Wild weather is getting to be a regular thing come summertime in the Shakey Isles, but fortunately the dice rolled in favour of clear enough skies to enable a memorable celebration of iconic Kiwi Rock/Pop music that was the Legacy Fest.
The Secret Garden, an outdoor staged area at The Stables just outside of Matakana township played host for this event, featuring a list of great Kiwi artists including – The Jordan Luck Band, Hello Sailor, and a special guest-filled Waterways.
Despite the week-long lasting dodgy weather in Auckland, the drizzle did not deter as the 1000 capacity venue sold out.
Local lass, Matakana’s own Lou Lou opened Legacy Fest mid-arvo, and had to contend with the worst of the wet but won hearts with her silky voice and feminine energy.
Another North Shore act, Rumpus Machine really prove the kids are alright. By now, the sun came out and people drew closer to the stage, as RM appropriately segmented some Kiwi classics into their set.
Netherworld Dancing Toys For Today and Th’ Dudes Bliss were faithfully rendered. Being gig-fit does the trick immensely. And man did they let rip with Led Zep’s Rock ‘N’ Roll. Impressive!
Into the Legacy bands now – The Waterways, formed by like-minds amid lockdown-time, are fronted by Scissormen founder John Kempt (vocals/guitar) with bassist Freddie Flowers and drummer Dan Waterson.
Warming up with originals from their upcoming album, Kempt sidetracked to DD Smash for Devil You Know (Dave Dobbyn), whipping the set upwards.
Kempt has many connections, and he assembled some killer pinch-hitters to join the team in step with the occasion. From a whisper to a storm, Geoff Chunn entered the frame and tore into Rust in My Car, the Citizen Band’s classic that he fronted all those years ago. Chunn, with what looked like a hastily gold spray-painted job on his guitar, showed he could play it too, with aplomb.
I Feel Good, made famous by Larry Morris & The Rebels, rocked, ushering in NZ guitar great Mark Bell for a complex song choice from his Blam, Blam, Blam days – Battleship Grey.
The guests didn’t stop there, as Andrew McLennan joined the crew for his Pop Mechanix first hit – Jumping Out a Window.
Going for some leftfield choices gave space to let See Me Go fly, a tribute to the late/sweet Michael O’Neill, and a number one Kiwi hit for The Screaming Meemees, one that McLennan produced also. Counting The Beat another Australasian number 1 from The Swingers, swung in the rockiest of ways.
The people were getting the gist of it now, and Tractorland a classic Scissormen throwback, was given a reinterpretation to a more funky/straight-ahead feel. Bassist Freddie Flowers laid down an infectiously great groove on bass, and drummer Dan Waterson, who nailed it throughout, played some manic fills against the beat in the coda, polyrhythms gone wild.
Kempt, an everyman who seems to be able to do everything in music, brought out his inner-Prince for closing number – Purple Rain. Trading tasty guitar solos with Mark Bell was a fitting way to end one of most diversified sets heard in a fair while.
The rain was threatening but holding off just enough for Hello Sailor to bring their own legacy, one that integrates the echoes of the gone-too-soon Graham Brazier and Dave McArtney. Starting with one off their debut record, Watch Ya Back, Harry Lyon assumes the lead role now in present times.
Lyon seamlessly snuck in Coup D’etat’s Dr I Like Your Medicine. Tonight, you got beyond your money’s worth of a back-catalogue of Kiwi charted hits.
Another Lyon vocal and HS staple – Lyin’ in The Sand made us dream of warmer climes, and Brazier’s classic Billy Bold inspired as it always does.
Archetypal rocker Jimmy Taylor (guitar) drove Fugitive for Love harder, bringing longtime bandmates Ricky Ball (drums) and Paul Woolright (bass) along with him.
McArtney’s Gutter Black, which gained a second life as the theme of NZ TV drama series Outrageous Fortune, didn’t disappoint the expectations of fans awaiting its arrival. Special mention to ace keys-man Stephen Small, who doubled commendably on saxophone.
