Gig Review: The Feelers @ Manurewa Cosmopolitan Club, Auckland – 19/12/2019

The Feelers performed tonight to a small but passionate crowd of fans at the Manurewa Cosmopolitan Club. And I was one of them.

Right from the get-go with Pressure Man, the sound was bold and exciting, yet not so loud it was bad. To me, it was perfect. Pressure Man was the song that really got me into The Feelers while I was at high school, and their album Supersystem was a massive smash that came crashing into our lives. So, to hear Pressure Man played with such precision and force was a nostalgic feeling that was felt by all in attendance. James’ voice, seemingly still as beautiful and raspy as ever was a welcome reminder to The Feelers sound.

Crisp guitar, bass, and drums made the overall experience even more enjoyable. While at first, it seemed there was a little monitor trouble for the band, by the very next song, they were away again giving it their all. Each song was perfectly played and done so with enjoyment, the sentiment shared with the lively audience dancing and singing along. It was a true Kiwi affair.

The tour is labelled as ‘All The Hits’ and they were not wrong. Every song, from Fishing For Lisa, As Good As It Gets, Venus (which was an encore) and my favourite of the night, Supersystem, were all fantastic songs. It wasn’t until a little later in the evening that I realised I was watching one of the most important bands in New Zealand music’s history performing in a small, but very decent, venue. I felt very honoured, especially with how well everything sounded and how tightly it was performed.

Overall, this was an incredibly well-rehearsed show that wowed those in attendance. Along with James Reid and Hamish Gee as the core members, they were joined by Andy Lynch from Zed and Clinton Harris of OpShop, together there were members from three of NZ’s top bands, all professionals and delivering all the hits.

As well as being incredibly humble, signing fans shirts and chatting with us afterward, The Feelers have proven that they are still here and still able to deliver the goods.

An excellent show and I highly recommend you get along to see them if you can.