The faces are familiar but the sounds will be fresh when The Adults hit the stage for their much-anticipated first live shows. Individually, Jon Toogood (Shihad), Shayne Carter (Dimmer, Straitjacket Fits) and Julia Deans (Fur Patrol) are three of New Zealands most respected musicians. Collectively they are creating something powerful, passionate and unexpected. The Adults is the name Toogood has given the project he initiated last year, during downtime from the band he has fronted for the past 22 years. Starting with a wishlist of some of his favourite New Zealand artists, he set out to write and record an albums worth of collaborations. Released on June 20 through Warners, The Adults includes contributions from Ladi 6, Anika Moa, Tiki Taane, Ex-Shapeshifter Redford Grenell, Little Bushmans Warren Maxwell, Ruban and Kody Neilson from the Mint Chicks, along with Carter, Deans and others. The results are as diverse as the guest-list, swinging from moody soulful moments to sonic explosions, incorporating flavours of R&B, rock, and electronica. It may not sound much like Shihad, but Toogood says: As a 39-year-old dude who has been involved in music all his life, its music that I would listen to. To take the show on the road, Toogood has enlisted two of his core collaborators, Shayne Carter and Julia Deans. As well as being great vocalists, all three are multi-instrumentalists, so there will be much swapping between guitars, keyboards and bass. Any doubts they would be able to carry it off as a trio dissolved moments into the first rehearsal. Shayne took a bit of convincing, Toogood recalls. But I watched him start smiling after a couple of songs and by the end it was, Hmm, this is going to be great! Well be travelling light, but were going to put on a big show. The Adults will be joined on all shows by F IN MATH… Girl computer + Boy vocoder + human bass and robot drums = F IN MATH.The solo project of Michael Logie, former Mint Chicks bassist, F IN MATH was born out the realisation that one can play electronic music live without ditching your beloved bass or pretending to twiddle knobs. Making music on computers since 1998, F IN MATH has thriflled and confused audiences throughout New Zealand over the last few years.His full range freak outs and nail curling versions of Benny and the Jets and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds have been highlights, and seen him support the likes of Ratatat, Deerhoof, Disasterrario and The Show is a Rainbow.
