Aotearoa may be within the depths of winter, but the homegrown talent of Summer Thieves brought a wave of heat to Auckland’s Turning Fork. Tucked away next to Spark Arena, a crowd of all genres and ages stream inside the Fork when the opening act, LA Women take stage. Hailing from Masterton, two cousins and their best mate take the crowd through a “Hurricane Love”, enchanting the minds of crowd-goers. Bodies swayed and arms were raised to the reggae-influenced indie pop sounds that filled the room. The energy was high for when Summer Thieves took the stage.
No one sought to “Get Away” once the Thieves came out to play, the music was full and the sounds were entrancing. The dirty rooted indie vibes were served fresh and it was a vision that allowed you to transport yourself down “Coast Roads” and into the “Ocean Baby”. Winter turned to Summer as the five-piece band of Jarni, Jake, Johnny, Adam and Izzy removed the cold and brought the fire. Together the Thieves gave the crowd “What they Want”, as their “Hands” grooved to fusion of reggae, rock, jazz, and hip hop. It is a sensational flavour and it provides promise for the future of music in Aotearoa. In a final farewell, LA Women joined the Thieves on stage with “Love is Lost” and together they found love among the crowd. The best gigs are those that can transport you, take you to a place of warmth and great vibes.
10/10: They prove that the Lost is not Lost