The latest incarnation of musical collective Fly My Pretties is the most ambitious yet reports Scott Kara, who caught the Christchurch opening night of the tour before it heads to Auckland
It's a wet and bitterly cold night outside the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch. One wonders if the weather has driven some of the crowd a little mad. People are throwing bags of money from the circle and balcony levels above.
While it's more like loose change than wads of cash falling from the sky, this offering from devout fans is a symbolic show of respect for the old Fly My Pretties track Bag of Money.
It's the opening night of the 2009 incarnation of FMP - a revolving-door music collective put together by Black Seeds frontman Barnaby Weir - and the jaunt'n'roll version of the song from 2004's Live At Bats album has brought many of the sold-out 1200-strong crowd to their feet.
They've been a receptive lot so far, with the first part of the show made up of new songs, but understandably it's the second half's older songs, like Bag of Money and the rowdy Nato's Theme and Let's Roll, that rarks them up.
This year's show is on a bigger scale than the previous two Fly My Pretties. The main change is the inclusion of a story written by Weir which is narrated live on stage by his storytelling father Dick - best known as the presenter of Radio New Zealand's kids show Ears.
For the predominantly late 20s, and 30-somethings in the audience Dick Weir's presence is a nostalgia trip. The very sound of his voice takes you back to Sunday mornings listening to the children's stories on the radio.
The story revolves around two twins named Tom and Jesse, their sheep dog Lomu, a couple of fan tails named Pi and Wai (as in Piwaiwaka the Maori name for fantail), and some bad guys.
It's a great little environmental yarn. Or, as Weir puts it, almost trying to ward off the greenie tag: "It's a simple story. It's not trying to save the world. Sure, I want to save the whales, but it's just saying let's look after our own backyard first."
The story will be turned into a book illustrated by Kieran Rynhart, who also did the visuals for the live show.
This time round there are also 16 musicians involved - more than ever before - meaning a more diverse musical approach. The players include the golden voices of Wellington's Lisa Tomlins and Christchurch's Mara TK; musicians Riki Gooch and Rio Hunuki-Hemopo (formerly of TrintyRoots), Tom Watson from country rockers Cassette, and Aucklanders Paul McLaney and Anna Coddington; and FMP regulars like Weir and fellow Black Seeds Jarney Murphy and Mike Fabulous.
The show is a stylish affair. On stage the blokes look dashing in their fedora hats, knitted suits, and silky cravats. The girls are beautiful in 1930s-era satin cabaret gowns in red, apricot, floral and lemon colours with fancy 20s-style hairdos. The 100-year-old theatre is a beauty too with it's elegant creamy gold colouring, three tiers of seating, and angels frolicking high above us on the ceiling.
But it's the music that's central to the show. Weir kicks things off tonight with one of his new songs, Old Friend, and apart from one other, the catchy reggae groove of Heavy Weather, he takes a noticeably back seat role in the first part of the performance.
He's happy leaving it up to the rest of the players. Watson lends both a rock'n'roll mood and a laid-back country-porch song vibe to the different songs he plays on; McLaney's Run For Your Life is a soulful and steely Cure-like jaunt; Hunuki-Hemopo's Down To the Sea is a stomper; and the fiery Beat Repeat sees Coddington strap on an electric guitar making a stark contrast to her beautifully gentle Garden earlier on.
And on Pa Kuha E, Mara TK, a shy, laid-back Christchurch bro, reveals himself as quite possibly the Marvin Gaye of New Zealand.
Fly My Pretties even takes on War Of the Worlds-sized proportions during the dark and menacing instrumental of the Nightmare Scene with Dick Weir - seated stage right in top hat and cape - channelling Richard Burton.
And following a key part of the story, and a highlight of the show, Dick "The Legend" Weir even gets his own rock'n'roll cheer when ... Well, that would be giving the story away wouldn't it ... ?.
Three hours before curtain Barnaby Weir sips steadily on a pint of Kilkenny at a pub just around the corner from the theatre. He admits to a few opening night nerves and is a little cautious about predicting how the show will go.
"I've been working on it full-time in my head for a long time and I'm keen to really deliver it now. We've just got to nail it, but I won't be celebrating until we've done one really good version of it, you know. So that's the challenge tonight."
The larger scale of the show is the main reason it's been nearly four years between projects - and since The Return of Fly My Pretties in 2005 Weir has also released two Black Seeds albums.
