New Zealand reggae outfit Katchafire have been around the traps for a while – four albums in fact – and have always had a groundswell of support from ex-pat Kiwis in Australia and the rest of us. Seasoned performers, they have toured extensively but it is this – their fourth – which has really seen their sound saturate the scene. They just completed a headline tour of the USA and Hawaii, and back on Australian soil, made a decent effort in filling Melbourne’s Forum Theatre. Which made it a little surprising that a large chunk of the audience’s hands shot up when frontman Logan Bell asked who were first-time Katchafire gig-goers. Something must be… catching on.
Through the sea of dreadlocks and rather large Maori men, the discerning fan found it almost impossible to detect the actual bouncers and were therefore blatant in their desire to reach higher realms. Some were lucky, some were not, but the resounding effect was one of a calming smoothness… funny that. The band responding as such, kicking off the good vibes with the fitting On The Road Again.
And it’s not just Bell taking the microphone in this eight-piece band of brothers – throughout the set we see several members adding their own flavour to the mix. Percussionist Leon Davey, Bell’s right-hand man, croons to the ladies in a soft falsetto during Love Letter while young drummer Jordan Bell injects a more modern R&B style to the music. Keyboardist Hani Totorewa and saxophonist/keyboardist Jamey Ferguson take the tail end of the groove train, keeping it slow, sexy and stylish. The addition of trumpet player Andrew McDowall is the icing on the cake, allowing the band to venture into a more ska influenced sound at times.
But of course no Katchafire gig would be complete without a Bob Marley – the band, after all, do count their very beginnings as a Marley cover band. So what better way to keep the love flowing? “Don’t worry about a thing/’Cause every little thing, is gonna be alright!” And indeed it was, as the crowd lovingly sang along to hits like Collie Herd Man and encore closer Reggae Revival, the latter teaching, “Reggae music keeps the doctor away.”
As they moved seamlessly through roots and reggae, dub, R&B and ska, the crowd bobbed along, soaking up the solos from drums, guitar, trumpet and sax, soaking up the atmosphere and soaking up the love. This band has certainly come into its own and are truly a force to be reckoned with on the international reggae stage. Forget the apple, medicate with reggae!
BY JEN WILSON
LOVED: Not one, but five awesome vocalists.
HATED: The sneaky bouncers.
DRANK: Iced tea mojito.
