Gig Review: Starving Millions @ Whammy Bar, Auckland 28/01/2017

It has been several years since I last attended a punk concert, so I was pleased to have the opportunity come up to see what hardcore punk was being churned out these days. The show ended up being quite an intimate affair in a lower floor beneath St Kevin’s Arcade on Karangahape Road. The venue, officially known as Whammy Bar is a place that I had heard of but never been to before. Initial opinion of the venue was that of a dark, decrepit hovel, but as time passed, you began to get a sense of community. The musicians helped each other out, they shared their equipment, all of the concert goers seemed to know each other in one way or another, and there was a level of unwavering, unequivocal support of the music. Something that I don’t usually see at other venues.

First band on stage was Sick Old Man, a local Auckland band with a very thrash metal sound. They ploughed through several short songs with unbounded energy. Their structures were very similar from song to song, but the guitarists created a full bodied, high-gain, low-pitch chug, that got some great reactions from the crowd.

Markdown were next up, providing a cleaner punk sound, with some easier to understand lyrical content (such as their want for free pizza). With most of their songs finishing before they hit the minute mark, they formed the perfect example of the short, fast paced delivery that punk is famous for.

The last group before the headliners hit the stage was Churlington. With their guitars turned up to 11, their set was heavy with distortion. As with the previous bands, their style was fast paced, but slightly slower, giving it a better natural rhythm that got a lot more movement from the crowd. With a mix of clean and aggressive vocals, Churlington has showed the greatest variation in song styles, as well as a greater appreciation for the use of instruments without constant vocals. This allowed the guitars to speak for themselves, and created more anthemic sounds with superior song length.

Finally, it was time for the top of the bill to play, hailing from Wellington, Starving Millions. Straight off the bat the four-piece come out with intensity and ferociousness. Despite claims that the vocalist needed to visually see his guitar to play, they had technical precision, with a rich djent and great rhythm. The vocals are abrasive, and the lyrics mostly unintelligible, but the deep, hardcore riffs compliment it well, and proved to be a crowd-pleaser. The anti-authoritarian theme engaged with the audience, invoking the middle finger on multiple occasions. While appearing angry and discontent while they play, the general mood between songs is surprisingly upbeat and candid, with jokes and light banter between the band members and the crowd; definitely one of the more charismatic punk groups I’ve had the pleasure of seeing perform in my time.