I have a bucket list of must-see bands, and right at the top of that list are Auckland Rockers Coridian. I'd heard so many good things about their live performances including; "Dity jumps around the stage with such energy and enthusiasm that it seems to be infectious" (here) and "Mike Raven was fizzing with energy as he carved through his set"(here), and, given what I do here at muzic.net.nz, it was inevitable that I would see them live one day. Having never been to the San Fran before, I was pleasantly surprised - the painted black walls and ceiling along with the raised stage are designed to draw your attention towards the stage, but Coridian didn't need any help with that, for once they started you couldn't bring yourself to look away, even if only for a second, even with free pizza on offer. From the first note of Birth of Symmetry, it was evident that Coridian are a tight unit, completely in sync with one another. While each band member adds their own individual touch to their music, their performance was the perfect mix of teamwork and collaboration coupled with a faultless sound and an impeccable stage presence. Dity is a captivating vocalist in his own right, it's obvious just how much he feels the music, almost as though it's a physical object he can reach out and touch. He appears to drift away until the music has surrounded him entirely, and then he comes alive - putting on an outstanding performance that keeps the audience intrigued, a performance that showcases just how passionate he is about music. I'm sure I heard a few gasps from the crowd when some of his jumps came within centimetres of the somewhat low stage ceiling.
All three Raven brothers complemented Dity and each other brilliantly, exploding with an impressive energy which not only motivated the crowd to move, but also to keep moving during the entire set. Having the drums set to the side of the stage also allowed some of the focus to be on Kris, which made a nice difference from the drummer-at-the-back that we usually see at gigs.
With a satisfying mixture of old versus new, including new unreleased material such as Dunes and the surprising Seed Part 2, Coridian proved that they do more than just play Rock music, they've turned it into a finely tuned artform. Mike showcased his musicianship to perfection, somewhat rough around the edges whilst tying in faultlessly with the other band members, while Kris's drums united effortlessly with the other instruments and were mesmerising to watch. Crowd favourites Seed, Reflections (which had a recently released beauty of a video), and Blind Faith ended Coridian's performance on a high, with Reflections placing Nick's bass skills in the spotlight and further establishing the fact that he is a talented and capable musician. Coridian are now firmly entrenched at the top of my bucket list, because now I simply have to see them again, and again, and again.
