Julia Deans
16th February 2021
Maraekakaho Hall, Maraekakaho, New Zealand.
Review by Rob Harbers, photography by Andrew Caldwell.
Silence. Respect. Appreciation. Engagement. Captivation. Not concepts you may be accustomed to associate with a typical gig, but these are the qualities engrained into the very soul of the Small Hall Sessions. Unique in their expression, these shows bring the best of New Zealand’s musical talent to the furthest reaches of the province of Hawkes Bay, invigorating small communities with an infusion of intimate connection between artist and audience. And they are able to operate under Red Traffic Light settings also, forging on through the zeitgeist of fear and trepidation to bring joy and solace to the people in these troubling times of Q-anonvoys, occupation and intimidation. A tonic for the troops, indeed!
This night continued the proud tradition, with eminent songsmith Julia Deans bringing her infectious spirit and impressive catalogue to the Maraekakaho Hall, entrancing a full house with tales of survival, strength and spurned affections. Drawing from a deep well of creativity, the set spanned more than 20 years, encompassing the Fur Patrol years (first album “Pet” awaiting its anniversary tour, planned to celebrate 20 years, currently looking more likely, in the more optimistic range of expectations, to maybe scrape in as a 25-year thing?) and solo works, including a trio of brand new songs, some unveiled in this format for the first time – debutants, shuffling into the glare of exposure in the tiny Maraekakaho community! All coming together to form a cohesive body of work, one in which its creator can take pride, while dreaming up new expressions (and keeping the Ono influences at bay).
Opener “Clandestine” gave a taste of what was to come, with the full vocal range in effect, and from there right through to the triumphant closure of “Lydia” you would’ve heard a pin drop, such was the level of focus given by the audience. Maybe not as useful as the drone of a pub crowd when it comes to drowning out the odd mistake here and there though, all of which are completely forgiveable and understandable in the context of the constraints on the ability to perform, and I’m certain will be ironed out over the coming nights!
The Small Hall Sessions are a light in these dark times (quite literally, as these venues which would otherwise be more lightly occupied have their lights on, blazing a presence in the community) and as such are an antidote to the current realities, vaxing against divisiveness and Covidiocy. With such a presence as Julia on board, carrying a cargo of f-bombs (this not being Marlborough, after all) this current iteration is definitely recommended – if you move fast, limited tickets are still to be found at www.smallhallsessions.co.nz.
Were you there at the Maraekakaho Hall for this intimate gig? Or have you seen Julia Deans perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Note: The Small Hall Sessions provided passes to Ambient Light to review and photograph this concert. As always, this has not influenced the review in any way and the opinions expressed are those of Ambient Light’s only. This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product using an affiliate link, Ambient Light will automatically receive a small commission at no cost to you.
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