Concert Review: Gang of Four, Powerstation

Gang of Four proved their staying power last night. Photo / Supplied

Who: Gang of Four
Where: Powerstation

Despite being a band whose influence was felt this far away, both in the post-punk years and in more recent times, British art punk-funk outfit Gang of Four had never played here before.

Their former rhythm section had though, as the engine room of Shriekback.

This reunion line-up brought the the original frontline of singer Jon King (resembling Bill Nighy's fit and manic younger brother) and guitarist Andy Gill (interrogation room stare and effortless chunka-chunk playing) attached to a younger bassist Thomas McNiece and drummer Mark Heaney, both well capable of handling the jagged funk that lies beneath the band's most memorable tunes.

And they brought with them the songs off new album Content, with the likes of opener You Never Paid for the Farm showing that advancing years hasn't dulled the King-Gill attack.

And neither has time dated the likes of their Thatcher era originals. That's whether it was Paralysed with Gill's wiry slashing guitar and spoken vocals; Anthrax's feedback ode to love as a biohazard or the indie-disco anthem of I Love a Man in Uniform among many other highlights of a set which neatly picked the eyes out of their great first two albums.

The Powerstation was far from full and the audience looked to be mostly guys who remembered them from the Radio With Pictures years.

But boy, with a set which neatly gained in momentum and muscle towards its double encore finish and King a sweaty jackrabbit throughout, GoF proved their particular post-punk nostalgia bandwagon had more horsepower than most. And they showed why their thrilling sound continues to echo through the generations.