French For Rabbits
6th August 2021
The Globe Theatre, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Review by Rob Harbers. Historic feature photograph kindly supplied by Andrew Mackay / Muzic.net.nz.
There was a dimming of the lights, but nobody switched on the strobe. However, in a genteel fashion befitting the introvert personalities of the principal players, a small (but perfectly formed) audience still had a ball this night, down at The Globe.
French For Rabbits, in the same attenuated lineup that I reported on earlier, played in Palmerston North’s Globe Theatre, supported by Ebony Lamb. Thanks to the power of inter-provincial travel, this otherwise Hawkes Bay-bound writer had the privilege of witnessing the performance.
The Globe Theatre is somewhat of a beacon in the apparent cultural desert of Manawatu, pushing back against the darkness. Manager Gerry Keating curates a diverse program of artists, ranging across a wide spectrum, catering to an audience that makes it apparent that this area is more akin to an ocean, being a desert with its life underground (and a perfect disguise above).
Opening act Ebony Lamb continues to mine a rich seam of gold, mixing old songs from a former life with fresh new material, sufficiently well to gain the approval of whanau in Gisborne the previous night (one of whom is reported as having commented that Eb is “much better without that band” – best keep that a secret amongst us though, don’t want to be starting anything!). Her set was enthusiastically received, setting the stage for the principal act.
The multi-layered and atmospheric “The Wounded Bird”, from last year’s “Mansfield” project, ushered in Brooke and John, before being joined by Ben, and this completed the lineup, the would-be 4th member having a precautionary rest after a bump on the noggin. Or so we were told, anyway – I’ve never seen her myself, after she missed the previous gig also – does she exist? Mysteries abound…
Watching their set, I was reminded of the last gig I reviewed, being Pickle Darling – not because of any real sonic similarity, but in the same sense of economy – not a note wasted! Brooke agreed with this – they’re coming from a similar place. One that betrays the influence of introversion – given how much it takes an introvert to put themselves out in the public eye, they’re not going to be out there a second longer than needed to get the point across. But these points are made by a complex lyricism, that tells of a life of experience. A perfect example of all of the above is “The Outsider” (“If I could let go, would I fit in?”) reminiscent of “How Soon Is Now” as an introvert anthem.
This complexity of lyricism shone through in many more of the songs, covering themes ranging from panic attacks, through Canterbury nor’westers, childhood beach experiences, and much more. (Although Brooke has reached a point where she’s averse to writing songs involving water, given some of the confluences of events that have occurred around previous such endeavours!) Between-song talk told of the glamorous life of the touring musician, involving popcorn explosions, busted guitars and a wandering G string – you needed to be there, really.
To sum up, another beautiful performance by hugely accomplished artists – there’s one last chance on this tour to catch them, at the San Fran in Wellington tonight – so put down your craft beers for a short while and get along!
Were you there at The Globe Theatre for this great pop gig? Or have you seen French For Rabbits perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Note: French For Rabbits provided passes to Ambient Light to review 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.
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 visiting our PressPatron page.