Gig Review: Ghost Who Walks @ San Fran, Wellington – 14/09/2019

The venue was buzzing and continued to fill as the DJ warmed up the Saturday night crowd at Wellington’s famous music venue San Fran. On tonight’s bill was headline homegrown act Ghost Who Walks. Listening to their music ahead of the event, I felt their blend of multi-genre influenced had instant appeal for me. I was pretty sure it would bring the party to this Cuba Street loft too.

The supporting act were H4lf Cast who, again, took influences from a number genres to make an unmistakably catchy sound. Their music has been described as Maori, hip-hop, funk and reggae. Live it’s front man Nikau Te Huki who thoroughly drove the vibe; watching the band play was like receiving a sweet accepting embrace, one that might have felt cliched but didn’t instead it had a pumped up crowd singing along to the lyrics, cheering the sax solos and generally appreciative of what this band were bringing to the music scene. After another DJ-led interlude seven-piece Ghost Who Walks took to the stage.

I liked the bluesy influenced tones that Sam Fowles brought to the performance, and the compositions were more attractive in a live setting, like a Tinder date that’s better in real life. It oozed funk which had the audience dancing instantly.

When Ghost Who Walks played Walking Talking Blues with its rocky, slick riffs and with bass & drums to match, they really seemed to get into their own groove. The guitar solos made you sweat a little, with their pulse of rock-flecked electric guitar. Fowles’ vocals rose and fell whilst the seven-piece played the heart out of each and every tracks. This band were a welcome change to watch for me, with my usual heavier grunge-influenced taste in live music, it felt like music that needed to be heard live; exciting, fun and feel good – and with a band who thoroughly revelled in the opportunity to play to their home crowd.