Balu Brigada burns it up on stage with multi-faceted music which relentlessly sparks and bursts forth whilst keeping it tight and disciplined.
The brothers Henry Beasley and Charles Beasley have cited Tame Impala and Gorillaz as touchstones in interviews. That could be a guide in, but they were raised by artist parents in New Zealand who narrowed their musical milieu from B to B. Beatles to Bowie.
Can’t really hear any Prog (that’s good) but there are certainly some angular rhythms and nerve guitar of the Captain Beefheart variety. I’m calling it a Beefheart Pop and Bop fiasco.
Balu are calling it their Bop Fiasco tour.
They started making music at home in their teens. They have benefitted from the age of social media, internet and multi-faceted techno tools. This has also raised the bar considerably in the standard you must reach to break through.
They have been playing in venues all over Auckland, and though they say it’s a long time coming home, they played this stage in September last year.
They were approached and picked up by Atlantic Records, which is a jackpot strike. Spending time in New York and Los Angeles is essential for any musicians from here who are serious about taking their art to the top.
I have only heard word-of-mouth praise about Balu Brigada, so I was keen to experience what all the fuss is about.
First brace of songs, Number One, I Should Be Home and Find a Way burst with Soul Pop effervescence and enough funk beats to satisfy Prince fans. The drums are authoritative and keep it on the One.
A third Beasley brother has taken the drummers spot in the past. Tonight, it could be Jackson Boswell, who held the seat a year ago on this stage.
2Good. The energy with which they deliver this reminds me of another young band I saw early in their career, the Arctic Monkeys. They keep this pace up for the whole show.
Another Day has great falsetto singing. Modern electro disco beats with the sound of Seventies Stevie Wonder. They may even be channelling some Fifth Dimension and their own Another Day, Another Heartache. Worth checking out.
Nice to Have Someone to Miss Me lays down heavier Rock guitar grunge riffs.
A possible new song I think is called LA Women starts in Prince fashion. Then weaves in elements of Talking Heads in their Tribal Funk phase, to finish with guitar textures from My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. Clever, as the Bop Fiasco continues to pick up the pace.
Nat Hathaway
This is local musician Nat Hathaway’s debut performance as a solo artist. He also holds down the bass guitar spot in a Soul Reggae band called Masaya.
With him tonight are Andrew on keyboards and saxophone, Kyle on bass and Ben on drums.
He plays Seventies styled blue-eyed Soul Pop. It takes a few songs before his voice cuts through.
Waiting on the Line is a stand-out on his short set. He sings it with a smooth swing and there is a nice saxophone solo.
The rhythm section keeps it tight, and there some good Soul Funk bass lines.
Lily Carron
Lily Carron performs the second set just before the headliners. A petite young woman with a powerful and expressive voice. She has admitted to Etta James being a favourite.
The little I know of her is that she has grown up in Muriwai. The wild west coast has a unique mystique and power, and is a haven for many artists, including celebrated musicians like Moana Maniapoto.
Although dwarfed on the big stage, her presence fills it when she sings.
Starts with a couple of Indie Pop tunes which do sound typically girly.
By the third song things get darker, as the guitarist drops back a little and the mood gets stark and gothic. She has a powerful set of pipes.
The best is Ugly Cry, where she unleashes a perfectly controlled high thrush register.
This is followed by Talk to Me which keeps it minimal and is just as powerful.
Dance grooves take over for the last two, and a song with lyrics keeping our bodies warm whips up some dance floor heat.
The big doors are open near the stage, and it is wickedly cold night.
Balu Brigada
The brothers bring on some guest musicians for a couple of songs. I don’t catch who they are, but it doesn’t really matter. They announce a yet-to-be-released single and then have great fun tearing into a great little Pop Rap rager.
Designer and Moon Man draws in techno Pop Disco beats. Somewhere a vocoder gets an airing. A brand-new gadget to experiment with.
They finish with Could You Not. Some light rapping, break beats, scratching guitar riffs. A lot of elements are cooking. A complex sound and it is monumental.
Balu Brigada are a highly impressive outfit and it would be stupid to categorize them. Even though this is the first time seeing them in concert, they have a definite aura of Big Apple influence. Bop Fiasco is the best description for now.
