Concert Review: Ocean Alley – Powerstation April 4, 2019

Blending their powerful, psychedelic surf-rock sound with outstanding vocals and individual musicianship, Ocean Alley delivered a magical performance for their final Auckland show at The Powerstation last night.

Supported by Wellington roots-reggae ensemble, Tunes of I, it quickly became clear why this captivating group is selling out shows across the country, with both bands spending every minute of their three-hour concert bleeding out a mix of genres, melodies, and complementary performances.

It’s rare that an opening act transcends the label into a genuine support band, but Tunes of I deserve to be mentioned as a clear example of that rarity, not just for the incredibly chill, grooving vibe of their distorted guitar and horn ensemble, but for creating an infectious level of energy at The Powerstation that set the tone for the rest of the night.

Beautiful vocal harmonies mixed with psychedelic funk riffs – reminiscent of early Kora and later Fat Freddy’s Drop – weaved through much of their nine-song setlist, but of particular note is the strength of their drummer, Luther Hunt, who tied the set together while playing the drums with his eyes closed. When musicians appear to draw their musical talent from their natural sense of what sounds and feels good, it’s undeniable that the same feeling will resonate with a crowd.

The pleasant, energised vibe they created made the short wait for Ocean Alley barely noticeable, with the headline band taking to the stage amidst the pounding sound of T.N.T by AC/DC, as the crowd joined in with the famous opening chant. Their 19-song set opened with the echoed guitar and chest-hitting drum beat of Corduroy, channeling the early 70s stadium sound of Led Zeppelin with equal vocal clarity and sustained power across their next two numbers with delightful ease.

Their psychedelic surf-rock sound blurred through dreamy, Hendrix-inspired guitar solos and precise, deliberate tempo changes, with the stage-light show reflecting the mental sunset imagery of Knees, Stained Glass, and Yellow. Talented keys tied together their next few songs, with Holiday showing the band can successfully blend three different musical styles and tempos together while maintaining their signature sound.

Musical touches of Pink Floyd, The Police, RHCP, and Dire Straits were present throughout the entire set, while Frostbite and Man You Were delivered a slower, slightly heavier tone that brought to mind Dylan’s Blind Willie McTell and the grim blues style of Lera Lynn. It also showed that each member of the band is capable of carrying the attention of the crowd and the energy of their performance solo, but consistently creating magic when complementing the overall sound of the band as a whole.

An encore of Baby Come Back saw the crowd singing part of the song with such volume they nearly rivaled the stage speakers, cementing the foundation of chilled-out, surf-rock in many of the previous songs, before Happy / Sad brought the psychedelic guitar back with a slow, epic build that left the crowd energised, but satisfied.

With two, sold-out shows in Wellington, and almost-sold-out shows in Dunedin and Christchurch on the horizon for next week, this is a band you won’t want to miss, and will be eagerly looking forward to returning should you be fortunate enough to catch them this month.

Oxford Lamoureaux

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Chris Zwaagdyk:

Ocean Alley Setlist:

Corduroy

The Comedown

Hold On

Muddy

Knees

Stained Glass

Yellow

Partner In Crime

Holiday

Overgrown

Frostbite

Man You Were

Rage

Bones

Flowers

Lemon

Confidence

 

Baby Come Back

Happy / Sad