Avant‑garde percussion group From Scratch stages innovative Gisborne show

From Scratch percussion group's concert at the War Memorial Theatre brought a varied programme to Gisborne. Photo / Kim Parkinson

Review

Innovative soundscapes and unique visuals captivated me during the first half of percussion group From Scratch’s Gisborne War Memorial Theatre on Saturday, with a second half of the show that would have been enjoyed by niche percussion and sound lovers.

Founded in 1974 by Phil Dadson, who had a background of improvising ragtime and jazz on piano, the band has had a varied cast of characters pass through, including former key member, Kiwi rock musician Don McGlashan.

Some of the other current members of the band, Adrian Croucher, Shane Currey, Darryn Harkness and Chris O’Connor, have been in the band for around 30 years and have backgrounds that include orchestral work, jazz and theatre.

With original instruments created from “found” materials such as PVC pipes, From Scratch performs a multimedia programme combining film and music.

The first half of the concert in Gisborne was backed by three short films, which provided intriguing visuals.

This included the pieces Black Moon, Metroplex and Arcs & Sparks. I found Metroplex’s visuals the most engaging, with its depictions of a city created from found materials.

Arcs & Sparks had funny moments while accompanied by bizarre films which appeared to be from the 1950s, “teaching elementary principles of physics and life-support”, according to the show’s programme notes.

The second half of the concert was for a more niche audience, those who enjoy avant-garde percussion music and soundscapes.

Most of the band joined in at various times, singing Dadson’s 1989 piece Songs for Unsung Heroes, as reprised and transcribed by Currey.

Gisborne’s show was part of the Chamber Music of New Zealand series, with a national tour also passing through Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Dunedin and Christchurch.