Marlon Williams - Gig Review: Don McGlashan & Marlon Williams @ Neudorf Vineyard, Nelson - 12/02/2019
A susurration of dust motes in the air in front of the stage at Neudorf Vineyard, heralded the beginning of tonight’s magical and highly-anticipated Marlon Williams concert - an appropriate beginning for an event postponed because of a large fire sparked last week in tinder dry conditions. Tonight’s event was the perfect balm for the soul for rattled Nelson Tasman residents.
Opening act Don McGlashan was in fine form, playing several tracks from his Lucky Stars album and Song for Sue from his yet-to-be-named album due for release later this year. He pleased the crowd most when he took a trip down memory lane by playing a couple of The Mutton Birds songs with members of Marlon Williams’ band, including his ever-wonderful Anchor Me.
McGlashan is a class act and it says a lot for the high opinion in which McGlashan holds Marlon Williams and his music that he said yes when invited to join Williams on his Turangawaewae Tour.
Marlon Williams’ set amply proved his credentials as a creator of languid and lush vocal soundscapes. Come To Me, Arahura and The Fire of Love showcased his mesmerising stage presence early on.
Allowing himself to move around a little more on stage in Can I Call You? was popular with the crowd and What’s Chasing You? got the audience up and dancing. I’m Lost Without You off Williams’ 2016 album was also a delight.
It was when Williams sat down at the keyboard to play his new song Modern Love that the concert reached another level, however. “It’s so hard to tell who’s gonna love you for the right reasons, who’ll stay the course through the darkest seasons” sang Williams, the audience hanging on every note.
Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore was exquisite, despite not having the benefit of Aldous Harding's vocals. Make Way For Love was a delicious and heartwarming end to the main body of the concert before Williams returned to deliver four encore numbers. And what encore numbers they were!
Williams’ version of Ewan MacColl’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was the best rendition of the song I’ve ever heard (and I’ve heard many, many versions). It was absolutely spectacular. Don McGlashan then returned to the stage to add moody tenor horn to Love Is A Terrible Thing. A lovely cover of Te Ho Tahupotiki by Ruahine Crofts before Williams completely blew the audience away with his rendition of Screamin Jay Hawkins’ A Portrait of a Man. The last line of the song saw Williams in all his vocal power singing And I am the man! We in the audience could not help but agree.
About Marlon Williams
This set the course for his teenage years as he not only formed The Unfaithful Ways winning the best song award in 2008 , but toured Europe with the Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Choir, supporting the Vienna Boys Choir.
The Unfaithful Ways first album, made album of the year, and went to the finals of the critics choice awards, causing perennial cynic Simon Sweetman to state “There have been a few Kiwi alt-country/folk ensembles in recent years; many of them seem to lack authenticity…But The Unfaithful Ways have found a way in; there’s something utterly believable about this music; that it should come from New Zealand and channel a version of Americana.”
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Marlon Williams
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