The fact that Wellington was graced with the presence of Japanese four-piece MONO at all was a mere miracle. To say the band was up against it for the NZ leg of their Australian tour is a serious understatement. Thankfully, a small but dedicated throng were treated to an epic post-rock extravaganza on a freezing wet night.
MONO’s Wellington show was cancelled midweek with visa problems and a tight touring schedule. By the end of the day the show was back on with visas approved and on route to their Auckland show. Well with Wellington’s worst storm in recent memory it looked like the show was once again in jeopardy. That was before the resolve and dedication of this Japanese band was revealed.
With all flights in and out of Wellington cancelled the band took on the unenviable task of driving seven plus hours from Auckland to the capital. With the show pushed back an hour it was clear upon arrival that ticket sales had suffered from the uncertainty of the bands arrival and the freezing temperatures.
Mick Turner otherwise known for his role in Australian trio The Dirty Three provided brief support with his solo guitar loops and musings. Whilst on deeper reflection the compositions were rich in texture and interesting melodies, it felt as though the crowd was getting inpatient.
With little fan fare MONO took their positions on stage with guitarists Takaakira Goto and “Yoda” Suematsu sitting on either side of the small stage, backed by drummer Yasunori Takada and bassist Tamaki Kunishi.
The dedication shown by the disappointingly small crowd was matched and then some by the band. Showing no ill effects of the long day in the van, the band were impeccably tight as they ran through tracks new and old.
Having the reputation as a breathtaking live band, expectations were probably unfairly high. However with over a decade as a touring live band MONO have made their live show the barometer for everything they do. With the use of just four instruments and an obviously deep array of effects they’re able to transport the audience through tracks such as ‘Silent Flight, Sleeping Dawn’ ‘Follow The Map’ from Hymn to the Immortal Wind.
Each tracks level of epicness was unfathomably matched by the next.
The passion and emotion of the evening got a little too much for one punter who couldn’t help but shed a tear to the beauty being performed on stage.
MONO is a band that uses sudden dynamic changes to great effect. In fact it really underpins just about everything they do musically, it allows them to paint a picture and take the audience through their epic sonic journeys.
Unfortunately Bodega Bar was simply too small to really appreciate those large dynamics shifts. It was just far too loud when the music got more intense, which was a real shame. To the bands credit they didn’t let up one bit and took the small audience through a master class of cinematic rock rich with dynamic and differing textures.
‘Dream Odyssey’ from the latest record For My Parents was a particular highlight with the passion and energy displayed by guitarists Goto and “Yoda” mesmerising. Goto would motion fluidly with his right hand after each strum, almost taking on the role as conductor as he sat with his head bowed and hair floating in front of his face.
What’s particularly interesting about the music that MONO creates is that at the same time if can sound all the same and yet every track takes you somewhere new.
Despite all of the trouble and possible cancellations leading up to the show, they repaid their fans ten fold with an enthralling and aggressive live show.
