A magic night at the recently refurbished Southland Musicians Club.
First on stage were local band Tonguecutter.
These clad-in-black berserkers showed off their masterful dynamics, hypnotic rhythms, and enough soaring vocals to summon Odin himself. It was all over too soon.
Next up were the darkly detuned Swamp Dweller – Band who shook the stage (and my rib cage) with their menacing riffs, subsonic assault, grimy growls, all uncompromisingly propelled through the swamp by a drummer intent on committing GBH on his kit.
Springing up third on the bill was Bloodnut, kiwi supporting act for Hobo Magic. This copper crew smashed straight into their signature fuzz infused grooves with catchy melodies (Fire Giant is a personal favorite).
A broken string led to a errr… Little Flea-ting drum and bass jam (see what I did there), while some friendly assistance soon got the Red Sons back up and pummeling us with a massive finish.
Finally Aussie headliners Hobo Magic took the stage to a small but appreciative audience (~cough cough~ Invercargill??). The Hobo’s retro riffs are steeped in bluesy grooves with a masterful slapping of jazz (and a hint of Bliss).
But that doesn’t come close to describe the phenomenal musical talents and chemistry of these guys. Virtuoso would be the closest descriptor to what I saw.
But hey, don’t take my word for it, have a listen to their latest album “The World Today” and hear for yourself.
Wrapping at midnight, the audience spilled back out into a hot and humid Invercargill evening, smiles beaming and ears ringing. Thanks for a great night chaps.
Review and photos courtesy of Element Photography More photos from this gig can be found there.