| Dancing with GENERAL FIASCO on a Friday night... |
| Written by Sarah Mudgway |
| Monday, 16 August 2010 20:52 |
 For some-one of such small stature, GENERAL FIASCO’s vocalist/bassist Owen Starthern has a mighty powerful voice, which was in fine form at their one-off New Zealand show at Auckland’s Powerstation. While the venue was only at maybe 60% capacity, what the crowd lacked in size was more than made up for in enthusiasm. From the opening chords of set opener ‘Dancing With Girls’ those on the floor were in a dance frenzy, throwing up an insane amount of hearts and loud sing-a-long's for every single song - an impressive response for a three-piece Irish band who only recently has made it onto NZ mainstream media. The band released their debut album ‘Buildings’ in March this year, and as expected the band's short fifty minute set comprised of every song from the release, as well as a couple of "songs which didn’t make it". 'Please Take Your Time' was followed by a very energetic ‘We Are The Foolish’ which, for only three people on stage, was very full and showcased each member's talents on their respective instruments.  'Talk To My Friends’ was followed by ‘I'm Not Made of Eyes’ - a song which showcased drummer Stephen Leacock’s raw talent and energy, hitting his drums with a strength and passion that was hard to ignore. The dance-party vibes softened slightly when the band launched into ‘Little Doors’ - a song which doesn’t feature on their album - however the quietened screams from the audience allowed brothers Owen and guitarist/back-up vocalist Enda to harmonize with each other in a way that would undoubtedly make their family proud. For a young band in both age and career span, the three boys appeared very well-practised and in sync with one another, which I’m sure will only improve as time goes on.  ‘Sinking Ships’ saw Stephen and Enda leave the stage, allowing the spotlight to fall brightly on Owen who was armed with an acoustic guitar, allowing the strength and accuracy of his voice to shine through - his raw talent gelled perfectly with the choral-like back-up vocals coming from the audience.  Expressing the band's love for all things New Zealand, notably Pineapple Lumps, the band seemed genuine and sincere in their appreciation of the audience and their chance to play in a country so far from their home in Ireland. Rounding out their set with ‘Buildings’, their NZ breakout single ‘Ever So Shy’ and ending with ‘Rebel Get By’, the band ended dramatically with Owen truly being a rebel and throwing his bass guitar on stage, allowing the static to ring through the speakers as they all exited the stage, only to appear a few minutes later to take pictures and meet all the fans who stuck around.   If one thing is certain, it’s that General Fiasco’s brand of indie pop-rock is perfectly crafted for dancing - they may not have had any stage decorations or signs, or even a remarkably impressive light show - but none of that seemed to matter. The genuine excitement and enthusiasm in both their performance and interactions with the audience was admirable, and I’m sure it won’t be long until the rest of the world also picks up on the wonder that is General Fiasco. Read our interview with GENERAL FIASCO frontman Owen Starthern HERE - exploratory Auckland photoshoot coming soon! Click HERE for more live photos.
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