30 May 2015

It’s clear to me that Whangarei has reached a cultural high-watermark moment. And it’s nothing to do with the Hundertwasser. It’s not the even the wonderful Hatea Loop Walkway, or indeed the Whangarei Growers’ Market. It’s not the many bustling cafés in this town, one of which I’m currently sitting in writing this piece. No, it’s the prospect of Shane Carter, frontman for the legendary Straitjacket Fits, playing live in Whangarei. I truly never thought I’d live to see the day that I’d be able to see my musical heroes in my own hometown.

The arts and music scene has been bubbling along nicely for a while now, thanks to the efforts of talented and dedicated local people. Many of whom might quite fancy living in the inner suburbs of a bigger city like Auckland, Melbourne or London. But oh well, if you can’t afford it, Whangarei will have to do. Why not try to create something of that big city vibe here.

I have to take my hat off to Jessica White and her team at The Old Stone Butter Factory for the music, performance, comedy, poetry and burlesque that’s being put on for our entertainment pleasure every week. The artists deserve to be supported, to encourage local talent and ensure those from other parts of the country (and overseas) keep coming back. Word is getting around New Zealand musicians that Whangarei now has a great live venue.

On Saturday 13^th June when Shane Carter walks on stage with his electric guitar I’ll be very happy I didn’t have to make the trip to Auckland to see him, and that there’ll be people I know in the audience to share the experience with. I’m sure he’ll play classic songs from the late 80s/early 90s era of the Flying Nun label, when New Zealand indie rock bands were as good as any in the world, songs like Dialing a Prayer, She Speeds and Bad Note for a Heart.

As the global rock star he could have been, Carter had it all, good looks, a punk attitude and awesome ability on the guitar. It was the lyrics, though, that raised it to another level, sung by Carter in his sneering voice (think Elvis crossed with Johnny Rotten). Lyrically, he pushed and twisted the conventions of love songs, often dwelling on the darker side of love and obsession. Some songs were deeply mysterious and held together by memorable poetic images, like “No need to fight these things crawling inside/ Like slaters on dead wood/ Nothing’s forever so make sure it’s good” from Headwind, off the powerful and melodious 1991 album Melt.

On the night I’ll be calling out for a song I’ve never heard him play live, Brittle, a bluesy and moody number with a quirky guitar riff. This was the song Straitjacket Fits contributed to the 1993 compilation album No Alternative, produced by the US-based AIDS awareness organisation Red Hot. Other contributors were Smashing Pumpkins, Pavement, Soundgarden, Beastie Boys and Nirvana.   

But no matter what the setlist, I’ll be there dancing joyfully on the inside, imagining I could be in any cool inner city music venue in the world. And yet I’ll be in Whangarei, which will make the night even sweeter.