Frazey Ford, Hastings NZ, 2022

Frazey Ford

14th October 2022
ToiToi, Hastings, New Zealand.

Review by Rob Harbers. File photograph by Doug Peters.

As the Hawkes Bay Arts Festival commences it’s annual run, for this eighth iteration Canadian chanteuse Frazey Ford was chosen to open the proceedings, in the grand surroundings of ToiToi. This set a languid, laid-back vibe in place, which I’m sure will be upended as the festival continues, and brings more anarchic and lively acts in to play.

That will be hugely welcome, as there will need to be more excitement evident from the rest of the fortnight than was generated by this show. Introducing the event, Festival director Pitsch Leiser referred to the band as having set out on the day’s journey at 4:30 a.m. from Dunedin, and this unfortunately seemed to show in the performance, which lacked a degree of spark, perhaps consistent with a level of physical exhaustion among the players. What transpired would’ve been far more suited to a sunny afternoon outdoors, where the music would form part of a tapestry of experience, but as an attention-grabbing premiere appearance that sets a high bar for all subsequent acts, this failed, I’m sorry to say.

There’s a quote from Angus Young, the larrikin guitarist of AC/DC, where he said “I’m sick to death of people saying we’ve made 11 albums that sound exactly the same… In fact, we’ve made 12 albums that sound exactly the same.” This has found itself stuck in my head since the gig, due to the overwhelmingly similar nature of the songs played – from one slow number to another slow number, only really coming to life on the final one, by which time most attention was lost – indicative of a lack of planning in regard to the dynamics of constructing a setlist.

The music lacked for nothing in the skill department, though – all players perfectly competent in all they did, and thus teasingly indicative of what could’ve been, had they been unleashed. Which makes the experience feel even more of a missed opportunity.

Having said all the above, it must be borne in mind that, as always, this is just an opinion – there certainly were those among the audience who derived satisfaction, and were lining up at the merch table afterwards – and good for them!

But to say too much more would be to overdo things – rather that this be taken as an unfortunate aberration in Festival annals, and I look forward to what’s yet to come. The alternative perspective of the bar not having been set is that there’s ample chance for all subsequent acts to grab the initiative for themselves, and this sets up a degree of excited anticipation for the rest of the fortnight, as the remaining performers step up and take their place in the spotlight. Onwards and upwards!

Were you there at ToiToi for this Hawkes Bay Arts Festival opener? Or have you seen Frazey Ford perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!

_{Note: Ambient Light was provided a pass to review this concert. As always, this has not influenced the review in any way and the opinions expressed are those of Ambient Light’s only.} 

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