Old Loaves
27th July 2019
Whammy! Bar, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review and photography by Sarah Kidd.
Releasing an album isn’t easy. It takes blood, sweat, and tears. Not to mention a massive amount of creative juices, studio time and of course money. For fans and artists alike though, the day of release is sweeter than liquid honey.
Last Friday Old Loaves released Banks, their sophomore album which has arrived a mere seven years after their debut Drowser; fans were elated, but even more so with the announcement of an album release party to be held the very next night in the only place it could be, the beloved Whammy! Bar.
With a line-up that was dripping with salivating goodness Auckland trio REPAIRS were the first to rattle some cages. Having delivered an outstanding set in support of New Jersey’s Screaming Females back in May, those who had arrived early (support the supports!) were sure to be left feeling satisfied. One of the things that makes REPAIRS who they are is the genuine camaraderie between the band members; admittedly somewhat to be expected between Marty and Nic who share the title of Mr and Mrs… But there is a connection between all three that solidifies their sound. The pre-start fist bumps and hugs alluding to a deeper sense of self and flow of creativity within the band. Proof delivered in the form of their live sets which always encompass a sense of joyous energy.
The emo-post-pop trio kicked it off with a raucous version of ‘Stop/Start’, latest single ‘Thanks for the Advice’ making a welcome appearance early in the set. Guitarist and lead vocalist Marty was once again like a musical bungy cord, his on-stage movements drawing invisible geometry in the air, Nic on bass always watching him with a wry smile, that connection making them compelling live. ‘Compromise’ is still an absolute killer track, Marty shouting into the darkness to the side of the mic, adding a sense of urgency to the song; ‘Cut to the Chase’ tying the set up nicely.
Tooms are well known on the circuit, the dynamic duo of Nich Cunningham and Dorian Noval familiar faces to those that spend any decent amount of time in the local hangouts. They too were recently seen with an international act, supporting Propagandhi at their sold out show last May. Even more impressive was the fact that Noval pulled a double shift that night, performing both in Tooms and the brutal Exit Fear for which she is the vocalist.
With her usual sense of sharp wit, Noval steered ship from the drum kit, at one point thanking each and every one of the bands on the line-up but stating that there would be no thanks for Tooms. Cunningham on the other hand cuts quite the figure behind the bass, his vocals never overpowering Noval but instead running alongside them, the two playing off of each other well in their chosen format of delivery.
Thanks to the simplicity of instrumentation, the bass and drum combo often keeps the music in the lower register, allowing the listener to become inebriated with the actual music itself. ‘The Triffids’ grabbing patrons by the shirt collar and throwing them about, Novals voice moving from a purr to a commanding bawl; combining with Cunningham on tracks like ‘Doom’ and the duo are the perfect duet, the tempestuousness of the brilliant ‘Blackhands’ sealing the deal.
By now Whammy! was humming as more bodies slid into the room and surrounded the stage, their eyes steadily watching Swallow the Rat set up.
The largest of the bands playing, with the more traditional group number of four, Swallow the Rat are an intoxicating combo of both American and New Zealand musicians, members of My Education, Deathbeam and Lost Rockets making up the mix. The post-punk/Texan psychedelia Swallow the Rat may have only formed in 2017, but the last two years have been rather eventful, with not only several local gigs under their belts but international shows at none other than South by Southwest as well.
Experiencing Swallow The Rat live just once is enough to tell you why they have become one of the most popular bands on the local circuit to catch live, their quiet ferocity and emotionally evocative outro’s snaking their way into that untouched part of a person’s core. From beginning to end their set pulled the crowd in, Sam Vercoe’s vocals coming through loud and clear yet with an understated allure that it is a rare quality.
Undeniably one of the biggest drawcards of the band is that of Brian Purington on guitar, the soundscapes that he elicits from the strings breaking the chains wrapped around one’s soul and setting them free; like that first drawn breath of fresh air on some wild, remote coast. Tracks such as ‘Echoes of a Tide’ have a decidedly shoe/dream gaze feel to them, distorted guitars and bass lines from Stephen Horsley circulating around Fritchley’s impeccable rhythmic patterns. Summed up; unmissable.
Anticipation was by now scratching at the door as the headliners prepared to take the stage, a live set from Old Loaves almost at times like finding a four-leaf clover thanks to the trio of members being scattered across three different cities. With their latest album Banks, recorded in Hamilton over the last four years, splashed across the set list, Old Loaves came out swinging with the almost stoic ‘History’ that grew from the centre of the stage, dark and brooding, the integrated vocals of lead singer/guitarist Ben Ward and bassist John Strange stretching forth across the room. The faster paced ‘Hounds’ making hairs on arms bristle as Ward poured himself out through the mic.
Old Loaves are a band that have faced their fair share of both emotional and physical trials; their drummer Cameron Reid suffered a stroke and basically taught himself to play again while recording the album, their original bassist and more importantly friend Kalem O’Brien taking his own life soon after much of the LP had been recorded. The material for the record itself comes from Ward’s own personal journey through a dead-end job and an ever-growing haze of depression, the album in many ways a funeral ceremony for the days of the past, finally laying them to rest and moving forward. Those adversities and the strength to overcome them can without a doubt be heard in their music, there is honesty traced out within the lines.
‘Limbs’ saw Ward invite his wife to the stage to sing the first part of the song with him, her voice pulling it into the light, the audience enraptured by her performance. A dedication to Kalem followed soon after. Moments such as these combined with the heady sentiment of the music itself making the night one to remember for all the right reasons. Not leaving fans wanting, a couple of tracks from Drowser such as ‘Half-Ounce’ made the cut, ‘Teenage Dreams’ from Banks once again bringing the heat with frenetic guitar riffs.
There would be no encores, only love and gratitude, reciprocated by both fans and bands for a night that was not only about celebrating new music, but friends, family and a community with roots that run both deep and true.
Were you there at Whammy! Bar for this heavy doom gig? Or have you seen Old Loaves perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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