17/08/14

Article Joel Thompson

Originally this gig was booked at Major Toms at the Mount and then a couple of days prior to the show the gig was rebooked for a venue in Pyes Pa. At first glance I didn’t think much of this but it was a defining factor in what was to become a very unusual gig. 

On closer inspection it turned out that the gig was to be held at a private residence about half an hour out of Tauranga at a guy called Willy’s place. I turned up just after 7pm expecting the gig to be in a barn or renovated country hall but it was held in a single garage and it felt more like a private show for friends and family than an official tour date. Considering it was a Sunday night and a good half hour drive out of Tauranga the show was well attended with twenty five or so people. The audience was a mixed bag of old school punks, hipsters and rock kids.

It was definitely not what I was expecting but it was refreshing to see such a highly regarded and reputable band play in such an intimate setting. I mean we are talking about a band that has toured the world, played alongside Franz Ferdinand and Wolfmother and recorded a record with Steve Albini and they are jamming in some guys garage in the middle of nowhere on a Sunday night. I think this just goes to show the integrity of these guys and how down to earth they are. 

Die! Die! Die! kicked into 5th gear straight off the bat with Andrew Wilson lurching himself around the stage and then promptly jumping right into the thick of the audience. He coaxed the audience physically to the front of the stage by dragging people forward. Andrew sang with conviction and passion while bashing out his chordal arrangements out on his guitar. Michael Logie was a machine on the bass and had me locked in with his hypnotic repetitive grooves from the first note he played. Michael Prain destroyed his drums, pummeling the shit out of them. All in all the band was extremely tight, enthusiastic and ripped through their set with mechanical precision. 

I am yet to hear the bands new record SWIM, but I do wait with baited breath to get my hands on a copy. From what I have heard so far, the band are progressively moving towards a unique post punk noise pop sound that is edgy yet palatable, violent but lush and this excites me a lot.

Die! Die! Die! have a bunch more shows coming up on in NZ, then are taking a quick lap of Australia so if you want to hear what the new face of NZ punk sounds like then this is the ticket.