Tunes Of I
1st December 2018
The Tuning Fork, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review & Photography by Sarah Kidd.
Celebrating not only their latest single but their recent partnership with Eccles Entertainment, Tunes Of I brought sunny vibrations to Auckland’s Tuning Fork despite the melancholy weather outside.
The celebration of both life and music is always one of much joy and it is an element that support act Cornerstone Roots brings in abundance to any stage they grace. Certainly not new to the scene, the Raglan six piece first formed in 2001 and over the years have evolved into very much a family band, both lead vocalist Brian Ruawai and bassist Naomi Tuao’s children Kaea (on drums) and Reiki (vocals and guitar) performing with them. Rounding out their sound Aaron Bush on an impressive range of percussion instruments and Nicholas Stevens on keyboards both brought experienced balance to the whole performance.
While very much a band embedded in the reggae/roots genre, Cornerstone Roots have an eternal flame that burns deep within their bellies and this is evident in their music. Whether it is with how much energy they deliver a cover of Bob Marley’s ‘Could you be Loved’ – featuring the whole-hearted vocals of Reiki Ruawei – or one of their own tracks such as ‘Journey’, it is always done so meaningfully. Using their music to also deliver a message, one of their most powerful songs of the night was ‘Man Killa’ which speaks of the damage that corporations such as Monsanto are doing to Gaia, Mother Earth herself. Overall a fantastic set from such a steadfast of the New Zealand music scene.
With the venue now filled with bodies, Wellingtonians Tunes Of I arrived to a volley of applause and raised glasses.
Founded seven years ago, Tunes Of I have been steadily building on their career, their efforts soon to see them once again take to the studio next year to record their sophomore album. Having shared a stage with everyone from Ocean Alley to Sticky Fingers, the six-piece certainly know how to entertain a crowd and they waste no time in doing so, ripping straight into the larger-than-life ‘Wicked Ways’ which soon draws the fans in closer to the stage. Led by lead vocalist and guitarist Conway Jeune, each musician that makes up Tunes Of I is expertly folded into the other like some next level dub roots origami; the inclusion of a two piece brass section the high quality embossing.
Laying down a set that included both the well-known and the ‘freshies’, Jeune advised the crowd that they would be test cases for some of their latest work, their reception assisting them with deciding what to feature on the next album. As if to butter them up, Tunes Of I ripped out a Supergroove cover early on, Jeune expertly spitting the lyrics out to the more complicated sections of ‘Can’t Get Enough’ much to the audiences entertainment. Slower numbers such as ‘Losing Our Touch’ showed that the boys had a softer side, drummer Luther Hunt knowing just how to pull it back in the right moments, bassist Makura Tomoana thoughtfully plucking the bass with his eyes closed.
But it was surely their latest single that achieved one of the biggest receptions of the evening; ‘Dangerous’ being bold and brazen with a chorus reminiscent of some of the great Kora classics, it is a tune that once heard is not easy to forget. If ‘Dangerous’ is an indication of the work that will be included on their next album, then Tunes Of I may have a record on their hands that will propel them straight into the next level of success.
Watch this space.
Were you there at The Tuning Fork to witness this beautiful reggae gig? Or have you seen Tunes Of I perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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