Strike Session with Adam Page is about halfway through its run at Downstage. Strike is a long-standing New Zealand-based percussion group, and they’ve teamed up with Adelaide multi-instrumentalist Adam Page for this show. 

After the jump, kumaras, mirimbas and old car parts.

Strike get to showcase the best of their talents, using not just traditional percussion instruments, but bits of old cars, pipes and pans of water (making them pretty much apocalypse-proof).
 
They utilised the full Downstage performance space, using not just the stage, but visible backstage areas, balconies and catwalks. Their performances flowed from space to space, each bringing a different feeling to each piece.
 
By the way, some of Strike’s pieces are really moody and quite sexy and even romantic would be ideal to take your sweetie to see. Just sayin’.
 
There’s a real joy to a lot of Strike’s performances. There’s a lot of interaction between the members, and it seems like they’re just having a great time up there.
 
Adam Page  joined Strike for a few numbers, usually joining in on his saxophone. Even though Strike do get a lot of variety from their percussion instruments, it was nice having the contrast of nice fat sax in the mix.
 
The second half of the night was a showcase for Mr Page’s entertainment. He created a number of improvised pieces using looped sounds with a loop pedal. One of these pieces was based on a Capital Times reviewer’s description of Strike member Stephanie Engelbrecht as a "pocket rocket", so Page got the audience to yell out "pocket rocket!" and gradually layered bits of guitar and other sounds to create a funk masterpiece.
 
And there was the act that Page is famous for – getting out a drill and turning a tuber vegetable (in this case a kumara) into a wind instrument. It turns out the ol’ kumara is quite tuneful, albeit messy.
 
The two-hour show was really entertaining, thrilling and joyful. You should see it.