Live

Rip It Up, Issue 80, 1 March 1984, Page 33

Live

Andrew Rockell

Chills, Children's Hour,. Expendables, Double Happies Canterbury Uni, Feb-25:': • You discern from a Double Happies performance a certain obstinacy. Before, you have time to open your lips you know, in particular, that they will never dance to someone else’s tune. They play loosely, without a bass, and they write short, rough-as-file pop ditties. They, good readers, represent all that is open, straightforward and charmingly reckless. The Expendables, now without NZ's answer to Jah Wobble, Nick Strong, lacked the flicker; the sign of any restless fire within them. It was a display singularly outstanding if only for its "50-50" quality, neither great or even fuckin' hopeless. It was, how shall I say it ... decidely average.

Children's Hour next entered, rattling thunderously, even swaying ■. gently but never moving towards that acme of comfort. The impenetrable denseness of their music grows ever thicker, but not yet enough to let in a glimmering light that shines through the suppurate mood. Children's Hour continue to indulge, to improve, to knock the caps off us bastards in the audience. Essential. Last on, the Chills. A band of exceptionally harmonious symmetry, led by cherubic wonder .Martin Phillips, a young man, the personification of - patience ... "Play them faster, play them older," yelled the crowd but Martin just shut - his eyes and travelled to that out-of-the-way corner of his song world. Respect this group because they piss, all over the loafers and lie-a-beds masquerading as bands in-this tiny, tinny land of ours. Clever, dreamy Martin and his Chills move to the top of the class. S.J. Townshend

Miltown Stowaways, Ballon D'essai, Haemogoblins Canterbury Uni,.March 3 Strange chaps these Haemogoblins. Big, bad, loud songs that sometimes make you.laugh. Eh?

And they still do a hair-raising version of Donna Summer's 1 Feel Love'. Eh? Now- that the two dancin' girls have left, a huge slice of the band's charm has gone and they have to resort to arming the lead singer with a flounder -

which could sum up this band better than any review; verv fishy! Eh?

This was Ballon D'essai's final appearance. Mutant hopper and singer Mark Rastrick has-been trying-to provoke audiences for three years with only minimal success. The truth of it all, of course, is that he can't really sing that well, even if he does own the meanest goddam haircut in town. The band itself seemed to be a lot more accessible than usual. Christ, at times they even sounded like a pop group! Perhaps that was always their problem different but not different enough, apart from Rastrick that is. But I'm sure he and the rest of the band will turn up somewhere like the bad pennies they could be. • ' The Miltown Stowaways were, at times, stunning. They were perhaps best characterised by the intense light and dark of Reptiles' and 'lnvitation' and the sheer kick in the face that 'Pinpoint' provided. Kelly Rodgers has worked hard on his oft-criticised vocals and if shows. The lyrics still lack a little in clarity but he delivers them with body and soul. And if you don't know just how. well the rest of the band play their instruments then bloody well find out before we lose 'em. . But perhaps the most refreshing thing about the Miltowns is that there is still room for them to get better (and better). And when they do, look out. Alister Cain ■ ’ -•• •: < l- ' Dance Exponents v ; Ho wick College, Feb 28. \ There's a red-brown crush outside the gymnasium door, grunts, squeals, protests, laughter. Several hundred of Howick's young are clamouring to get inside to see the Dance Exponents and one grey teacher stands steadfastly, only opening one side of the double door and holding his arm across in a vain attempt at admitting one student at a time. The pressure builds up and periodically a few tumble on to the floor inside, causing the teacher to bark. The lunchtime concert starts late.

When the fans get inside, teachers refuse to allow them to stand up front so there's an ironic migration of the keen ones to the back of the hall, which quickly fills up. Band and fans are separated and teachers scowl. One stands with fingers in ears throughout. The acoustics are naturally awful and the sound is mush but the playing is typically professional and the kids know the words anyway. The Exponents have triumphantly skipped past the limited horizons they seemed to be stuck with last year. New songs like Sex and Agriculture' are not only bloody good but they're a progression. ,

On this day the concert finishes a little early, with 'Victoria' and 'Airway Spies' unheard. There's a slight deflation but the little girls understand. They're there outside afterwards demanding autographs. One exposes some cleavage and asks David to sign the flesh

embarrassed, he refuses. Another pinches Chris's bottom and tries to undo his belt. Harry is promised "see you tonight" and Jordan and Brian take ages to free themselves from the pen-waving horde. The boys, are there too, but they're fewer and shyerJSyflHHßfepS Even probably the quietest gig on their tour of Auckland schools showed clearly the groundswell of unpretentious, enthusiastic teen fandom the Exponents are sitting on. You might say they were Big All Under. But hey, it's okay for grownups too! Russell Brown Miltown Stowaways

