Jakob’s sweet, sweet music
by Eloise Gibson
Like a band you can sing along to?
Be warned, Napier boys Jakob might just change your mind.
The three-piece group brought their moody, sweeping brand of instrumental rock to the King’s Arms on Friday night.
Supported by fellow instrumental rockers Kerretta and Kahu, Jakob delivered the kind of professional, warm and downright impressive show fans have come to expect.
There are no vocals in Jakob’s music, but there are plenty of melodies buried in a wall of sound that washes over the audience.
After nearly a decade playing together, Jeff Boyle (guitar), Maurice Beckett (bass) and Jason Johnston (drums) are a tight unit.
They’re not known for their on-stage chit-chat (”Thank you” and directions to the sound engineer are about as much as you’ll hear them say), but Jakob still know how to work a crowd.
The Kings Arms felt full, right from Keretta’s opening bars.
Theirs was a crowd with stamina - with people watching the stage intently throughout most of the two opening bands’ setlist.
The heavier elements of Jakob’s music ensure there are always a few bogans in the crowd, but there was no moshing in sight.
Nods and appreciative cheers for the opening acts turned to sober awe when Jakob took the stage.
Songs built slowly from delicate beginnings to big, hard-rocking crescendos, often dropping away again before the end.
Reviewers have described moments in Jakob’s songs as “beautiful”, and that’s no exaggeration
for their live performance.
Strategic lighting changes add to the experience by underlining big moments in the set.
With three albums under their belts, it’s Jakob’s live shows that really get people talking - and with good reason.
I’ve seen them perform six times in the past few years, and the next time they’re in Auckland, I’ll be there again.