The Rions are a brash new Power Pop Australian band, and they bring their debut Minivan EP across the Tasman to continue their celebratory tour, catching the best of a New Zealand summer.
They come from the Northern Beaches, New South Wales and they were school mates. Noah Blockley singer and bass guitar, Harley Wilson and Asher McLean guitars, Tom Partington drums.
They have been playing close to eight years now, but popular attention has come more recently with their single Night Life, which won an Unearthed High award from Triple J, the national youth radio station.
From there they earned some mentoring from Lime Cordiale, one of their current favourite bands alongside Ocean Alley.
They drop that song tonight towards the end of their set. A nice Pop ringer with lyrics that Jonathan Richman would appreciate. Fearing the dark and I need somebody’s help/ ‘Cause what if something’s under my bed?
The guitars sparkle and there is an effective drum bridge to marshall the troops for the final coda.
They begin with Halfway Out. The singer looks like a much younger Jack Black. He tells us his voice is close to shot after too much time in the sun here. It is more likely to be the allergic and inflammatory conditions which plague this place and affects many who come here for the first time.
There are a few times when he misses hitting the high vocals, as on Disassociation. A song with the rhythmic drive of a classic early Jam album.
Blockley may not have the smooth baritone of their recorded output, but the slight raggedness in the voice adds to their charm tonight, as the band deliver as a tight meshed unit.
Talking to Walls, opening track from their EP, and Head Still Hurts, have the ringing tones of classic Rickenbacker Sixties Power Pop. The cadences of the Byrd’s and the Turtles.
It was also labelled Folk Rock as they both powered it through early Dylan tunes, which prompted the guy himself to go electric and shut the disgruntled Folkies up.
Besides those two currently popular Strine bands mentioned, the guys cite the Beatles, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin as inspiration.
Of more contemporary musicians the Arctic Monkeys are a clearer influence. They keep the focus on getting their fans up to dance. I’m the only Boomer here (apart from the staff) and I can guarantee there is a familiarity to their sound.
Homesick is a cover of Catfish and the Bottlemen. The guitars rise in unison to deliver this. I like that name. A quick check on Spotify identifies a fast-rising English Indie Pop band.
Great sense of humour with Sadie. Sadie wanted me to tell you/ She’s sick and tired of your bullshit. The story of a Mean Girl and the politics of high school.
They take their newest number Sweet Cocoon for a test run. The guitars sound dirty and its an earthy rocker with the drums battering it home.
The Flaxxies open the evening and they are impressive enough to be a genuine double-bill.
An Auckland band that come with a good word-of-mouth reputation, and my first time seeing them perform.
Lead singer Benji Humphries says there are a Surf Rock and Reggae outfit and proves that over the next forty minutes.
Eric Goodger lead guitar, Nick Tate rhythm guitar, Neo Lee drums and Chris Manning bass and trumpet.
Snapped Up (By the Boss) is Kiwi Reggae in rhythm with some Jamaican roots via the trumpet player.
What is noticeable is the type of sprung rhythm guitar style on the off beat which was a signature of the early Clash.
King of the Reef is the standout tonight with this style. It jumps with that signature Punk energy.
Time to Go has the same guitar tension, with a melodic Pop sound instead.
Liquid Gold is a dedication to the Coromandel by way of Punk Ska. If they can keep developing that style, they would end up somewhere close to the (English) Beat.
They need that appellation to distinguish from the Beat in America, who are forgotten about now.
Many of the songs are Reggae of the louche and loping Kiwi style which had its genesis with Herbs.
I would like to see them pursue that edgy style. Cast Me Away ends up a raver with its energetic drums fronting a wound-up Buzzcocks opening attack.
The Rions are close to finishing, hanging in there with struggling lead singer Blockley.
Some of them are Star Wars obsessives and they dedicate a song named Anakin. Chiming guitars deliver around leading tribal drum rolls.
Minivan rides out the night with those guitars raining down their glittering drone riffs.
Both Flaxxies and The Rions share the honours tonight. Proving it always takes time and much dedication to be overnight successes.
Rev. Orange Peel
Photography by Chloe Tredgett
The Rions
Flaxxies