The Main Divide 2009 review
Pegasus Bay Winery
Catching the bus from outside The Holy Grail initially I was surprised at the lack of students headed to Main Divide, although I guess not everyone is lucky enough to score a free ticket (cheers Fabel and outdoorstyles!) and the threatening rain wasn't helping either. But as we neared Waipara the skies had began to clear and by the time we arrived at the Pegasus Bay Winery around half one it became evident that gumboots and ski jackets weren't really going to be necessary.
Rocking into the estate the grass was springy underfoot and not at all a swamp-fest as we feared, leading down to an awesome natural amphitheatre to the right with a small lake by the stage blocking off the artists area. Along a ridge to the left beneath the winery/homestead were a number of quality stalls, culminating down the bottom of the hill with the alcohol tent selling Main Divide wines and Dux De Lux beers, including the excellent Ginger Tom alcoholic ginger beer (half litre bottles!). A decent smattering of people were already sipping drinks and listening to the music on the slopes as sadly the bus had arrived too late to catch the first act, L.A Mitchell & The Nativa Band.
Electric Wire Hustle
Grabbing a Ginger Tom each we settled down in the grass to watch Electric Wire Hustle, a three piece of keys, guitar/bass/vocals and drums with thumped out dynamic beats set along to a surrealistic melting pot of rhythmic styles with the impressively bearded Mara T.K looping various instruments and then proceeding to jump around like a crazy person or double-teaming on the keys cranking synth bass. Apart from a small group of frontcomers nodding and swaying down front, the Hustle prompted the days first tripped out dancer, a middle aged guy (also with admirable facial hair) sporting stoner dance moves looking as if they'd been stolen from Tekken.
By the end of their set it had become apparent that it was going to be damn hot, and because of forecast rain there was no sign of any sun block leading to some seriously lobster red punters (although to be fair that could also be due to sloshings of the sublime Main Divide Riesling consumed). However, no-one really seemed to care, as at that stage Ladi 6, along with partner DJ Parks, took to the stage instigating gleeful barefoot dancing among the early crowd. With more soul than the pearly gates emanating from this sassy performer coupled with Park's sunny dance-drop mixing this was an infectiously good combination. A bonus score came in the form of Ladi6 laying down the rhyme she featured in the Fat Freddy's Drop song 'Roady' and crafting it into a brand new upbeat tune.
After a short break (all of which featured DJs spinning tracks to keep the crowd amused), Shapeshifter's Devin Abrams took to the stage showcasing his side project Pacific Heights, pumping up intricate, organic nu-soul. Adding the lyrical prowess of local hip-hop protégés jDubs and Aeries to the mix elevated the experience, featuring tracks off the recent Pacific Heights album 'In A Quiet Storm', with Aeries later freestyling lazy summer musings with laid back ease. Replacing the duo in fronting vocal duties was another legendary Kiwi soulbird, Lisa Tomlins, who continued to bring the afternoon funk. The only downside to the set was that he didn't bust out the pivotal track 'Peace', which even without Joe Dukie would have made an interesting remix.
O. G. Band
Next up was a solid set with consummate instrumentalist Oakley 'O.G' Grenell and massive crew of merry collaborators, who included smooth-tongued vocalist Sacha Vee and MCs KP and Switch, not to mention a full backing band. The music was engaging enough to keep the considerable crowd entertained, but perfect rolling in the background while people either dozed on the banks, infuriated several overzealous security guards by playing particularly uncoordinated frisbee close to the stage and mingled with the chilled out crowd. Divine sounds aside, Main Divide also had an amazing communal feel through a combination of a comparatively intimate crowd (around several thousand people) and a relaxed summers vibe meaning everyone was extremely friendly and just keen to enjoy the whole experience.
Solaa picked up the party mantle and began to move the swelling crowd with funk induced hotchpot rootseyness, aided and abetted again by Lisa Tomlins (seriously, this chick is everywhere!). With the sun starting to creep away from the picnic clad slopes, a tangible air of anticipation was following the exodus of partiers towards the stage, the promise of Shapeshifter drawing a small sea of grinning fans. Solaa lapped up the attention and payed back it back threefold, whipping the excitable crowd into a dancing mass while enjoying the last of the day's rays. With Solaa bidding farewell and ceding to the DJs, it was only a matter of time before we would see the act everyone had come for - Shapeshifter.
Shortly after the gathering of several thousand soul'n'bass hungry revellers within shape-cutting distance of the incredibly open stage, P Diggsss and crew began the walk along the lake to thunderous applause. Taking the stage to a hero's welcome for what would be their last South Island show this year, Shapeshifter immediately kicked into a new piece with intense pace which would rival 'New Day Come' in terms of epic longevity. And just to kick our collectively stoking music lobes into Shapies nirvana they followed it up with New Day Come anyways.
Shapeshifter at Main Divide
But why must there be someone to kill the buzz? The buzzkiller in question had crazed bulging eyes, a face redder than a beetroot and a nasty disposition to lash out at anyone making the slightest movement- yep, Grade A P-freak. Eventually some good lads managed to cart buzzkiller off, although he kept making regular reappearances with the security turning up far too late to collar him. Although he managed to ruin New Day Come for a large swathe of people, everyone soon forgot about the incident, buoyed up almost instantly with the electronica euphoria latent in 'Electric Dream'.
Continuing to play the giddy crowd, Shapeshifter slipped some more new tracks with the sound being reminiscent of their last release Soulstice- still retaining the heavy soul and D'n'B elements, but at times incorporating a guitar orientated edge. In fact, one song had deadly metal riffage cut through it in a fashion similar to Concord Dawn's 'Raining Blood', tantalising in its inception, disappearance and emphatic return in the latter parts of the song. Tripping through an A-list of their best songs (disappointingly leaving out 'Long White Cloud') and a magic selection of fresh newcomers, the boys had the crowd screaming for more and being the legends they are, they obliged with an extended set culminating in a mammoth rendition of 'One' - perfectly summing up the emotions of the rapt crowd, "When our day is done, then we shall be one".
Eventually people started moving off, but for a good while everyone just milled around totally buzzing over the spectacle they had just seen, swapping numbers and figuring how the hell they were getting home considering they had hitchhiked.. Only one question remains after seeing Shapeshifter re-invent the wheel at Main Divide, when will they finally release their new album?!?
-Joe Dodgshun