must 

I travel before I arrive". 


Moving further into Ben's set his voice shone brightest

in a heartfelt cover of "Walking in Memphis". Everyone

in attendance went quiet as Marc Cohn's song was 

given new life by Silver. The crowd were collectively

impressed with the quality of such a performance 

conveying the beautiful yet raw timbre of Ben's vocal

performance as well as its emotional intensity with lines

 like; "You aint got a prayer in Memphis, in the middle of 

the pouring rain" reverberating round the room long 

after the songs final refrain. Silver finally emerged into 

a Rock 'N" Roll version of the Beatles "Let it Be" 

that was akin to the Beatles channeling the energy 

of Grunge rocker Eddie Vedders raspy vocal delivery. 

Certainly not an obvious blending of two beloved artists

but the unison of both was wicked to hear. 



LA Thompson and Frankencopter would finally

finish of the nights entertainment with a very professional 

edge. The former playing an almost flamenco style finger

picking guitar over sweltering electronic drum machines. 

The almost Led Zeppelin feel of Thompsons song;

 "New Sun Rising" and many other songs from her set 

really added glimmers and shades of colour and sound 

to the show that were new and refreshing. 

Frankencopter by contrast with a full live band set up

hammered away with tenacious wild abandon on the

drums with screeching guitars, vocal harmonies soared and 

the Kiwi band rocked as one. Well except for the very

groovy bass player who was a suspected Aussie by his

fellow Frankencopter bandmates.The guys fronted by a 

talented lead singer who didn't hit one bung not all night 

launched into a final hair raising version of "Gutter Black"

 in tribute to "Graham and that other guy" with a full on 

saxophone solo. It was raw fun even a bit raucous. 

What a Kiwi plus an Aussie classic played with gusto, brilliant, 

fantastic :)  By Moss Bioletti 

          Frankencopter   https://www.facebook.com/Frankencopter

Chris Barclay

Chris Barclay also shredded the guitar to death at
the show. I've never seen someone play guitar like
that before my head literally exploded roll over to his 
Facebook page;
to check out his GoPro live recording that he 
managed to film himself of his guitar playing antics
at lightening speed wow!! 

      to find out more about the acts from 
                  this music review!




         







Saturday 17 October 2015

Sweet Jane - Lou Reed Cover and "New Stratocaster Feeling GIF"


Recorded in Mt Eden on my Akai Dps16 digital recorder purchased from the bargain bin at Music World in downtown Auckland City. 

In homage to the late great titan of music Lou Reed whose no doubt rocking out in the Sky & all the charming Sweet Jane's throughout the world :)

Purchase "Sweet Jane" via Bandcamp here: 
https://holygrailvintageclothes.bandcamp.com/track/sweet-jane-lou-reed-cover

Personnel:
Daniel Turner - Lead Guitar
Moss Bioletti - Drums & Vocals



Dan cranking his new blue Stratocaster through an amp in our dinning which he scored of TradeMe early in the week. It sounds and looks super nice with a heavy low end and clears highs that sound supersonic.

The guitar's sound and name always remind me of Stradivarious violin's like the one pictured below made in 1687 by the greatest violin luthier of all time! 

Wednesday 14 October 2015

Moss and DT - Basement Recording in Mount Albert

Dan and I did some diy recording at his place with the dirty old 80's digital 16 track.
We didn't have much time because I had to a Google networking expo at Auckland Uni and Dan
needed to crunch some numbers for work but we had a blast, even though you can get a bit tense and nervous when recording haha. We hooked up our 4 mics and kicked into it without a
moment to lose and jammed one of Dan's idea. We hadn't recorded for ages together
si it was great to get back in the horses saddle and have fun!! :)
I've actually got our cover of "Sweet Jane" on the same machine so ill take that off
asap and slam it up on this blog post but beware I'm singing on that track haha :)

Friday 9 October 2015

Sasquatch Party Drinking Budweiser in the Swamps of Auckland City

I had an awesome time at Rose's kick ass flat warming last night. I braved the cold wet rain to see her new digs and the place looks sick!! It's real shabby chic the best style in my opinion real cool old skool run down vibe in the best possible way do you know what I mean?  
At the party there were so many different people from all around the world UK, France, Germany, Venezuela pretty much every country still in the Rugby World Cup except for Palestine and a guy called Ari lying about actually being from overseas, you didn't fool me old chap ha
Let me paint a picture in the middle of the house was a never ending game of alcohol drenched you guessed it beer pong played with utter conviction by all soon to have convictions but this guy dude he was a virtuoso of the table of frat if I can use that word in polite light mannered way in relation to a terribly fun game like beer pong, he destroyed everyone who stepped forth to challenge him he even offered me his cigarette mid-game I politely declined!! His best moment of all the games was when he threw a ping pong ball which accidentally hit the overly large forehead off a girl and it landed in the last cup swirling around on the edge of the cup, it was like a little planet spinning haphazardly on its axis in a very ddrunk fashion before falling from grace and in a final act of Shawskahnk redemption "hi my names Andy Defresne" landing in the cup what utter swag!swag!swag!swag?



