Culture

Promoted (justifiably) as “the absolute pinnacle of Dunedin’s sonic rock spectrum,” Mountaineater and Operation Rolling Thunder at 12 Below certainly delivered on its promise, proving Dunedin is endowed with two of the greatest sonic rock bands in the world.

 Having never witnessed ‘Thunder live, but with a huge appreciation for their recorded output, my expectations remained decidedly high. Thankfully once again, the promise was delivered upon. Composed of brothers Rob and Adam Falconer, Operation Rolling Thunder performed a stunning set of post-rock instrumentals with a sound impossibly large for their two-piece membership. The searing, looped drone of Adam’s guitar, counter-pointed with Rob’s tasteful and crisp drumming, saw the Falconers showcase their extremely cerebral compositions with precision and power. Throughout their unfortunately short set, Operation Rolling Thunder displayed an uncanny talent for using dynamics, creating textured sonic landscapes capable of crushing the listener before relenting – creating claustrophobic tension within their music. Rhythmically, Rob showed how well the idea of space could be used to add rather than subtract from each song, reminding me of the old musical cliché: “it’s not the notes that you do play, but those which you don’t that are important.” His simple yet breathtaking drumming was easily the highlight for this reviewer.
   Following an act of Operation Rolling Thunder’s power would be virtually impossible for most bands. Mountaineater, however, aren’t like most bands. Trading in a similar musically territory, Mountaineater showed their own prowess in creating huge, densely textured platforms upon which to explore the boundaries of rock music. 
   Once again, tension was used in a devastating manner pushing the music and the listener themselves to the limit. With more overtly structured songs than Operation Rolling Thunder, Mountaineater leant further towards traditional rock music, the heavier style bludgeoning the audience into submission. 
   Overall, an outstanding gig.