Andrew London’s quirky songs will make you laugh out loud as you recognise yourself and everyone around you, and all the prejudices, obsessions and weird little idiosyncrasies we Kiwis put out on display every day.
There are songs about politics, social status, shopping habits, teenagers, coffee culture, neighbours and small town protocol. And insights into the unpredictable and tenuous lives of traveling musicians, based on having played a thousand gigs from the woolsheds of Central Otago to the board rooms of Queen Street.
Delivery is wrapped in an eclectic mix of jazz/blues/country and folk styles with Andrew’s swing-era guitar style accompanying, while partner Kirsten underpins solidly on bass and backing vocals, lyric-prompting and emotional counselling.
Andrew’s songs have contributed to popular trio Hot Club Sandwich, country band The Cattlestops, the Too Many Chiefs quartet and numerous other collaborations at jazz, blues, folk, country and arts festivals from Queenstown to Auckland, Melbourne to Norfolk Island and Sydney to Saudi Arabia. The enforced isolation of the Covid lockdown saw the duo rearrange his entire repertoire to suit, with the results viewable on eight 40-minute Youtube episodes called ‘Live at The Londons’.
His songs and recordings have gained 4-star reviews in Downbeat magazine (the World’s longest- running and most widely read jazz magazine), provided soundtracks to movies (Second-Hand Wedding, No Ordinary Sheila, No Petrol, No Diesel), been nominated for Tui awards and contributed to National Radio’s Greatest Song Ever Written and a Correspondence School English Syllabus.
The duo’s current show sees them tighter than ever, the songs more concise, with the accent on acerbic satire, self-deprecating humour and tongue-twisting wordsmithery.
‘I’ve never seen anyone sing so many words, so fast, without swallowing his own tongue. You guys
are like Flight of The Conchords for Rest Homes’ said a Radio NZ caretaker.
Come and have a laugh at yourself (and them…they don’t mind)
Andrew London's lyrics had us all in hysterics from the opening number of the show.
His patter specialises in very clever documentation of ordinary situations that we instantly recognise, characters we've all met and flinched over. His caricatures were gentle and deftly drawn, his word pictures accompanied by skillful guitar work.
Stewart Island News
Review in the Stewart Island News
VENUE: The hall is situated up the long driveway, directly next to Domain Park, and there is plenty of well-lit off-street parking.
Doors open 7pm. Performance starts at 7.30pm - online bookings will close 2 hours prior to the event start time. After this time only door sales will be available on the night and will be dependant on the number of seats available in line with the Hall capacity. LIMITED DOOR SALES AVAILABLE IF ONLINE SALES ARE NOT SOLD OUT.
Please note that Door Sales are CASH ONLY: Tea, coffee, biscuits and cake available during the break, also bar facilities for cold refreshments throughout the night, Eftpos available at the bar for purchases only, no cash-out facility.
Folk Club and Irish Society members please remember to bring your membership card for licensing purposes. Non-members sign in at the bar if making purchases.
