JC Carroll
19th October 2018
The Thirsty Dog, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review & Photography by Sarah Kidd.
UK band The Members first appeared in New Zealand in 1979 and it was a very long time between drinks before the seminal band made their way back to our shores; 2013 seeing them grace the stage of the now sadly demolished Kings Arms. But last night in one of the best little pubs in town – The Thirsty Dog on the infamous K’rd strip – JC Carroll, composer/vocalist/guitarist of The Members delivered an intimate solo set.
With some tasty tunes being spun by Auckland’s one and only DJ Skin n Bone, patrons settled into the warmth of the wooden surroundings and candlelit tables to await the appearance of the man in the onesie …
No, no not JC, but instead the delightful Moisty Atsushi in his black and white cat onesie. Performing an acoustic support set, Atsushi – who emigrated from Japan in 1999 – is well known in the scene for his love of 1960’s Jamaican music. With a tiny yellow rubber duck hanging from his neck, Atsushi performed a smile inducing set of songs that included audience sing-along ‘Time Is Limited (aka Shu Be Du Be Du)’ a track that is sure to be a hit on his upcoming overseas tour.
For fans of Atsushi and his band The Moisties some exciting news was also revealed – after a few years’ absence, Atsushi and The Moisties will once again be appearing at The 2018 Auckland Ska Festival on Dec 1st at Galatos – mark it in your diaries today!
A few more classic numbers from DJ Skin n Bone including the foot-stomping Dropkick Murphy’s and JC Carroll took the stage to rousing applause. Beginning his set with the truly beautiful ‘Painting with Sound’ from his solo album West Byfleet Selfie (which you can read more about in our interview with JC here) and it was clear that Carroll’s voice was not only just as strong as it always was but that it had matured like a fine red wine. Following it up with an unexpected cover of Bad Religion’s ‘Robin Hood in Reverse’ and the fans were hooked, completely engaged by not only the abilities of Carroll but his sharp wit and cheeky smile.
Tracks from The Members went down a treat, the reggae infused ‘Offshore Banking Business’ not only timeless in it’s melodies but in its message as well. But it was the double header of ‘Solitary Confinement’ and ‘Sound of the Suburbs’ the anthem of The Members fans written both about them and for them that saw more than a few punters propel themselves from their seats and into the middle of the floor for a dance while singing along to every word, no doubt of which were etched into their hearts.
In between songs Carroll gifted to the audience little snippets of stories from his past wrapped in the gilded paper of humour – such as how the perfect girlfriend for a young musician is one with a nine to five job…
Finishing on a cover of Tom Jones ‘Delilah’ – and there was a sense of unity in the room as everyone hollered the chorus in overly dramatic fashion, just as it should be sung! Bidding all goodnight, Carroll grabbed himself a cold beer before greeting both fans and friends, exactly as you would expect a boy from the suburbs to do.
Were you there at The Thirsty Dog to witness this Punk legend? Or have you seen JC Carroll perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Painting With Sound
- Robin Hood In Reverse [Bad Religion cover]
- New English Blues
- Working Girl
- Offshore Banking Business
- Apathy In The UK
- Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien [Edith Piaf cover]
- Chelsea Nightclub
- Solitary Confinement
- Sound Of The Suburbs
- Work The Night Shift
- Delilah [Tom Jones cover]
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