Live stream
Last Friday I got the privilege to see Vera Ellen live at Pearl Diver. Because of my limited time spent listening to the band, everyone else who attended the sold out show seemed to be very much “in the know” about this highly praised group from Pōneke, and I was about to find out why. I definitely understand the hype generated from their newest album ‘HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT TIME’ released on the 1st of May this year. There’s no denying that they're a talented group, with amazing individual brilliance as well as electric chemistry with one another.
To kick things off, was the incredibly talented Phaedra Love, who was performing songs from her latest ‘Good Bad Not Evil’ EP. Oh man, chills. And that's not because of that fever going around campus at the moment. If you're keeping up with the Dunedin music scene and Phaedra Love is not on your radar, what are you doing with yourself? Get your ass to Bandcamp, get down to your local, wherever you watch your gigs, and listen to that EP stat, that's an order.
Onto the main act, and what an unforgettable show. Vera Ellen (the band, in this case) had some of the best stage presence I've seen yet, you would think they practically lived on stage the way they carried themselves. Even though the album is technically listed as alternative/indie rock, it really varies in the sound and pushes different styles throughout the tracklist, so it never felt dull or repetitive, which I respect heavily. I would love to hear them branch out into other genres, I feel that they could be unstoppable in any direction they head into. The band also never seemed to take their foot off the gas too, keeping the same level of quality and energy that they were just teeming with from the start, all the way until closing songs of the album such as ‘getting told off by mum’ (my favourite).
I'll always say this, but seeing bands play live will always be better than listening on streaming, and especially in this case it reigns true. The punchy swooning riffs and Ellen’s lush emotional vocals are just something you have to hear for yourself. Don’t get me wrong, give the album a listen, it is well worth your time, but it's a whole different feeling hearing it in person. It's that gut feeling you get where you’re fizzing while it's happening but so… comforting at the same time. Even though I was probably one of the only ones in the crowd who hadn't heard them before, it felt like I had always belonged.
Credit: Ethan Montañer
Credit: Ethan Montañer
Credit: Ethan Montañer
Credit: Ethan Montañer
Credit: Ethan Montañer
Credit: Ethan Montañer
