Che Fu & The Kratez, Hastings NZ, 2022

Che Fu & The Kratez

12th August 2022
Toitoi, Hastings, New Zealand.

Review by Rob Harbers. Photography by Jessie Broad.

The latest Hawkes Bay Arts Festival ‘Taster’ event saw Che Fu and the Kratez bring their sweetly soulful hip-hop to the ToiToi stage, in what was originally intended to be a show commemorating the 20th birthday of ‘The Navigator’, Che’s landmark album. However, as has happened to many in recent years, the navigator’s journey was set off course by external events, to the extent that the album has, in the meantime, passed an age marked by some with keys and/or yardglasses. No worries though, many fine comestibles are only enhanced by extra maturation, rewarding patience and minimal fuss. Such is the case with a meisterwerk such as this, as evidenced by the enthusiasm with which it was received, by an audience of a wide range of ages, a number of whom would’ve, at best, heard it in their cots, if not having been preceded in to existence by it! Guess it shows how the best is truly timeless…

After a warm-up set by DJ Substance, Hazadus initiated the event, with an impressive set. He’s been Che’s backing vocalist for over 20 years, and his skills are a demonstration of the talent that forms the Che Fu support structure.

Next it was the turn of local lad Tipene Harmer, all the way from the west side of Flaxmere, with his thoughtful and incisive lyrics dealing largely with whakapapa-awareness of it, respect for it, and knowing your place both within it and because of it – an inspiring overall package!

With minimal fanfare, The Kratez then took to the stage, launching straight in to ‘The Mish’, and only stopping to talk after a few numbers. This is an outfit that doesn’t need to hype itself up with an inflated entry to the arena-they just get straight down to business and let the music do the talking. And when the music is this good, that’s all you need. A tight and sharply focused band, never unnecessarily flashy but downright professional and driven in service to the common muse.

The main set comprised the whole of the album-as you would expect, given that this was ‘(The Return of) The Return of the Navigator’ after all, the playing order shuffled but suffering nothing for it. These beats, chords and words showed their timeless quality, if anything only enhanced by the passage of time. A suitable, and not excessive, amount of dialogue fleshed out the intent and background of the album, increasing appreciation of the jewels therein, or on in one notable example-Che showing us where the boy on his back on its cover is now: playing in the Kratez, and now taller than Dad!

After concluding the main set with an emotional rendering of ‘Fade Away’, the encore commenced with “Chainz”, harking back to when Che made his first mark as a solo artist, in collaboration with DLT, who was in the house on the night.

A birthday party for one of the iconic albums of Aotearoan music, this event continued the fine work of the Taster Series in whetting the appetite for the Festival itself, while honouring the mana and legacy of the original work.

Having done what they came here to do, the band sent a sated crowd out into a very crisp and cool Hastings night, carrying the warmth and good vibes of a deeply enjoyable performance with them to ward off the chill.

Were you there at ToiToi for this classic NZ Hip Hop gig? Or have you seen Che Fu & The Kratez perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below! 

Set List:

1. The Mish
2. The Natural
3. Random
4. Roots Man
5. Share The Info
6. Catch One
7. The Abyss
8. He Kotahi (As One)
9. Top Floor
10. Hold Tight
11. Interlude
12. Full Immersion
13. Misty Frequencies
14. Fade Away / E Kore E Motu
15. Chains [DLT] [encore]
16. Sitting Inside My Head [Supergroove] [encore]
17. Reggae Medley [encore]
18. Waka [encore]

_{Note: Ambient Light was provided passes to review and photograph this concert. As always, this has not influenced the review in any way and the opinions expressed are those of Ambient Light’s only. This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product using an affiliate link, Ambient Light will automatically receive a small commission at no cost to you.}

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