Milky Chance
10th January 2020
Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Lauren Sanderson. Photography by Richard Myburgh.
German electronic-pop duo Milky Chance returned to kiwi shores last night to showcase their brand-new album Mind the Moon. Recognized for their upbeat pop tracks and unique vocals, the quirky duo of Clemens Rehbein and Philipp Dausch alongside band members guitarist Antonio Greger and Sebastian Schmidt on drums took over Auckland’s Powerstation and boy was it a night to remember.
Best known for their 2013 single, ‘Stolen Dance’ – which reached number one in twelve different countries – the duo have come a long way since and have certainly won our hearts with their three studio albums—Sadnecessary, Blossom and newcomer Mind the Moon.
For anyone familiar with the Powerstation, you’ll know it’s a space in which one can be up close and personal, but last night things got even more intimate as the crowd united to show their love for Milky Chance. As there was no support act, we waited in anticipation for what felt like a lifetime, but as soon as Rehbein, Dausch and their fellow musicians stepped onto the stage, the room lit up as did our faces and all was forgiven.
The night was a celebration of all their albums as they delivered a delicate mix of tracks both old and new. Kicking off the night with ‘Fallen’ from their new record, the crowd simultaneously bounced as the bass echoed around the room. It was the perfect track to start with as it brought the party and gave us a taste of the evening ahead.
Rehbein soon swapped his guitar for the keyboard during ‘Fado’, showcasing his many talents; as the sweet rhythm filled the space, the energy grew and was extremely contagious. You couldn’t help but raise your arms and bop along to the hypnotic beat. ‘Blossom’ quickly followed highlighting Rehbein’s idiosyncratic vocals, while ‘Cocoon’ had us in an outright frenzy. ‘Down by the River’ took us on a trip down memory lane as we immersed ourselves in the much-loved riffs, highlighting why we fell in love with the duo in the first place.
There are so many elements to their music, that sometimes you wonder whether it’s all going to work, but there is no question about it, everything comes together to create a distinctive blend of folk, rock, reggae and electronic-pop that is just perfect.
‘Daydreaming’ featuring Aussie favourite Tash Sultana, showcases just that with its reggae meets indie rock feel. A song about how to deal with reality, it in fact transported us somewhere far, far away from reality as the groovy psychedelic beat held you captivated from start to finish.
While they certainly brought a kick-ass show to the Powerstation, there wasn’t much conversation with the crowd; not that this is necessarily a bad thing as the boys were simply lost in their sound and let their music do the talking for them.
Closing the show with ‘Stolen Dance’, Milky Chance left the audience completely and utterly in awe. Of course, we wanted more so the chants and the foot stomping began and thankfully we were able to listen to them a little while longer as they returned to play some classics from their first album; ‘Ego’, ‘Running’ and the alternative-rock style track ‘Sweet Sun’ closing out the show. The night ended just as it started with hands thrown into the air and smiles on faces as the boys did what they do best and jammed out with the crowd.
There is something so invigorating about watching a band get lost in their music as much as the crowd does and that’s exactly what Milky Chance do; they are masters of their trade and as well as creating sick beats, they generate this quite special energy and vibe that makes you want to listen to them on repeat.
Well at least that’s what I’ll be doing for the next few weeks.
Were you there at the Powerstation for this brilliant German alt-folk group? Or have you seen Milky Chance perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- Fallen
- Right From Here
- Fado
- Blossom
- Cocoon
- Down By The River
- Daydreaming
- Oh Mama
- The Game
- Long Run
- Loveland
- Window
- Flashed Junk Mind
- Stolen Dance
- Ego [encore]
- Running [encore]
- Sweet Sun [encore]
If you enjoyed this content, please consider donating towards the running of Ambient Light, covering expenses and allowing us to expand the coverage you love by visiting our PressPatron page.