By: Darryl Habraken

Artist: Leisure (Elemental Night Curated Concert Series)

Date: Saturday 18th October 2020

Venue: Houptoun Alpha, Auckland, NZ

What better way to escape the unbridled excitement of the world’s most centred election than a night out of great kiwi funk?
And ‘escape’ is the optimal word - there’s something other-dimensional about the groovy decade-spanning soulful tunes of Leisure.

The music seems to just happen to you. Before you know it, you’re rocking back and forward with an uncontrollable yet relaxed vibe that, in the hands of lesser artists, could have you reaching for an espresso martini or other late-night stimulants. Leisure use no mere synth hacks. There’s a maturity to the rhythm, a wisdom to the key changes and knowledge of the way mortals crave the next progression.

As I spoke to an old mate next to me, I was given the lowdown on the band’s history. There’s a tone of experience here, and it shows - smooth, mesmerising and tight; the sort of tightness that a few years of touring individually can produce. The audience was testimony to the band’s wisdom too. A varied age group, from 18 to 50 and all were thoroughly lost on the entertainment provided.

Now, time for me to confess - I had never heard of Leisure before this assignment, yet unbeknownst to me, their smooth beats littered many of my Spotify playlists. It was a pleasant surprise as track upon recognisable track bounced around the full-capacity Hopetoun Alpha.

‘Got It Bad’ and ‘Money’ were particular crowd pleasers. Hearing these tunes live adds a completely new dimension to what are, for most accounts, wonderfully produced studio sessions.

Hopetoun Alfa, off K’ Rd, is the perfect venue. Its old-world charm and compact construction lends itself to the experience. The acoustics of an Edwardian town hall combined with an intimacy that larger venues just can’t emulate, I was able to get lost in space but not overwhelmed by the location. With its access to Auckland’s more eclectic nightlife right next door, it also allowed the punters to exercise another important decision .... where to continue this audibly concocted euphoria.

Review Edited By: Jake Ebdale