Aquaman star Jason Momoa plays bass in cover band Öof Tatatá.
Aquaman star Jason Momoa plays bass in cover band Öof Tatatá.
REVIEW
There’s little doubt that Hollywood star Jason Momoa was a drawcard for many who turned up to see the Game of Thrones star’s rock cover band in Auckland on Friday.
But as the house lights went up on Öof Tatatá's 90-minute set, every punter exiting Auckland’s Powerstation should have had one name on their mind – the band’s guitarist, aptly introduced by Momoa mid-set: “Michael motherf***ing Hayes”.
You may have seen him when the band played a one-off Auckland gig just a few months back. You possibly spotted him on Momoa’s TV series On The Roam. On Friday night he worked his way through a sizeable selection of guitars, taking to the mic with bluesy vocals that shone plenty of times during the night, with the 1991 Primus track Those Damn Blue Collared Tweekers just one highlight. His guitar skills were nothing short of brilliant.
Comprised of Hayes, Momoa on bass and Kenny Dale on drums, Öof Tatatá jammed to a pretty mellow audience for a rock show on Friday, the size of which left easy room to move about the lower level of the venue, with the balcony cordoned off. It was a crowd that was hard to place – a meshing of the Momoa faithful and those rocking T-shirts of their favourite metal bands.
I came across stilettos, sparkles, an All Blacks jersey, a Motörhead shirt, Hawaiian shorts and a scattering of older black-clad punters reliving a rock-fuelled youth. A line of (mostly) women made a beeline to the space in front of the stage an hour before the band hit the stage.
And when Momoa, in a form-fitted singlet and black hat, kicked off the set with a greeting of “Aloha Auckland”, the first of many cheers rose from those ready to start the long weekend with some rock – and maybe a bit of Hollywood.
Being the band’s opening night of the first tour outside of the US, the actor-slash-bassist warned the trio might be a “little rusty … but you can watch us dust it off”.
“We’re gonna f***ing have a good time,” he continued before the band kicked into immediate crowd-pleasers, Nirvana’s Breed and Rage Against the Machine’s Bulls on Parade.
A f***ing good time was already certainly on the cards.
With the Jimi Hendrix 1960s classic, Voodoo Child, came the first real taste of those insane skills possessed by Hayes – complete with a few party tricks (ever seen someone play guitar with their tongue?), much to the delight of a few punters standing near us.
The banter between band and crowd was pretty minimal, outside of the odd “sup Auckland” or appreciation for each other or friends and crew. Momoa seemed happy to keep his head down and hand the reigns to his bandmates. Fear not, Hayes is a formidable frontman.
A handful of Red Hot Chili Peppers tunes finally brought some enthusiastic dancing from many standing near us and a small group of grey-flecked fans nearby seemed very much in their happy place for Metallica’s Wherever I May Roam.
Following a brief recount of filmingMinecraft with Jack Black in New Zealand and “Jack’s song” during that time, Momoa dedicated Black Sabbath’s The Wizard (a “f***ing amazing song”) to Black and “all my best friends”.
Formed this year, Öof Tatatá is still young. But, likely thanks to their two-decade friendship, the on-stage chemistry is there. And there’s something pretty special – with no recorded music – about knowing the only way to truly experience the band is live. Maybe it’s because they just recently played Auckland, but it’s a shame it felt like this gig would have been perfectly suited to a more intimate stage, and a rowdier crowd.
It’s a tricky band to define an audience for. It’s a cover band. Those covers are heavy rock and metal – often veering from the commercial hits of the genre. One big selling point is that their bassist is Aquaman. There’s no denying it’s a niche appeal. But if it is your niche, it’s a hell of a night out, culminating in an encore worth sticking around for.
Lead vocalist and guitarist Mike Hayes.
Metallica’s For Whom the Bell Tolls ended with an admission from Momoa that he’d had one of his hardest weeks, followed by a dedication to “every one of my friends that were there for me” for the final – somewhat surprising – song of the night.
Joe Cocker’s With a Little Help From My Friends, given a slightly rockier makeover, had a glimpse of a singalong from the crowd and the perfect out-of-the-box way to end a difficult-to-describe, but ultimately enjoyable night.
Over the years there’s been a huge list of actors in bands. Some succeeded (Jack Black is obvious, recent cancellation dramas aside) while others perplexed us (if you lived through the Dogstar days of the early 1990s, you’ll understand).
The refreshing thing about Öof Tatatá, is that it feels like they’re not trying to be anything other than what they are: three good mates, who appear to love getting together to throw out some of their favourite rock tunes.
And, if you so choose, you can head along for the ride, too.
Öof Tatatá NZ tour dates
Tickets for the remaining shows are on sale now from Ticketmaster.
Sunday, October 27 – Coroglen Tavern
Saturday, November 2 – Energy Events Centre, Rotorua
Friday, November 8 – James Hay Theatre, Christchurch
Saturday, November 9 – St James Theatre, Wellington
