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!!
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