Live Photos + Review: Ingrid And The Ministers, Wiri Donna, NahBo - San Fran, Wellington

In the wake of the cancellation of Finn Johansson's Recharted Fest 2022, In Loving Memory was an homage to Finn's 5 year residency helming RadioActive.fm’s Recharted. With over 170 episodes, Recharted is a beloved minidoco series exploring the lives and works of underground musicians from Aotearoa. The archive is a taonga of outrageous and earnest conversations.

Grand plans to hold ‘the coolest show you probably will ever see’ were scuppered due to moving into traffic light level Red and the impending threat of Omicron. This led to a scaled down show. Finn wasn’t present, understandably, due to watching out for immunocompromised people in his bubble. This was a shame as COVID restrictions really dampened the mood. The event could have benefitted from an energetic MC to keep items rolling.

First off, NahBo (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Samoa, China, UK, Ireland, Germany, France) whirled us up a set of dreamy, jazz driven indie rap. Overtly soft beats and loops wrapped silk around barbed clap backs. Dissing the social disparities and trauma built by colonisation and capitalism. Keep up kids, this is the future talking.

Next Wiri Donna amped things up. Fresh out of recording for their upcoming EP release, the group was tight and thrilled to be there — splashing grins all around. Bianca Bailey (vocals / guitar – Lilith, F.A.I.R.Y) spearheads the group and was backed by Harrison Scholes (bass - Arjuna Oakes), Elliott Dawson (guitar - DOONS), and Olivia Campion (drums - Yumi Zouma, Revulva). Originally billing themselves as dinky-riff-rockers, I feel they’ve grown more self-assured in their delivery and plant their feet firmly in the camp of woozy indie-rock. Coo-soft vocals entice us into each song, which explode at the bridges with high-stakes riffs backed by emphatic drums. I just wish Bianca’s vocals could have been more discernible in her quieter moments.

Rounding off the evening with a blistering set was Ingrid and the Ministers. They are a literal who’s who of the Wellington blues rock scenes: Ingrid Saker (vocals), Seamus Johnson (guitars – Sea Mouse, The Skeletons), Scott Maynard (bass - Sea Mouse, The Skeletons) and Kim Andrews (drums – My Chameleon). We were treated to a handful of songs from Boofhead, their about to be released EP, which takes critical bash at the current housing crisis. We also had a snarling swipe at ex-lovers and male fragility. The loud, searing guitar work matched Ingrid’s wild angst. Finn would have been proud. — Hilaire Carmody

Click on the thumbnail images below to view a selection of Bruce Mackay's photos of Saturday's show...