1QA, Autozamm and Slowdance

It's been a while since 1QA (once standing for 1 Quarter Asian, and now possibly for 1 Quarter Alex in light of the departure of the Asian member of the band and the hiring of their new drummer Alex Young) graced Wellington with their presence, and even longer since I'd last seen them.

We arrived early and drunk to find the place in disarray as members of 1QA desperately hunted for their missing drummer. The majority of the crowd barely noticed the turmoil around them as Slowdance warmed the crowd up. Autozamm followed them, casually running their way through a set that would entertain most jaded and drunk rock fans. And I have to admit it did entertain me.

They've got a good sound, although similar to a lot of New Zealand rock bands currently around, they manage to inject their own little magic something into it. I wouldn't mind seeing how these guys progress with a bit more experience and maybe some decent studio time.

1QA hit the stage like a bomb over Nagasaki and celebrities started pouring out of their lairs to catch a glimpse of these hometown heroes. I spotted Jason Fafoi, brother of TV1's famous newsreader, Chris, buying drinks for some naïve young thing, and after a quick cuddle managed to get him to confide in me that the break up of his former band Stereobus was all about the politics.

You heard it here first.

1QA have changed since I last saw them. And that's definitely not a bad thing. Having expressed only mild interest in their emo-style soft rock before their jaunt to Melbourne I can now say I'm a big fan. They seem to have found their own style and cranked up the rock considerably, putting them in a dwindling class of 'local' bands.

Their set was well polished from their numerous gigs in Melbourne and they delivered exactly what the crowd wanted - energetic, driving rock and plenty of it.