Live Review: Kora, Cheap Fakes

Local outfit Cheap Fakes raise the energy in the filling venue with their clean and grand ska sound while dancing around in their suits and Converses. The lively and captivating brass sections of Sand On The Beach and Sleeping On The Floor has everyone stomping out their winter chills. The band continue to entertain as vocalist Hayden Andrews switches from shredding off on his red glitter and tiffany-coloured guitar to jamming out on the set with drummer Aaron McCabe.

Fifteen minutes before call time the “Kora!” chants are already starting. The five-piece (four brothers and one “brother-in-arms”) start tonight's galactic journey with the spacey samples of Little Star which immediately ignites the live rave. Lead singer Laughton Kora takes time to give big ups to both Brisbane and Aotearoa to the delight of the crowd.

From the lively bounce of Skankentein to the sexy spaceyness of Love In The Shadows, they play with cosmic electro rhythms, funky basslines, soulful vocals and dub-style length of play. The band members switch instruments seamlessly throughout the show. While latest album Light Years has quite a light and funky feel, their live performances adds in an extra element of darkness. Metal riffs and heavy dubstep almost steal the show and has the crowd moving around from floating to the melody to grinding down low with the bass.

Laughton gets the crowd to echo his vocals for an extended intro of On My Mind and as he finally leads into the verse, everyone's vocals are truly warmed up to take the entire chorus. Next are some classical keys as he belts out the chorus of Drop Dead Killer. Drummer Brad Kora adds to the drama, playing on cymbals before the song drops into its jazzy verses, which has feet stomping again. A few Indian calls and whistles are heard during what seems like the first pause of the night but the cheers are really raised as they start with Politician which has everyone singing along – pitchiness and all.

After the band members' introduction they move into the funky Flow and add in their metal elements as they mosh around on stage. They suddenly break the frenzy holding their hero poses on stage in silence, which calls for whistles, cheers and flashing cameras. They then headbang straight back into the song, ending the set in pure rock style as they walk out dramatically to immediate calls for encore. Stuart Kora then returns solo to start a simple and familiar skank of the Burning intro, before they all individually come out slowly adding in their elements as everyone starts swaying and singing along to “another one we haven't done in a long time”.