An iconic band on these shores, the sailor boys fittingly closed out their set with a signature ditty – Blue Lady. Giving it the extended/stadium treatment, Lyon and the lads brought it all home, further adding to the tally of great Kiwi tunes aired tonight.
The final of five acts, and one many were eagerly awaiting in anticipation for; headliners The Jordan Luck Band took to the stage – and exhibited great form.
Built around a repertoire largely featuring a discography of The Exponents material, Luck and his merry men came to the party and followed suit by throwing in some other Australasian classics from friends and mentors.
Guitarists Bryan Bell and Joe Walsh, drummer/full-pounder Beaver and bassist Rich Mixture make up a formidable line-up. With a pedigree that stems from The Dead Flowers, The D4 and such – Rock’n’roll swagger is their main game.
La La Lulu kicked things off and prompted a few strikers to get up front and centre of field. Luck went for a string of Exponents songs back-to-back; Airway Spies, the super-grindy Erotic, and Christchurch (In Cashel St, I Wait) all receiving amped-up versions of themselves.
Luck, the consummate R&R frontman with a charming presence, cheekily introduced The Mockers Forever Tuesday Morning as their only hit. It wasn’t theirs off course, but they owned it in execution.
Who Loves Who the Most brought out the funky side of the boys, who sounded like they’ve played together for a wee while now. Another thoughtfully selected cover came along in Don’t Change (INXS), expanding the bandwidth to our brothers and sisters across the ditch.
Furthering the link to the Chunn brothers, the Finn’s and that clan, a dirt-infused version of Split Enz’s History Never Repeats was unveiled.
But the home straight was reserved exclusively for the pick of Luck’s Exponents music box. A heartfelt offering of Victoria brought Luck to tears, Sink Like a Stone nodded to the Stones in a parallel way, Whatever Happened To Tracey primed us all into sing-along status, and ready for the daddy of that stuff – I’ll Say Goodbye (Even Though I’m Blue).
It had to be Why Does Love Do This to Me to close, the song most embedded into the memory of all in attendance. Luck and his posse had ticked all boxes and delivered the goods to my ears.
Looking back, the inclement weather aside, the Legacy Fest was a showcase of a big chunk of Kiwi music history. You got plenty of bang for your buck, lightning in a bottle, without the weatherman’s thunder.
Song selections were intelligently thought out, interwoven throughout the day and into evening. Nostalgia played a part too, with a glimpse to the future and what might follow. The Legacy Fest will hopefully open the door for all to dig further down the treasure trove of great Kiwi music. Yet we all long for more to come.
Mike Beck
Photography by Leonie Moreland
The Jordan Luck Band
Hello Sailor
Lou Lou
The Waterways
Up & Down
You Found Your Way
Devil You Know (DD Smash)
It’s Been a While
Rust In My Car (Citizen Band) with Geoff Chunn
I Feel Good (Larry’s Rebels) with GC
Battleship Grey (Blam, Blam, Blam) adding Mark Bell
Jumping Out a Window (Pop Mechanix) with Andrew McLennan
See Me Go (Screaming Meemees) with AM
Counting The Beat (The Swingers) with AM
Tractorland (Scissormen)
Purple Rain (Prince)
Hello Sailor
Watch Ya Back
New Tattoo
Doctor, I Like Your Medicine
Never Fade Away
Hungry Night
I’m A Texan
Lyin’ In the Sand
Billy Bold
Streams Of Whiskey
Fugitive For Love
Please Tease Me
Gutter Black
Blue Lady
The Jordan Luck Band
La La Lulu
Airway Spies
Erotic
Christchurch (In Cashel St, I Wait)
Forever Tuesday Morning (The Mockers)
Who Loves Who the Most
Don’t Change (INXS)
Your Best Friend Loves Me Too
History Never Repeats (Split Enz)
Victoria
Sink Like a Stone
Whatever Happened to Tracey
I’ll Say Goodbye (Even Though I’m Blue)
Why Does Love Do This to Me
