Fly Pretties | Gig Review

I would call myself a serious fan of Fly My Pretties – I fell in love with their music over three years ago and they have enjoyed consistent play on my iPod ever since, usually when I am seeking some kind of comfort or solace. I could not, however, call myself a true fan until last Saturday, when I attended Fly My Pretties’ final Auckland show at the SkyCity Theatre. Only now can I join the ranks of those who look wistfully into the distance when talking about their music, referring to the band members on a first name basis.

When Dick Weir appeared on stage adorned in a cape and top hat it was obvious how much the crowd was into it, even before we were told to turn it up as the show was being recorded. It was a wonderful introduction to such a highly anticipated set – what a showman, what a storyteller, and of course proud father, the delight in his eyes obvious as he introduced son Barnaby Weir.

Maybe it’s just a small town thing – listening to the radio for entertainment – but I remember Dick Weir from the kids show Ears, so I felt such a strong wave of nostalgia when he launched into the theatrical storytelling of Fly My Pretties. It felt like I was back sitting on the mat after lunch in a hair plaiting chain when he began the emotional and unmistakeably kiwi story of Tom and Jessie and their friendly fantail buddies. Accompanying the story were Kieran Rynhart’s simple yet beautifully detailed illustrations, completing the storybook effect.

And of course there was the music. Barnaby Weir was joined by 15 of New Zealand’s strongest musical talents. After each section of the story drew to a close the lights were turned up and the cast revealed, dressed in full period costume. The boys looked great but the girls were smokin’ hot. The audience was treated to a feast of LA Mitchell and Lisa Tomlins dressed in fiery red, Eva Prowse and Tessa Rain in feminine, figure hugging neutrals, and most notably the stunning Anna Coddington in a soft blue, who no doubt drove both men and women alike to distraction with her soulful booty shaking.

Their unique sound was a mash up of soul, reggae, acoustic and RnB flavours and to my surprise even country, the lovely Miss Prowse being one of my personal favourites. Powerful and uplifting, emotional and soft, rich full sounds with beautiful harmonising – each one of the tracks took the crowd on a different journey with the story. The crowd was seated but moving constantly, either on the edge of their seats or swaying softly to the gentler ballads. And although the material was brand new, the comfort and solace of the earlier work were still there.

It was sad to see the first part of the show come to an end but the rewards were certainly rich in the second half. It was as if the audience had been waiting only for the old favourites, and the live renditions were outstanding. The funked up Bag of Money could never sound so good on your stereo, the raw emotion in Angels absent from your iPod headphones.

The crowd couldn’t help but show their appreciation, the area in front of the stage packed with dancing fans half way into the second part of the show. I held out until Nato’s Theme, which they belted out at full throttle, followed by Lets Roll, and it was such a relief to finally be able to rock out and party with the band. And just to make the experience personal and extra special, they taught the crowd a song called Old Nasty – the namesake a reference to batches of home brew that spurred on early writing sessions.

If you didn’t have the fortune to catch Fly My Pretties this year, do whatever you can to see them at their next show. It’s the only way to truly understand the magic of this collaboration and appreciate the wealth of musical talent this country has to offer.