UTR Presents
Connan Mockasin, Lawrence Arabia and Liam Finn to perform a rare
collaborative show at The Crystal Palace Theatre in Mt Eden on Friday 8 April
2016.
The three artists, who celebrate their decade-long musical friendship this year, are
taking the uncommon opportunity of being in the same city at the same time to grace
The Crystal Palace’s stage and play together for the first time in 7 years;
experimenting with new re-imaginings of each other’s songs, a night that will no
doubt further the mythology of their enigmatic collaborations.
As Lawrence Arabia explains:
“We've all been friends since the end of 2006, when we met in London. We knew
each other independently before that, but it was then that we were together for the
first time. It quickly became a friendship that involved an unusual amount of giggling
to the point of tears.
Sometime over that winter we made music together for the first time – early sessions
for Liam's album I'll Be Lightning. It descended into drunken madness but early on
there was definite chemistry there. This all set Liam's scheming mind ticking away on
the backburner for a few years – we would form a band. That became BARB, with
Seamus and EJ. We all made an album together in 2009, which was esoteric and
odd, accused (possibly not unfairly) of self-indulgence, but I think punctuated by
some of the best music any of us of have made. Certainly in terms of that indefinably
good feeling of a band really communicating, it's some of the most enjoyable music
I've ever made.
We've all had our own careers going on in the meantime, all probably far too driven
and self-obsessed for our own good at times. Consequently our moments to get
together, let alone play together, are few and far between, separated by years and
oceans. I can't wait to do it again.”
Connan last performed in New Zealand at Laneway 2015, in the year since he’s
collaborated on recordings with James Blake and Dev Hynes (Blood Orange), played
sold-out shows across the globe, perfected his stand-up comedy routine in Los
Angeles and has started writing for his third record.
Lawrence has spent the past year working on a variety of exciting soundtracks for a
podcast, a radio news show and a feature film, as well as creating and performing a
live score for Lonesome at the New Zealand International Film Festival, and
completing his soon to be released fourth album.
Liam has spent the last two years touring his third solo album The Nihilist in North
America and Europe. 2015 saw him creating and collaborating with directors Anthony
& Alex on a perfilmance-art piece entitled ‘Success’ which debuted at Melbourne’s
ACMI theatre. He is currently in the studio recording his first collaborative album with
father Neil.
Mockasin, Arabia & Finn will be supported by the up-and-coming Fazerdaze, who
have only recently completed a nationwide tour with Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
Fazerdaze’s music has been described by NME as ‘elegant dream pop’ and with an
album on the way in 2016, this is a great opportunity to see one of our emerging
stars.
Mockasin, Arabia & Finn will be the first concert at The Crystal Palace under the new
management of Monster Valley and the start of a process of rejuvenation they hope
will keep the theatre alive and well for years to come. Last year Monster Valley
produced the short documentary ‘Please Open’ on The Crystal Palace as a part of
Loading Docs 2015 and in the process fell in love with the theatre themselves. The
overwhelming support of the theatre from the community and genuine fear that such
a beautiful and historic feature of Auckland City would continue to be underappreciated,
or worse, close, inspired Monster Valley to approach the owners with a
proposal to bring The Crystal Palace back to life.
This concert will be the start of this process for Monster Valley who will be reinvesting
the profits from Mockasin, Arabia & Finn back into the theatre to start the process
of restoration and developing the theatre into a regularly used and loved
venue.
In new hands, the theatre will be re-established as a primary creative hub in
Auckland for musicians, film-makers, performers and artists of all kinds.
Mockasin, Arabia & Finn joined by Fazerdaze will be a suitably unique
performance for the re-introduction of the unique venue that is The Crystal
Palace, one that is not to be missed.
Mockasin, Arabia and Finn feat Fazerdaze
Friday 8 April, 2016
The Crystal Palace, Mt Eden
Doors open 7pm
Tickets on sale 9 March.
Tickets are $50 + booking fee, available from www.undertheradar.co.nz
