The Restarts, Auckland NZ, 2017

The Restarts

18th February 2017
Whammy! Bar, Auckland, New Zealand

Review and Photography by Sarah Kidd.

No borders. No flags. No religion… No to racism. No to sexism. No to homophobia… The Restarts are here in NZ to tell anyone that will listen to cut the bullshit.

This is the last night of their debut Australasia tour, the three piece making their way up New Zealand over the last four nights playing in each of our main centres. Originally formed in London in 1995, ironically none of the current members hail from London, or even the UK for that matter! But as bassist Kieran Plunkett (one of the founding members, and a Canadian) tells us “that’s the great thing about the London punk scene, its international!”

Exploding with opening track ‘No Escape’, drummer Jeremy Hayet quickly proved they mean business by destroying his snare drum, much to the glee of the crowd. While a quick change over was performed guitarist/vocalist Robin Licker thanked the crowd for coming along and spoke of how they loved being in NZ – “reminds us of London, there are so many of you Kiwi’s there!” – this then quickly turned into a tongue in cheek awards acceptance speech as he waits for Hayet to get his kit sorted.

Despite the stilted start to the set, The Restarts were quickly back up and running, hitting the crowd hard and fast in the chest. ‘Square One’ worked its magic and propelled you closer to the front of the stage where a large group of patrons had already taken up residence. Plunkett, looking around the room, grinned into the microphone and stated that it was great to see so many women getting up and dancing in the audience tonight. “We totally encourage that and we like to see it! This is NOT a men’s-only space!” The band then dedicated ‘Mia’ to the lead singer of The Gits – Mia Zapata – who in 1993 was brutally raped and murdered. It was easy to hear the genuine emotion of the loss of such an amazing woman in this formidable track.

Throughout the night the band would continue to talk to the audience, often explaining some of the themes behind their songs; in return they would receive massive cheers of support especially when it came to issues such as religion, race and homophobia. Their message tonight was a simple one. We are all just one people. Nothing said this more than the heartrending ‘Uganda Calling’. The song was written about a Ugandan teacher and LGBT activist who was murdered after he won a lawsuit against a magazine that had called for his execution as an openly gay man. The band played it with such passion that it almost burned the name of “David Kato” permanently into the walls of the Whammy Bar.

While The Restarts have been referred to as everything from Ska to Street Punk, at the end of the day they are all about the DIY; and they have supported some pretty big names in the scene including The Casualties and The Subhumans. And yet it is so obvious that these three are still so humble; grateful for a tour that has taken them through both Australia and New Zealand, countries that they say that they have wanted to play for a very long time. Like any good punk gig we were fast coming to the end of what has been a completely mind blowing show. The in your face riffs of ‘Frustration’ from their self-titled 1996 EP did nothing but fuel the crowd into even more enthusiastic dancing, the energy of it at one point toppling the entire front row onto the ground.

Calls for the song ‘Sheep’ were reverberating around the revellers in the front. Licker, grinning as he looked at the crowd asked “Why? Why should I sing a song about sheep? I was just in Australia and I didn’t sing a song about Kangaroos!” showing us that he indeed has a sense of humour. Of course, seconds later the opening notes to the requested track were belting out over the speakers sending those who had been calling for it into a mad stomp-out all over the venue floor. Bidding the crowd farewell – the band sprung into their final track of the night ‘Big Rock Candy Mountains’, the crowd nor the band showing any signs of tiring. As they began to leave the stage, cries of “encore” were already nipping at their heels – with Hayet not even being able to leave before the pleas had halted him in his tracks, inches from his kit. And sure enough both Licker and Plunkett quickly joined their bandmate back onstage for an encore, their gratitude for the love in the room obvious in their smiles.

The Restarts – world class. No question.

The Restarts perform live in Auckland, New Zealand 2017. Image by Sarah Kidd.

Were you there at the Whammy! Bar to witness this hot and sweaty show? Or have you seen The Restarts somewhere else? Tell me about it in the comments below!