Deadbeat Dads, Whanganui NZ, 2020

Deadbeat Dads

4th July 2020
Lucky Bar, Whanganui, New Zealand.

Review by Bridget Herlihy.

It is relatively safe to say that 2020 has at the very least been memorable thus far, although perhaps not for the best of reasons. It could also be argued that many would rather forget the last few months, much of which was spent in various phases of lockdown and isolation. Like countless others, this reviewer longed for the day when live gigs were a thing again. The age-old clichés that maintain that patience is indeed a virtue, and that good things come to those who wait appear to have rung true, with the return of live, in the flesh performances. Lil’ old New Zealand has been lucky in comparison to much of the globe, in that our return to live music has been relatively quick (touch wood). Moreover, it has been very, very refreshing to see a multitude of gigs taking place outside of the main centres, and all over provincial NZ.

Suffice to say that it has not only been music lovers that have been chomping at the bit to get back to the venues; musicians have returned to the stage with a renewed vigour, as was the case at Lucky Bar in Whanganui on Saturday night. Deadbeat Dads returned to the River City for the second time, and brought along The Groundsmen and In Business for the raucous ride.

Whanganui locals In Business were first to take to the stage, delivering a rapid-fire set of original tunes. The band, who formed at Whanganui High School appear to have gathered a dedicated following since winning the region’s Smokefree Rockquest last year. The four-piece, which includes Christian Garratt (guitar), Tom Bidgood (bass), Max Hughes (drums) and Faith Solomona on vocals, describe their funk-infused alt-rock sound as ‘hard’, and quickly had the intimate gathering on their feet. Opening their set with newly released track ‘Never Again’, In Business quickly proved that they do in fact mean business, demonstrating a sound and confident stage presence that surpasses their years. The foursome also possess an infectious energy onstage, which spilled over into the audience with ease. In Business have already established themselves as regulars in their hometown’s live music scene, and will no doubt make a name for themselves further afield in the not too distant future.

After a quick change of equipment, The Groundsmen were next on the agenda. Proclaiming themselves to be Taranaki’s premier punk rock band, the trio wasted no time in belting out a hard and fast set of original, classic punk-inspired tunes that were lapped up by the growing gathering of punters. Bass player Scott Paddock is a tour-de-force; full of noise, energy and an appropriate punk-rock swagger. Along with guitarist Shane Martin and drummer Rowan Carlyle, The Groundsman powered their way through an energetic set, and it was immediately evident that they were ecstatic to be back on stage and performing again after the recent enforced hiatus. The trio powered through a set of classic, no-frills, original punk inspired tracks, that had almost everyone in the room either on their feet or gyrating in their seats. Definitely a crowd-pleaser, there is no doubt whatsoever that The Groundsmen were in their element, and clearly love what they do.

Switching up the tempo slightly, The Deadbeat Dads were top of the evening’s bill, and wasted no time in churning out a noteworthy performance of blues-rock – also their first performance since lockdown. Hailing from the Kapiti Coast, this was the Dads’ second visit to Whanganui, and Simon Donald (guitar, bass, vocals) and Nick Potts (drums), appeared to relish their time back on stage, and quite rightly so. The duo turned the proverbial volume up and switched effortlessly between old-school, slow, blues-drenched rock and fast rock’n’roll tracks in the blink of an eye. It is always a treat to witness a duo who are able to create a big sound with just a guitar/bass (Donald has mastered the art of playing the guitar and bass simultaneously), a drum kit, a mic, two amps and a whole lot of energy and talent. In a nutshell, it was somewhat mesmerising to watch and listen to The Dads play a thoroughly enjoyable set of original material, as Donald channelled his guitar as he played, and Potts appeared to become lost (in the best way) in the rhythm. Watching The Dads perform was also a timely reminder of what we have been missing over the last few months – pure, unadulterated, stripped back, guitar-based rock. It certainly warms this reviewer’s heart that live music has returned, and what better way to break the drought than seeing The Dads rocking out. One piece of advice: if The Deadbeat Dads aren’t already on your ‘must-see’ list, they should be.

Were you there in Whanganui for this triumphant return to live music? Or have you seen Dead Beat Dads perform somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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