LIVE

Rip It Up, Issue 52, 1 November 1981, Page 28

LIVE

Peter Thomson

The Swingers Mainstreet, Oct 13. I missed the Mad Ranks, but heard good reports. After a solid, sombre set from the Steroids, the Swingers finally appeared. Fans old and new swamped the floor to welcome the band as heroes, prodigal sons returned. First off is 'One Good Reason', and then the standout 'Ayatollah'. The lighting is excellent. • The Swingers are in the process of adjusting to different audiences and demands. It shows in a new aggression, strength, and volume. Bqt its an overt volume, and parts of the music get lost. Phil Judd is able to indulge in being the enigmatic guitarist that he is, with Bones taking over the chore of inbetween song patter, and intros. The bassman is truly exuberant giving a completely different character to the old front line, a good balance to lan Gilroy's tidy drumming. - . The show goes on, and we get 'Don't Ask Me'; however. Judd

doesn't project the mixture of pain, disgust, and intensity which used to come across in the Liberty Stage days. There's the old 'Counting the Beat', 'One Track Mind', and some rockers 'Dynamite' (designed for the Australians but they didn't like it says Bones), 'Funny Feeling', '5 O'clock Shadow' and 'Wildlife'. The encore is 'Teacups'. Crys for 'Yellow Star' are ignored. But hey! This is no time to be sentimental - the boys aren't your own anymore. Ann Louise Martin

John Green Eggs & Ham She Collapsed Rumba Bar, Oct 23. Oh wot fun! Three new, fun bands on one bill at Auckland's number one pub for a rage the Rumba Bar. John, who have recording contracts rumoured, are on first. "We're the best band in the world!" yells singer, David Pinker. They forge their way through a short set of 'Johnny Rotten meets the Beatles' distortions, with song titles like 'ldolize Me'. Shouts' of approval from the somewhat sparse audience spur the band on, while the 'boys in blue' drag out underagers and warn everyone in 'sight (including the doorman). 1 ; | Green, Eggs and Ham follow with more of those "salient percussive techniques", in an offbeat bracket of what could be, 'twenty toytown hits'. Nick Hanson's rinky-dink keyboards lead the trio through such gems as 'Feel That

Rhythm - Feel That Beat' and 'Good To Be Back'.

Fun ho! She Collapsed make it a family affair, with Nick's brother Julian fronting his very own ska/rock outfit. Solidly anchored around the rock steady guitar of Rick Herbison, they power through a mixed set of entertaining originals and some good covers like, It's Only Make Believe' and 'Sweet Pea'. They win scattered applause and the dancefloor's the fullest it's been all night. I hear about a party afterwards and the police come back for about the sixth time ... Tom Wilson

Renee Geyer Mainstreet; October 11 Mainstreet's .by no means crowded, looking around we can see quite a few faces who were also here for last night's show. Obviously we're not altogether alone in regarding Renee Geyer as one of the great singers of her generation.

This woman has it all: a tremendously strong and soulful voice, wonderful expression, superb timing and phrasing. Oh yes, and excellent taste. Who else could take such great, yet iden-tity-stamped classics as Jimmy Cliff's 'Sitting In Limbo', Allen Toussaint's 'On Your Way Down', James Brown's 'lt's a Man's World' or 8.8. King's 'The Thrill Is Gone' and make them utterly her own? Of course one Or two classics have always been hers and we happily relive 'Heading In The Right Direction'. But there are plenty of new songs too; a fair sampling from her latest album.

Although boasting , strong backing vocals in fact admirable competency all round it is the least exciting band Geyer has brought here. Battened down by a -straight and stolid rhythm section, it lacks the fluid buoyancy that has driven her in the past. In many of the harder numbers their heavy riff-thump almost obstructs her magnificent vocals. Unforgivable. ; ' - • : /j} As a stage personality Renee Geyer can be awkward: dressed in what looks like an oversized marine's, battle-jacket she sometimes moves gracelessly and can snub or get irritated with members of her audience. • But her singing is a marvel.