Words by Petrina Bonnington-Evans
Photo by David Arcus
Three piece Wellington band Cougar Cougar Cougar continued Mighty Mighty’s run of hosting great Friday night gigs, by kicking off with smashing renditions of songs Heart Attack, and Hey Sugar. Vocalists David Murphy and Shannon Boyd, who also play guitar and drums respectively, pack a lot of punch into their delivery of lyrics and somehow the whole band manages to maintain their rip roaring energy through a 14 song long set list.
The lighting on the band could have been better placed, but didn’t stop the trio from making a good impression on the crowd. The band has a slighty edgy Raconteur-esque style, but mixes it with great bass guitar work from Greg Pawsey, and rock star howls from the vocalists breathe innovation into songs reminiscent of the 90s grunge era.
I’ve seen Cougar Cougar Cougar about three times now, and they consistently deliver a great show, the songs are extremely conducive to dancing and this gig was no exception. The sound of the bass and drums, although sometimes stronger than the vocals, are really powerful and the band has the potential to go far if they continue to play as well as they have.
Cougar Cougar Cougar’s last song Supersound, to both quote and agree with the band, “sounds like AC/DC” and was a great way to finish the gig. This band is one of Wellington’s best at the moment, and I strongly recommend local music fans to check them out.