The Jordan Luck Band
8th April 2017
Aotea Square, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review and Photography by Sarah Kidd.
What’s better than seeing a band of kiwi music legends play a two hour show? When that show is in the middle of the picturesque Aotea Square and is completely free of charge.
To celebrate the beginning of the Civic Quarter development, the Jordan Luck Band are playing a two hour set of all their classics with a couple of surprises thrown in for good measure. The Civic Quarter project is the brain child of developers John and Josephine Love of Love & Co. and will see an upgrade of the 18 storey former Auckland Council Tower along with a brand new arts and hospitality precinct. Set for completion in 2020, the “arts hub” will feature both commercial and retail spaces along with childcare facilities and accommodation.
A large crowd has gathered on the lawn section of Aotea Square to see Jordan Luck of The Exponents with his new band featuring both Joe Walsh and Bryan Bell (formerly of Dead Flowers) on guitar. Daylight savings may have left us already but the air is still warm and the sun shining when the band – who are all wearing sunglasses – takes the stage. Luck who currently resides just outside of Christchurch may be fifty-four now but he is still full of that boundless energy that he is so well known and loved for.
Arriving to genuine heartfelt applause; the Jordan Luck Band launch straight into it with the dirty sounds of ‘Erotic’ from the 1992 album Something Beginning with C. A perfect way to start what was sure to be a fun filled trip down memory lane. Luck is on fire and bounces around the stage, encouraging people to do the same. Sure enough a few songs in and the front section is filled with fans bopping along to the music. Everything kicks up a notch of course as soon as the opening notes of ‘Who Loves who the Most’ bursts forth from the pop up stage.
First cover of the evening is the infectious ‘How is the Air up there?’ by the La De Das, the song maybe from 1966 but it has endured well, many of the audience singing along in time to the chorus. The crowd is slowly swelling in numbers; people who were just walking past are enticed in by the music. Joggers pull out their ear phones and take a spot on the grass for a musical rest break; an acoustic version of ‘Victoria’ with Walsh on guitar the ideal accompaniment for it.
Luck announces the arrival of two very special guest musicians, Harry Lyon and Ricky Ball from Hello Sailor, Luck giving a beautiful dedication to fallen icons from the same band Dave McArtney and of course the world class Graham Brazier. A charming cover of ‘Blue Lady’ brought many of the crowd together in remembrance, the stage and band bathed in soft blue light. Shortly after, Bryan Bell takes his moment to shine in the sun with the Dead Flowers track ‘I Wanna Know’ a smile lighting up his face when he realises how many people in the audience are singing along with him.
But this wasn’t all about tripping through the archives. The audience were also treated to a couple of tracks off the Jordan Luck Bands latest album ‘Not Only…But Also’ released in April of last year, including opening track ‘Can I help you?’
Dedicated to guitarist Joe Walsh the band plays a rocking cover of ‘Gloria’ by Them, following the rock vibe up with The Exponents tracks ‘La La Lulu’ and ‘Sink Like a Stone’. Luck tips his hat to “a young guy on tour at the moment who I hear writes all his own songs” Dave Dobbyn by performing a cover of ‘Be Mine Tonight’ by The Dudes and then rounds out the evening with ‘Why Does Love Do This To Me’, hundreds of voices almost drowning out the band itself. This may be a free show, but that doesn’t mean that the crowd is going to let the band go that easily and chants for an encore echo in the night air. Never one to turn down the opportunity of having some fun Luck returns with band in tow to deliver a blistering cover of AC/DC’s ‘Let There Be Rock’.
Kiwi Music – it’s still legendary.
Were you there at Aotea Square for this amazing free concert? Or have you seen The Jordan Luck Band live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!