Jungle Mice Victoria University, March 2. Jungle Mice were one long song with gaps. Sometimes the singer shouted a word or two in between sparse guitar FX, but it didn't really mean anything! No one needs this band. Gone mice? No way! Y -Yeehah! Yippee Yi Yay! Woah! Yep! Stowaways! This must be the most demanding, insistent band (on limbs and head) you'.ve ever seen. There is no .way. you-can ignore the curving and weaving, ducking and diving of their music, and of course, the damned energy. • Don't ask me about song titles; but the ones introduced as new' showed marked soul progression from older ones, and don't ask me about names, but they play like they.were born there. '

No review of the Stowaways is complete without a mention of percussionist Ben Staples bashing .an ; old copper water cylinder must be fun,, and the biggest biscuit tin in the world makes good noise. ■ — V. The Miltown -.Stowaways are Gone Cats and you had to be there to see their designer clothes.• Fiona Rae Campus Radio Party: . . Sons in Jeopardy Stridulators Gluepot, Feb 23. Logically, the Stridulators shouldn't make the noises they do. The pair of them, Chris Burt and Steve Roach, are virtually obscured by drums and electrical hardware respectively it's a dwarfish profile. But the Stridulators made music that was bolder and more audacious than anything the Gluepot has seen for a long time. Familiar guitar/drum. elements were drawn together with tapes, keyboards and simple noise into entrancing, witty songs. Roach and Burt weren't just "interesting" or "experimental" they were lots of fun. They don't play very often it would be a mistake to miss them.

I can't say the same about Sons in Jeopardy.' Their approach is earnest but laboured and too many ideas sound borrowed. The feeling is they're trying too hard to be something they're not. They're not without talent and they're sincere but they basically need to take a long, hard look at

this self-conscious gothic nonsense. Style is not content. On the other hand, they had no monitors this night, which can't have helped at all. Russell Brown

Pleasure Boys, Plastic Pegs. Mainstreet, Feb 25. Plastic Pegs have got this song, see, and it's called Squashed' and when the word "squashed" comes up in the chorus all their fans leap into each other in a joyful, chaotic melee. That usually makes, the band smile in an embarrassed but grateful way. The rest -of their songs (and the odd cover) are the same riffy little pop songs garnished with slices of the Velvets, Subway Sect, Byrds, Buzzcocks and Beatles, sprinkled with some Pebbles and soaked in a tangy sauce of deadpan humour. Neat. All this and an inspired marketing strategy v ..

• Pleasure Boys- are walking, a harder road. They're running pop elements into the vein of rock pumped by such as - U2, the Bunnymen and Big Country. They have the elements , the twin guitars are nicely offset by Bernie Griffin's intelligent, twangin' bass. The feel is intense without the hardness of, say, Children's Hour. Sometimes that intensity comes across as mere earnestness but at others it's genuinely gritty. Have a look in at the Pleasure Boys I've a feeling they'll keep on getting better. Russell Brown

Elton John Mt Smart Stadium,- Feb 25. 'Openers the Narcs, while-no real replacement for the Mentals, handle the occasion with aplomb but fnake little impact on a crowd diffident ;with. dope. The joker from Hauraki gets more applause. Next on, Graham Brazier, slurring his' sober(?) way through' the standards - again. Enter Elton at last, dapper in red tails and boater, bewildering the audience both with quirky repertoire and lack of theatrics. The delicate, delightful Tiny Dancer' and Levon' give way to 'Hercules', and EJ'n'co proceed to raunch elegantly through a 2‘ : hour set tighter than the vinyl across Brazier's crotch.

Elton old-boys Davey, Dee and Nigel spark infectiously, and newcomer Freddy occasionally gets lost in both mix and enthusiasm.

Neither clever set and lighting, superb song reworks nor six encores could hide the fact that Elton's slowing down. While he obviously enjoyed himself, the stage antics seemed tired, the old camp exuberance rare, and he didn't say much.

Excusable all in all, but- disappointing for a performer legendary for on-stage eccentricity. So musically superlative but also sadly hindlighting Elton's middleage spread! The man needs a way out before he becomes trapped as star of his own vaudeville.- .