"My whole thing was don't do it unless we're going to do something different. So it was like, 'We're not going to do anything until we've got a concept'. And that took me a year, but then I had the story, and then I thought, 'Shit, if I'm going to do a story then who better to tell the story than Dad'. There's something kind of uncool about it which I like. It's not an exactly trendy thing to do to get your dad to do a show," he laughs.
"So committing to this idea that sounds good in theory but is actually quite complex; this is more of a risky thing than ever before."
Weir is most proud of the fact FMP is a unique experience for both the performers and the audience. "This project comes from wanting to do something different and to give people a different experience. That's really special, and the people involved make it special and a one-off - I really like that part. It's a bit of a beast and I can lead it but it's out of my control and all you can do is ride it and try and make it as good as we can."
Not that the other players think so, they unanimously agree that musically Weir brings it all together in a relaxed yet business-like style, with the logistics of the tour and recording of the live album handled by producer Mikee Tucker of Auckland-based label Loop.
"It's testament to Barnaby really though," says Mara TK simply.
But Weir plays it down: "It seems to come together organically, because a lot of it you can't plan, and it comes together so quickly."
It sure does: in the two weeks before the Christchurch show the 16 musicians had three rehearsals, a dress rehearsal, and a quick run through on the day of opening night.
Weir insists he lets the players do whatever they want.
"I'm leading the project but it's more like let them do their own thing," he says. "So there's a lot of faith and trust that goes into that. But there was no song that didn't make it. Everyone brought something that adds a different flavour and that's why we're still doing this, it's still a showcase, and everyone has that independence to be themselves."
Take Lisa Tomlins' acapella song Angels which she came up with especially for the concerts.
"They've all got incredible voices so I just wanted everyone to sing," she beams before the show.
"It's beautiful and after the funeral scene it's poignant," says Weir. "We're trying to be refreshing, entertaining, and do something different, and then we'll play some old songs to keep everyone happy."
And happy they are too: both in the audience and on stage as they line up and take a bow after the show comes to an end with the all-in jam of Alright.
Backstage the beaming smiles and hugs say it all. There are a few things to work on: small musician-like details such as losing one of the guitars on the fiery Beat Repeat. The five-pronged axe attack did seem a little excessive.
But, says Weir, not bad for the first night.
"It was a pretty good start."
Hemopo's happy too. Not only has he been knocking back the vodkas during the second half of the show but his swampy blues jam Down To The Sea got one of the loudest whoops and applause of the night.
"Looking back on it, it's like John Fogerty, Creedence Clearwater Revival," he says.
It could even go on for a little longer, I offer.
"I might need to ask the brothers to jam on it a bit more," he grins.
Beers start being cracked open, the vino flows, and Nato Hickey mixes up a few vodka tonics as he hatches plans to check out Dictaphone Blues who are playing down the road at Al's Bar. A few frangelicos on ice at Al's Bar later (Hickey's idea not TimeOut's) and we're off to the FMP after-party.
Although Tom Watson and I end up at what we think is the venue for the party, there's no superstar DJs playing, and we realise we should be in the bar next door. And then, the morning dawns all too quickly, and it's still raining and bitterly cold. A bunch of the band have gathered at C1 cafe, the coolest joint in Christchurch.
Not even the brisk weather has helped Watson's hangover subside. "I just want to curl up in a little ball like a hedgehog."
McLaney looks a little better and is looking forward to the upcoming shows.
"We'd finished and I was like, 'Let's do it again'. You know, you just want to capture the magic," he smiles.
And Weir, who's not made it here courtesy of a late check-out at the motel, declares later on the phone that: "A few first-night things to work on but overall the vision was achieved."
And what about those bags of money?
"It was strange ay? People get up to weird things when they really love a song," he laughs.
LOWDOWN
What: Fly My Pretties
The players: Barnaby Weir; Lisa Tomlins; Tessa Rain; Mara TK; Riki Gooch; Rio Hunuki-Hemopo; Tom Watson; Paul McLaney; Anna Coddington; Eva Prowse; LA Mitchell; Ryan Preeble; Nigel Patterson; Jarney Murphy; Mike Fabulous; Nato Hickey
Narrated by: Dick Weir
Live: SkyCity Theatre, Auckland, June 2-6 (Tickets still available for June 2 show). Also in Wellington June 12-13
The album: Live album and DVD, out August 4
