The Stables in Matakana played host to a stacked bill on 25 July, with Auckland funk outfit The RVMES setting the tone before Kiwi rock supergroup Sonar Flare closed out the night. Leonie Moreland was there to capture the night in images.
The RVMES brought a great energy and vibe from the first note, their clever, funk-driven sound pulling the crowd in early. By the time they hit their stride, the front of stage was a sea of bodies grooving right along with the band — a genuinely infectious set that had the room warmed up and ready for what came next.
By the time Sonar Flare took the stage, The Stables was a full house. Fronted by Jason Kerrison — the voice behind Opshop, and on excellent form all night — the band sounded superb from the opening chords, alongside Feelers alumni Matt Short and Andy Lynch. Drummer Hamish Gee was absent for the show following a bereavement, with a stand-in stepping behind the kit for the night — our thoughts are with Hamish at this time.
The set drew deep from the members’ own back catalogues, and the crowd lapped up every familiar note. Opshop’s One Day and Maybe, The Feelers’ Larger Than Life, Venus, Pressure Man, Communicate and As Good As It Gets, alongside Zed favourites Glorifilia and Renegade Fighter, sat comfortably next to a run of well-chosen covers — these aren’t just musicians playing hits, they’re the people who wrote them.
Adding a lovely local touch to the night, two of Andy Lynch’s guitar students were brought up for a guest spot each, trading solos with their teacher in front of a full house. It was the kind of moment that summed up the whole evening — a night where seasoned pros and the next generation shared the same stage, and the photos below capture all of it.
Photography by Leonie Moreland
Sonar Flare
The RVMES
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