Broods
16th May 2019
The Town Hall, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Chris Zwaagdyk.
New Zealand Music Month is in full swing, so the fact that brother and sister indie pop duo Broods had to reschedule their original March dates to that of last night seemed a rather happy coincidence as the evening served up a spectacular showcase of Kiwi talent both old and new.
The hip-pop bandits Balu Brigada opened the night with a set that not only got feet shuffling but that included a surprise guest singer in the form of the lovely Paige (Tapara) who joined the four piece band for a rendition of their latest single ‘Slow Dive’. Last seen working the stage at Spark Arena as support for George Ezra, it was great to see Paige once again laying down some serious vocal talent.
Family bloodlines certainly seemed to be the theme of the night as Balu Brigada – whose membership boasts three brothers – continued to deliver a snappy set despite the fact the dancefloor hadn’t yet reached full capacity, tracks such as ‘Old Love’ and fan favourite ‘Could You Not’ taking out their performance with style that was almost as good as lead vocalist Henry Beasleys’ new look.
Caleb and Georgia Nott are no stranger to the stage, from their first winning performance almost ten years ago at the Richmond Mall, to headlining their own shows as Broods across the world; the sibling duo have undeniable talent flowing through their veins. But it hasn’t always been easy; where most bands would have thrown in the towel after having not one, but two music labels drop them, Broods instead let their new-found freedom inspire them, the end result being their stunning new album Don’t Feed the Pop Monster.
This liberation from a mould that they were never meant to fit has also transformed their live shows, Broods always a great act to watch, however now they are unmissable.
Accompanied by a live guitarist and drummer, Georgia and Caleb arrived to an exhilarated crowd, applause soon turning to exclamations of delight as darkness befell the stage and long beams of electric blue pierced through the black. On the back of neon pinks that flashed in the background, the opening bars of ‘Sucker’ – the first track from Don’t Eat the Pop Monster – strolled across the stage, Georgias’ breathy vocals caressing the air with confessions of always returning to the simple things.
Due to their style of music, there were indeed electronic embellishments that included backing track vocals in play last night; however, there was no denying that Georgia was sounding phenomenal. Dressed in a two-piece pant suit, her sheer presence on stage emanated a glow that drew the audiences gaze towards her where it remained for the rest of the performance. To her left her brother Caleb was rocking a set of white overalls while enviously multi-tasking between bass, vocals and electronics, the definitive yin to her yang.
Broods are proud of their latest release – as they should be – the album positively brimming with outstanding tracks that see the pair delve deep into their own psyches, sifting through the trials and tribulations and offering up their confessions with open hands. Fans had the opportunity last night to hear the album in its entirety, Broods masterfully mixing in old favourites such as ‘Superstar’, ‘Hold the Line’ and the anthemic ‘Free’ which received rapturous applause.
Almost channelling Stevie Nicks herself, Georgia often danced across the stage with free abandonment, every so often returning to her mic stand to centre herself as she accompanied Caleb for a beautiful rendition of ‘Too Proud’ a song that – as discussed at length in a recent interview with Ambient Light – addresses the issues of anxiety and toxic masculinity facing so many of New Zealand’s young men.
But it was following her stint on acoustic guitar for both ‘Falling Apart’ and ‘Dust’ that Georgia delivered a performance that no one present last night would forget in a hurry; Broods rendition of ‘Old Dog’ that speaks of independence igniting Georgia, her tambourine solo consuming the stage and everything around it like a blazing inferno, her live rendition of the lyrically brilliant throwdown leaving both herself and the audience breathless.
Their latest single ‘Peach’ which brought the evening officially to a close before an encore of ‘Couldn’t Believe’ saw the entire venue bounce along while joyfully singing the chorus, the single as catchy as it is clever.
Like a phoenix, Broods have risen from the ashes of their former selves, the ability to finally be who they truly are seeing them without a doubt last night deliver a world class performance.
Were you there at the Auckland Town Hall for this brilliant pop gig? Or have you seen Broods perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Sucker
- To Belong
- Eyes A Mess / Everytime You Go
- Superstar
- Why Do You Believe Me
- Hold The Line / Are You Home
- L.A.F
- Free
- Too Proud
- Falling Apart
- Dust
- Bridges
- Hospitalized / Old Dog
- Everything Goes Wow
- Life After
- Peach
- Couldn’t Believe [encore]
This content is a part of our NZ Music Month coverage, celebrating old, new and upcoming Kiwi artists. For more information on NZ Music Month you can visit their website.
If you enjoyed this content, please consider donating towards the running of Ambient Light, covering expenses and allowing us to expand the coverage you love by clicking the red button below (Desktop) or visiting our PressPatron page (Mobile).