Insurgents, Bang Bang Eche, Transistors, Pop Hits City
Als Bar, 17th April
Dunno if its cause there’s no solid bands in Wellington at the moment, or Crack Wednesday has started a Crack monopoly over the Wellington music calendar, but there’d been a mega drought of decent shows post-February (come back High Places plz). Apparently its the same in CHCH, I just chose a rad weekend to bounce down – four band bill + underage kids climbing barbed wire fences to get in + buzzy imagery on the ceiling of the stage = YES PLZ.
Heard Pop Hits City from outside, wasn’t particularly impressed – stock pop vs leather jackets vs alluring lead singer from acclaimed indie band O’LOVELY. The Transistors (also referred to/written on posters as The Transitors, The Transters and The Transitrons WTF), however, ruled. Straight-up 3 chord punk from the depths of a Replacements album. The singer totally drinks his milkshakes with bourbon like John Travolta asked for in Pulp Fiction, with his voice all gravelly and hanging out the window of some beat-up punkmobile. Possibly the most legit punk band in Christchurch. But also the only one I saw.
Bang Bang Eche have started taking more punk cues too (2 minute songs anyone?), and it sounded pretty hard core awesome. When singer/rapper/dude with long hair/(whoa is that a porcelain tooth) Zach wasn’t performing from within the crowd, he was passed out onstage, legitimating their claims to the most wasted band of the night. Dunno if they’re sick of playing 4 To The Floor yet ($5 on TOTESSS), but the crowd wasn’t, BBE pulling massive singalongs to their singles. Bruises on knees and sweaty intense fun.
Insurgents are one of those ‘feelgood’ bands with enough party to make their shows more raucous than their BBQ videos suggest. And when even their more chilled tracks like Place In The Sun got beat-heavy enough to keep a dancefloor moving, ‘feelgood’ skepticism kindof gets a bit pretentious. Heavy on the singalong choruses and smiling cheek, even a shitty soundboard couldnt stop what was apparently a packed Al’s bar from enjoying their set. ‘Intelligent indie pop’ isn’t that good a description for Insurgents for me, I’d go more for ‘Insurgents are going to empty their bartab and they write good songs and if even if they forget them you probs won’t coz they’re catchy as fuck’. Or something like that. BBQ anyone?
PS Insurgents play Mighty Mighty this Thursday with Rifles – more punk vs party. WHO WILL WIN???
(You will. Its $5)
