Shapeshifter
21st November 2020
TSB Arena, Wellington, New Zealand.
Photography by Bruce Mackay.
New Zealand music is having the time of its life this year, despite a couple of pesky lockdowns that have caused a few dates to be rescheduled. And while there is a plethora of new acts to be discovered, admired, and most definitely celebrated, you cannot go past the classics. The ones that have been there for us, on the good days and the bad. The ones that have very much created the soundtrack to our lives.
So, it was no surprise that with a line-up that included some of the most well-respected names in the industry, that TSB Arena was positively pumping last Saturday night.
While the incomparable Ladi 6 was unfortunately unable to perform due to unforeseen circumstances, promoters Live Nation certainly were not going to leave punters hanging, instead, mere days before the show, they enlisted the services of two of best names in the DnB scene to date. Acen Fairbrother, known simply to his fans as Fairbrother, was the first name to whet the appetite; the Christchurch based DJ who for the last decade has been entertaining crowds with unique sets of ‘singalong switches’ and ‘originals and edits’ will also be blowing people’s minds at this year’s Rhythm and Vines Festival on the 31st of December. Ask him nicely, and he may even drop his fabled remix of the Crown Forklifts commercial.
Following close behind were none other than Raphael and Garo, better known as Flowidus. The duo who recently dropped the stunning new melodic hit ‘Shelter’, have both had illustrious solo careers since first emerging just before the early 90’s rise of drum and bass. Now working collaboratively, their signature sound which has already conquered Australasia is capturing the attention of those around the world. With Garo based – well ‘stuck’ – in Perth, it was left to Raphael (based here in the beautiful Aotearoa town of Raglan) to run the decks on stage straight off the back of his appearance at Deep Hard n Funky, but there was no doubt he completely smashed it.
Adding to the killer line-up, the one and only Tiki Taane; the artist and producer whose reputation for being one of the most beloved and diverse musical activists New Zealand has ever had the honour of calling their own always has the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. Having begun as front man of Salmonella Dub, it was when he embarked on his solo career thirteen years ago that he truly became a household name. Acoustically with guitar in hand, or as an MC, his is a sound that belongs only to him, so it was no wonder that his ballad ‘Always on my Mind’ was the first-ever digital single to achieve platinum sales. With his own solar-powered studio where he has produced projects for the likes of Ria Hall through to Mana Lion and headliners Shapeshifter themselves, Tiki is an artist that cares deeply for not only the environment but for his community and fellow artists. Taking it up a notch, Tiki appeared on stage with another familiar face; Iraia Whakmoe from non-other than Fly My Pretties, holding down the rhythm section on drums.
With on screen visuals that could rival even the biggest overseas stadium shows, headliners Shapeshifter – who were coming off the back of sold out appearances in both Auckland and Christchurch – delivered a performance that uplifted the audience into the stratosphere.
Having formed in 1999, Shapeshifter are one of the few New Zealand acts that can list appearances at Glastonbury, Parklife and The Big Chill to their resume, their name one that is well known across both Australasia and Europe. Having released their debut album Realtime in 2001 they soon began to make their mark on the live drum and bass scene, picking up both nominations and awards for best electronic release and record, respectively.
A temporary relocation to Australia saw their name become synonymous with an epic night out, but it was the addition of one of the most treasured front men in Aotearoa that cemented Shapeshifters reputation as one of the best electronic acts around. With a smile wider than the very pacific ocean itself and an on-stage exuberance that lights up the room, Paora Apera, better known as ‘P Digsss’ is truly an icon whose dedicated fan base is rivalled by no other.
With several albums now under their belt and a legion of fans both young and old, Shapeshifter once again expertly blended fusions of electronica with dnb; threads of jazz, rock, soul and everything in between tying themselves together to create a sound that drove the crowd wild. With fellow band members Sam Thevethick, Dan McGruer, Nick Robinson and Darren Mathiassen surrounding him and Tiki Taane live mixing on his favourite Midas Heritage 3K console, the show was yet another for the history books.
For the sound of summer, Shapeshifter have got your back over the Xmas and New Year periods, with appearances at RnV on the 29th of December, NYE20 on the 30th of December and the mighty Northern Bass on the 31st, guaranteed to ring in 2021 in style.
Were you there at the TSB Arena for these Kiwi music legends? Or have you seen Shapeshifter perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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