Concert review: Data Hui, San Francisco Bath House

Mara TK. Photo / Masanori Udagawa

Mara TK, in suit, black fedora and angular glasses shuffles to a seat centre-stage. Billy TK, a moment behind, steps in stage-left: a white tussock of beard, a sharp grey suit and small, circular shades under a tight black beanie - the man nicknamed the Maori Jimi Hendrix. Drummers Riki Gooch, and Iraira Whakamoe and bassist Crete Haami filter in.

A solemn acapella rings forth - Ma Wai Ra - and Mara welcomes the small but eager crowd.

"This is the first go at a couple of songs me and my father wrote. Fingers crossed, here we go..."

Fingers crossed? No luck needed for this group, who have already proven their collective soul and psychedelia in various incarnations of Fly My Pretties, Eru Dangerspiel, and the Hollie Smith band.

Arpeggios lunge skyward in the psychedelic wash of the first song, Anyone Here, from Mara TK's Taniwhunk EP. "Taniwhunk" is also to be the name of Data Hui's debut album, and the new style they're trying to forge, an investigation into the concept "Maori in space".

Mara's relaxing so far back into the groove his seat threatens to topple backward. The "woaw woaw" of his guitar line is mimicked by members of the audience. They liked that.
Son calls, father responds, tracing complex blues licks with effortless, economic movements, having moved barely a step from the starting block.

Crisp cymbals and sharp snares take the weight of Riki Gooch's driving groove, while Iraira Whakamoe fires drum samples, mealy textures and the absent Aaron Tokona's pre-recorded guitar lines from behind a drum kit, his snare muted by a checked pink tea towel.

The synthesised "wap wap" of future soul gives way to a samba feel. Atmospheres shapeshift, dealt unsettling right hooks by offbeat vocal lines, and rhythms syncopate unexpectedly. Built up then knocked sideways, the music has an urgency, movement, and presence.

Damn! I forgot to keep an ear out for a "conceptual" storyline. I think I heard something about the Moon... and from the drench of delay, it sounds like we're in orbit already. It's difficult to make out what people are saying in outer space. Did Mara just sing "P has got me on the run"? Or was that P.E.?

A friend whispers in awe, "It's like Pink Floyd with a groove", and almost on key, Billy takes a seat with his 12-string guitar and the mood softens to something more pastoral.
Data Hui just landed.

Who: Data Hui
Where: San Francisco Bath House, Wellington
When: Thursday 9 February

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