Gig Review: Mermaidens with Kane Strang @ Whammy, Auckland – 08/04/2016

In a hot concrete box deep beneath St. Kevin’s Arcade, two of New Zealand’s hottest young bands were holding an album release party. I haven’t visited Whammy for a long time, and stepping into its dark depths was like being whisked back into Victorian London. I know it’s supposed to be a hip dive bar, and it is of course, but I was most grateful not to be accosted by Sweeney Todd or Moriarty as I descended its murky stairwell.

Starting later than the advertised time of half-nine, the small room eventually filled up and Kane Strang took to the stage. The following 40 minutes was nothing short of magical. It probably helps that I’ve been caning debut LP Blue Cheese for several months now. The risk with having an expectation of an excellent album being performed live is that it could go badly – the wonder of the recorded songs not translating on the stage – but thankfully this was nowhere near disappointing. This band of Dunedinites is going places - really really going places – and to see them in this environment was a real privilege. Just about every track off ‘Blue Cheese’ got an outing, plus some new material which bore all the trademarks of the phenomenal song-writing that has got them this far. Watch this space.

Mermaidens took to the stage shortly after and played the entirety of their debut LP Undergrowth. Having seen the band once before back in January, I had an idea about what to expect, and once again they did not disappoint. The sound in the concrete box seemed less together than for Kane Strang, and the volume louder. Nevertheless the dark, brooding songs that Mermaidens intricately spin sounded enchanting and thrilling in equal measure. From opener Under The Mountain II to closer Splinter, the set captivated the audience. Encore track ‘Dive’ saw a lively response from the crowd, the more upbeat tempo, and invitation from drummer Abe to dance, being grasped with both hands. Again, you can imagine the depth of Mermaidens songs will carry them far for years to come, and I for one hope that that happens.