Gig Review: Moisty Atsushi & The Moisties at Ginger Minx, Auckland, 6 September 2014

In my previous blogpost I wrote a little bit about last Friday night in Auckland and attending the Going Global showcase gig which featured a number of great local bands. I also happened to be in the big smoke on Saturday night, and was equally determined to check out more live music.

There were a number of options including the BaseFM 10th birthday celebration gig - featuring local Hall of Fame contenders King Kapisi, Che Fu, and P-Money among many others - at GalatosLive, but having already been there on the Friday I decided once again to go somewhere I'd never been before.

Ginger Minx in Mt Eden - just off Dominion Road - is an unlikely venue for live music. The venue has two distinct zones, or bars, and the lounge area where live music is played ultimately feels rather more like a student flat than it does a space for bands or DJs - with an open fireplace, a couple of large couches, coffee tables etc. But that's just part of its charm and despite the relatively low ceiling, the "lounge" was surprisingly very sound friendly.

I'd chosen Ginger Minx because local ska/rocksteady favourite Moisty Atsushi - who I've blogged about before - was playing a live set with his band. I'd previously seen him in a solo/acoustic context and certainly the addition of a second guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer allowed for a much fuller sound.

What Atsushi lacks in terms of vocal subtlety - and it is perhaps only a minor issue - he more than makes up for with his commitment to producing an authentic ska and/or rocksteady sound. His guitar playing was more dynamic (and electric) this time around and his passion for ska is beyond doubt. His set was a mix of originals - his releases can be found here - and covers.

If I have a moan (and I do) it is about the late start. The gig was advertised “from 8pm” and while I would normally expect an hour or so of pre-band DJ support and the gig to start around 10pm (at latest), it was at least 11.30pm by the time the band started playing (I suspect the late arrival of its drummer was the issue). It was just a little frustrating watching Atsushi repeatedly wander up, sling the guitar over his shoulder, sound-check the mics, only to then take the guitar off and return to his seat by the fire.

I also think when your band is playing a gig at a venue a little off the beaten track, or at a location where no alternative venues or clubs are within walking distance, then it should be obvious that those in attendance haven’t just wandered in by chance. They’re there for the gig, not part of some wider pub or club crawl (unlike more centrally located venues). You either play before they leave or you let them know that you’re not far off from starting.

That said, it was a “free” gig, and any frustration on this occasion was largely mitigated by the presence of a couple of pretty good DJs who kept the warm rocksteady and rootsy reggae vibes ticking over during the near three hour wait, among them local legend and 95bFM favourite DJ Dubhead - another guy I’ve seen play “live” before, albeit several lifetimes ago …

Overall, it was a pretty good night, and more generally it was great to have a couple of nights out in unfamiliar Auckland surrounds for a change.

One Weekend, two great gigs: The Orb Sound System/Moisty Atsushi

I managed to catch Dr Alex Paterson, aka The Orb Sound System, spinning some black magic plastic at Meow (bar) in Wellington last Friday night.

It was another one of those nights for a lot of old faces and friends, and the sold out gig had a pretty mean “in-awe” vibe throughout. Paterson doesn’t make it down to this part of the planet very often, and for a Friday night in the capital, he represents an irresistible draw at a great little venue.

 

 

 

Paterson was generous with the length of time he spent at the decks, and his sets were a mix of high bpm techno, Pink-Floydian ambience, and copious amounts of Lee Scratch Perry-led dub. He continually referenced his own Orb work – across all forms of its existence – and generally kept the crowd transfixed as he mixed and mashed his way through the night.

Support came from local heavyweights like Koa (Rhombus) and Redbird Jnr (did I miss Mu?), only adding to the warmth and sense of occasion I felt for seeing so many longtime-familiar faces out and about. It was a really good night, and another small box ticked on any music bucket list I might (or might not) have made …
 

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Sometimes though, it’s the gig you least expect that ends up being just as exciting as the long coveted one. That purely spontaneous in-the-moment set you’ve stumbled across by accident.

 

On Saturday night I had one such experience, staggering late doors into Laundry on Cuba, where a Japanese guy, one Moisty Atsushi, a young performer apparently enjoying a solo sojourn from regular crew Atsushi and the Moisties (ahem), was playing to a busy and for the most part fully engaged crowd.   

 

Moisty’s party trick is dressing in a full body “onesie” and playing acoustic rocksteady, ska, and cod reggae. He might not be the most talented guitarist I’ve ever seen, and some of his vocals need (a lot of) work, but I’ve yet to see a more passionately performed live cover of ‘Pressure Drop’ in my puff.

 

As the owner of a very self-deprecating sense of humour and an innocent childlike stage banter, Moisty might just about be the most er, “enthusiastic” artist I’ve ever seen ... constantly cajoling the audience to “singalong and dance” between songs, and proving as infectious a pick-me-up as anyone could possibly find in the post-midnight hour.

 

More generally, Laundry on Cuba, with its good vibes, ramshackle appearance, and regular commitment to ska/roots/dub themes, looks like a very decent (relatively recent) addition to the Wellington live music scene.