Review: Not Drowning, Waving @ The Gov 03/05/26
Reuniting with Papua New Guinea music legend Sir George Telek, Not Drowning, Waving produced a night filled with spectacular soundscapes to an adoring audience.
Words & images Brad Pine
Not Drowning, Waving @ The Gov 03/05/26
David Bridie, the driving force behind Not Drowning, Waving and My Friend The Chocolate Cake, has been active in the Australian music scene for over forty years. I first discovered his music when I picked up Hotel Radio without knowing anything about him. From there, I learnt about his other projects and albums, with the one that stood out being Tabaran, an album with Not Drowning, Waving and the Musicians of Rabaul, a Papua New Guinea collective featuring Sir George Telek.
The album straddled the line between world music and art rock and had a profound impact on me. Last year, Telek and Bridie returned with Malira, a record centred on understanding of each other’s cultures that coincided with the 50th anniversary of Papua New Guinea’s independence.
Now, thirty-plus years on from Tabaran’s release, Not Drowning, Waving arrived to perform at The Gov with slightly changed floor arrangements. On entering, we saw several dinner tables with some scattered cabaret-style tables ready for an audience to enjoy a meal before the show. The endearing smell of hot chips and other pub fare filled the air, only to be whisked away as the band arrived.
Telek was first on the stage, receiving a wonderful cheer from the crowd. As the pre-recorded sound of trickling water endured in the background, he sang in his native tongue with little instrumentation behind him. It soon became a sonic soundscape as the rest of the band joined the stage. Bridie stood to the side of the stage, bordered by a laptop for the ambient sounds and a keyboard adorned with the Papua New Guinea flag. This beginning part of the show was meditative – beats from the three percussionists onstage drove the groove throughout the night.
Even though the concert was touted as a celebration of Tabaran and their new album Malira, fans were treated to some cuts from Not Drowning, Waving’s earlier releases, including ‘Palau’ from the 1989 album Claim, which fit perfectly and complemented the other tracks within the set.
One of the many highlights was when multi-instrumentalist Pius Wasi asked us to “create a forest here tonight.” Equipped with a traditional bamboo flute, he demonstrated his expertise whilst taking us on a sonic adventure. The audience was silent – intently glued to Wasi as he performed.
The band fluidly moved on and off stage depending on the tracks played. In the midst of all the calm and chilled moments, there were times when the rock element came to the fore. ‘Rain’ and ‘Blackwater’ developed into potent tracks, especially ‘Blackwater’, with imagery of Papua New Guinea, possibly before they gained their independence, projected onto a screen. Bridie introduced ‘Song From The Old Colony,’ remarking on Papua New Guinea’s independence from Australia, which brought a sombre end to the first set.
After a brief intermission to refuel, Telek returned to the centre of the stage, creating a welcoming atmosphere for us to absorb. The majority of the revolving door of musicians made their way on stage for the forceful ‘The Dirty Chemist (Raskolore)’ – possibly the most rock-oriented song of the night. Hot on its heels was ‘The Kiap Song’, which got the biggest cheer of the night. The pattern of the setlist ebbed and flowed between the serener moments and the rockier elements of Not Drowning, Waving’s catalogue. This structure, however, was no hindrance to the enjoyment of the night.
Wasi once again took centrestage for the next two songs, eventually leading us in a “traditional disco… bush disco.” With the instructions to get up and move, some audience members did so with gusto, ready to dance for the remainder of the evening. After the quick dance break, we lulled into nostalgia territory with ‘Willow Tree,’ complemented with the original music video almost in time with the live band.
When all band members returned, it became a blast on various levels with the instrumentation on stage. All three percussionists went into overdrive for the last two songs, showing how much fun the band was having. The final number saw all members, besides Bridie and guitarist John Phillips, drumming. It was a powerful end to the night.
Little did we know that there was an encore. After the band left the stage for only a minute, they returned and launched into ‘Crazy Birds’ from the album Circus, before Telek asked us all to rise. “This is the last song for the night” – the sigh from the audience was palpable, but we experienced with great silence Telek leading the band in a final song.
Not Drowning, Waving may not garner immediate recognition from many, but they received the audience’s full attention with their incredible performance. The reformation of Not Drowning, Waving with Telek as a main part of the band has rejuvenated them, and hopefully, this isn’t the last we see of them on the live stage.
