HAMILTON UNDERGROUND PRESS
  • News
  • Features
  • Features Index
  • UPCOMING SHOWS
  • Past Shows
  • HUPCASTS
  • HUPZINE
  • FUTURE CITY FESTIVAL
  • About
  • Photos
  • HAMILTON BANDS / VENUES
  • SHOP
  • DONATE
  • Search
  • News
  • Features
  • Features Index
  • UPCOMING SHOWS
  • Past Shows
  • HUPCASTS
  • HUPZINE
  • FUTURE CITY FESTIVAL
  • About
  • Photos
  • HAMILTON BANDS / VENUES
  • SHOP
  • DONATE
  • Search

HAMILTON
UNDERGROUND
PRESS

* INDIE/ALT MUSIC * AOTEAROA NZ *

The Hollow Grinders, Into Orbit, His Master’s Voice Gig Review

19/3/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
G I G  R E V I E W
The Hollow Grinders, Into Orbit, His Master’s Voice - Nivara Lounge, 18 March 2016

​
When the name of local surf guitar legends The Hollow Grinders appeared on a gig poster splayed across a phallus of a Baphomet or Sabbatic Goat, one had to ask, “Is the band taking a radical new direction?” “Would we be seeing the formal attire normally associated with these sharply dressed gentlemen ditched to be replaced by Rob Halford-inspired studded leathers or even the odd denim vest?” Fear not, there was no such change in direction for our trusty and reliable grinders. Their dalliance with metal rests in their name only.

The Sabbatic Goat featured on the gig poster (an image created by French occult author Eliphas Levi) contains binary elements said to represent the "sum total of the universe" (e.g. male and female, good and evil, etc.). In musical terms the evening was comprised of extremely distinct acts delivering different genres. Not that there wasn’t any overlap between them. Performatively there were similarities between the two acts that book-ended the evening, while the middle act (Into Orbit) bridged the acts musically.

The Hollow Grinders, as an opening act, worked well. Those familiar got off their feet to dance immediately while grinder-virgins found themselves powerless in the face of their spring-reverb washed twanging guitars causing heads to nod and feet to tap. A reliable source (Mr. Thrust) told me that this performance was preceded by only one practice. Nevertheless, the recently reunited band delivered a solid and tight set. The intensity of Dirk ‘Play Misty for Me’ Thrust’s drumming was a treat to watch, the switching of lead and rhythm between the guitarists gave the set a nice dynamic throughout. It was all over too quickly.

When post-rock experimentalists Into Orbit took the stage not long after, the performative style switched quite dramatically. The Wellington duo, back in Hamilton again, delivered an impressive set in terms of work-rate. Using a looper to layer and build up each song, guitarist Paul Stewart played the role of several band members. Most of the songs in the set started in a melodic fashion, eventually building to heavier tones. There was a definitely a threshold that was reached by many of the songs which satisfied those there for headlining act His Master’s Voice. In tune with their post-rock influences the band didn’t offer a performance in the same way as the other acts, but moved assiduously between the many pedals laid out on the stage to create a sound bigger than a duo are expected to deliver.

Final act of the night His Master’s Voice were unknown to your (clearly wet behind the ears) HUP reviewer, but clearly not to the many who turned out for the show. A healthy following turned up to enjoy their Devil’s Blues sound. Watching the band as they set up, their look was impressive, big hair, the return of the bandana, and some cool 70’s denim jeans on what turned out to be the front man Jesse Sorensen. The acts that preceded His Master’s Voice were both instrumental, so when Sorensen walked up to the mic and kicked off the gig with a powerful Plant-esque acapella vocal all immediately paid attention. Performance wise, they didn’t disappoint – n.b. there was even some excellent back-to-back guitar playing action witnessed. This is exactly what live gigs are about. Turning up and experiencing something outside your own personally imposed taste boundaries for 30 to 45 minutes and appreciating it for what it is. Celebrating diversity. Who wants to watch 3 identical acts? This way, everybody went home having experienced something a bit different. Gee Ttohcs
​

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • News
  • Features
  • Features Index
  • UPCOMING SHOWS
  • Past Shows
  • HUPCASTS
  • HUPZINE
  • FUTURE CITY FESTIVAL
  • About
  • Photos
  • HAMILTON BANDS / VENUES
  • SHOP
  • DONATE
  • Search