Concert Review: The Schizophonics - Tauranga - 19th Januar 2025

Presented by: Your Enabler Presents & Piecart Rock n’ Roll

The SCHIZOPHICS LIVE UNDER THE TAURANGA HARBOUR BRIDGE - PHOTO LEZA E

CHECK BACK LATER TO SEE THE FULL GALLERY OF THE SCHIZOPHONICS UNDER THE TAURANGA HARBOUR BRIDGE!

Review By: Leza E

Artist/Band: The Schizophonics, SUP by Grown Downz

Venue/City: Under The Tauranga Harbour Bridge Tauranga, New Zealand

Date of Event: Sunday 19th January 2025

It was a fricken awesome day for a bit of fast paced take no shit, jump around, and head banging under the Tauranga harbour bridge today!
Hell yea!  The Schizophonics and local band Grown Downz two awesome bands belted out their stuff for all and sundry, love or fuckn’ hate it.

The Schizophonics, straight from the guts of San Diego married couple Lety Beers on solid pounding drums and Pat Beers on steaming stinkin red hot guitar, almost inaudible vocals (and acrobats). Also joining them on tour this time around, and from their ‘nook of the woods’ (USA) was Sarah Linton on her thumpin ‘F#@k off’ bass guitar.

How is Pats guitar not broken or mic stand not in 10 pieces?  With what seems like reckless abandon, out of his hand, only to be propelled back at lightning pace, a flick of his foot into his sweaty grasp. And how is his mic even still working after all that singing yelling and amazingness?  Lety’s seemingly effortless beats on a simple kit, borrowed from the opening band, relentlessly smashed out across the crowd of jumping, headbanging bodies, young and old alike, accompanied by the firm, stable wall of bass by Sarah.  Hell yea. This lot inspiring total music respect for a trio.

At one stage Pat climbed up onto promoter, shoulders of John Baker (talent scout and muzo maker) while still playing guitar, into the small packed lively and willing crowd, sitting down amongst them, everyone following suit, someone was handed a tambourine and started pounding that. Pat lays his guitar down and writhes about, while a teenager strikes a single strum across the waiting strings, still humming from the last strike. Pat picks up his howling guitar again and twirls it in his one hand, then offers it to a teenage punk to strike yet another single power strum, followed by offering the mic to yet another teenage punk, the punk screams (literally), it fits perfectly, offered again, the scream fits perfectly a second time (magnificent!). Pat takes off up the stage, while belting out more lyrics, escorted by a ‘jump-splits’ in the air, then a roll up the stage on his back, followed by a bent leg-straight-leg-down-up, 70s disco move thingy.

Heads still banging, elderly people are bouncing, kids are bobbing about their parents’ protective legs and one steely faced, arms crossed, not moving, matron of a woman, almost fucking smiled and I definitely saw an almost bounce. Bingo, sold!

The girls still pumping, Pat then puts his still resonating guitar on the floor, and throws himself off the edge and into the sea! A teenage punk girl in the audience picks up his guitar and plays along with the girls on bass and drums. Absolute pure, excellence!

The Schizophonics formed in 2009 bursting across the globe with their high-octane high energy, explosive, unique tunes. All of their hard work, antics and talent, Schizophonics became noticed. They opened for EL VEZ in 2013, making an opening for them to play in Europe and various other countries, supporting and being supported by other bands such as, ‘Rocket and the Crypt’, ‘DEVO’, ‘Damned’ and ‘Cage the Elephant’ and have also opened for Cosmic Psychos, ‘Me first’, ‘The Gimmie, Gimmies’ and more.
To name a few albums under their belt, such as Hoof it Up, Ooga Booga, Black to Comm, 7 and People in the Sky. This is their fifth visit down under to New Zealand and not the first time they've played under the Tauranga harbour bridge, 2023 being the last time. They’re now off to our neighbors place. Australia, and will be touring the East coast there before heading off back to the States.

First up in support, locals, brother and sister ‘Grown Downz’.
A formidable duo, Ellie steadfast on her simple graffitied Sonar kit while looking kinda sweet; man, that girl can play drums! And Joel tore up the stage on vocals and guitar
More of these two please! They weren’t stopping for anyone (except for a few minutes when the power went off mid-riff-fixed in a minute flat). These two punks smashed out their flawless set of rapid, hardcore beats and whiplash riffs, to a lively, keen head banging crowd of admirers.
Born in Cardiff, Wales and grew up in NZ, arriving sometime in their younger years. First forming in 2017.  They’re easy to find if you need them for a gig, Facebook is a good start. Click follow, you will not regret doing this!

The world is blessed and grateful for the trio the talented folks & those that get to play alongside them.

Leza E

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