Looking for Alaska
Where: Medici Court, Hamilton Gardens When: Sunday night
Reviewed by: Mike Mather
If there is any justice in this world, some big-time executive on a major record label will notice the music of Looking for Alaska and sign them up to a generous production and distribution contract before this year is out.
It won’t be before time. Built around the core duo of guitar/keyboardist Aaron Gott and vocalist Amy Maynard, the Hamilton-based band are definitely due a break, having been diligently grafting and gigging around the country for several years now, including a brief stint in the limelight on X-Factor. They sorely deserve some good fortune and a much bigger profile.
That’s because the music they make is, frankly, phenomenal: Soaring acoustic ballads driven by Gott’s instrumental deftness and Maynard’s powerful, soaring delivery. One part folk, two parts country, two parts soul.
Named (correct me if I’m wrong) after the famous John Green novel (which, incidentally, is being adapted into a television series as we speak), they have produced one self-titled album, and a second is, as they say, in the can. Recorded over the summertime break in Lyttelton, it will be released soon.
On Sunday night a lucky crowd in the Medici Court were treated to the fruits of the duo’s labours. This was the stripped back version of the band that these days usually performs with the benefit of a bassist and, I believe, a drummer. The show was a showcase for their talents interspersed with anecdotes and stories behind the songs. All I Ever Wanted, the heartbreaking Take Me With You,
Wanderers and You Only See Me When You’re Sleeping were among the
highlights.
It was hard to fault the duo’s performance. Too hard, in fact, so I am not going to invent any kind of dark lining to complement the silver cloud. They
concluded with a song called Home ,in which the pair successfully induced the audience to harmonise along.