I forgot to mention I had to ran up a hill coughing and weezing, no really, to get some beers I thought hmmm why not get some Budweiser to get those old Americana vibes pumping through my veins like a full tank of petroleum gasoline fresh. But later in the night my good/annoying German friend Felix had to insult my beer choice while diagonally somersaulting into the neighbours hedge. He said to me "why are yu drink such vater berr it tastes like cats piss those bloody Americanzz" then he said something about winning the war anyway I didn't take his insults to heart cause for one reason one I stand by my taste in beer, but more importantly "the fifth amendment protects my right and ignorance to bear Budweiser in the swamps Of Auckland City" plus he was drinking someone else's long lost rancid by the looks of it very warm half drunk Tui yucckkk 



In other news I even got angrily accused of being Jesus Jesus Christ Superstar!!! well you know my friends people are really acting rather funny about my hair these days. I know its a lush unparralled piece of glory of which I am, very fortunate and appreciate to have on my head for however long I am blessed with it cue varnished 90's hair infomercial from my childhood but in all seriousness my hair is going away on a very long paid vacation to don't give a f@ck as I'm getting a hair cut very soon as Im sick of being part of the Sasquatch brigade people I want to be free free to be me. Which also reminds me off the utterly brain dead TV show about Hunting Sasquatches Bobo they don't exist go see a therapist, But Yeti's do exist if you count human ones your a shining example Bobo and don't forget in Nu Zelnd we have a whole breed of Sasquatach in society called the bogan occupying a small island off Australia connected to the mainland by a giant bridge made out of wallaby skin.



Argh finally as always my words of wisdom for the day "to much freedom is a truly terrible thing" take it how you want people And to conclude I am so sick of people asking me whether I straighten my hair arghhh For gods sake bruce almighty I don't straighten my hair, neither do i brush my hair unless it's a very formal occasion I do have manners lets not get to crazy. 
Finally finally I promise my true gem of deskilled knowledge given to me by a piper who played along the rough coast of the Taranaki peninsula last Summer you should always try to wait out the unbearable awkwardness at the start of parties were you know absolutely no one chances people are all feeling the same and also if your wingmen are crap and unreliable don't even bother word up peace out! Moss



Ellie Goudling's going strong on her new song "On My Mind" I wonder if this song is about old Calvin Harris?

Wednesday 7 October 2015

Catching up with Chris Mac at his Club Night at Flight 605



I had a great time at Chris Mac's club night at Flight 605 last Saturday. He chucked some wicked tunes on the playlist and even listened to our new song "Drama Queen" and bought a Neos t-shirt !! which was super nice of him he said he would even wear it on stage when he performs next with his band Six60. He also recommended a very seductive new cider at the bar by Paynter's from the Hawke's Bay that was fantastic!! good call Gary thats a real nice drink :)

One of the songs that made onto the playlist last Saturday night

Our new song Drama Queen that we recorded ourselves

Monday 5 October 2015

"The Story of Sonny Bill Slim" - Gary Clarke JR's New Album - A Sick Tale of Blues, Soul & Rock


Hey guys do you need more sick 'Rock Music' in your playlist? if you do check out Gary Clark Jr and this studio performance of his new single "The Feeling" filmed in Texas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHKTAyaWVqU
His new second album "The Story of Sonny Bill Slim" dropped a couple months ago and it was recorded in the very same room at Arlyn studios that he preforms in the video above that has hosted acts like Arctic Monkeys, Stevie Ray Vaughn and even NZ's own Lorde.
Clarke's music style is very similar to The Black Keys and maybe even Alabama Shakes but he has more obvious influences of rap, soul and gospel music. He's also a total master of the blues and a virtuoso guitar slinger to boot.
My 2 other favourite tracks on the new album are 'Grinder" which has an insane guitar solo!! haha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUfEcbVfVng
But my hands down favourite song on the album is "Cold Blooded" a bluesy soul record with a rock solid drum beat and a dope as hell horns section; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFajvN0IFyo
On a side note I was lucky enough to see Gary Clarke play at the Powerstation early in the year were he brought the house down. Daniel Michael Photography captured the epic photo of Clarke above at that very show early in the year which my good friend Leighton recommend I go, I'm glad I did his final encore of the night "Bright Lights" was insane the whole crowd went nuts!! no wonder he won a grammy for his first album "Black and Blu" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFjMeOnqAPI


Link to the Album: 

You can read Marty Duda's in-depth review of Gary Clarke's show at the power station