There is something uniquely special about attending a live performance in a church. An intimate affair, listeners are treated to the kind of rare musical experience that can only occur within the rich acoustics and ethereal atmosphere of such a setting.
A place of worship, St Michael’s Church in Melbourne was indeed a fitting location for British soul musician Michael Kiwanuka to perform many of the brilliant songs that feature on his debut album Home Again.
Kiwanuka’s contemporary, yet timeless sound provided a perfect match for the surrounds and a real treat for the audience who attended.
The evening was opened by the lovely Ainslie Wills. Set against the architectural magnificence of the church’s towering organ pipes, Wills’ crisp, choral vocals carried through the venue in a truly celestial manner, setting the scene for the wonderful evening of music to follow.
Kiwanuka and his band followed and opened with a heightened instrumental piece, taking full advantage of the acoustics of the space. The singer then moved into the playful “Tell Me A Tale”, further making the most of the opportunity to perform ‘electrified’ in such a wonderful venue.
With a selection of guitars on hand, a quick change allowed the artist to move easily into “Worry Walks Beside Me”, an expressive and engaging song that instantly slowed the pace to something more familiar to fans.
This is where Kiwanuka really began to shine. With a voice and sound that belie his years, his soulful and smooth tone resonated through the open space, blanketing the audience in a beautiful, rich sound.
Casually dressed, familiar and friendly, Kiwanuka comfortably chatted with the audience between songs. A softly spoken man, he openly and playfully shared insights into what he likes about his own music, joking, “even songwriters have a boss… there will always be some songs the boss doesn’t care about, but I care about them”.
He then proudly revealed ”Any Day Will Do Fine” as “one of mine that I love to play”. Performing the song simply, stripped back with just vocals and an acoustic guitar, he provided the audience with a true highlight for the evening.
The artist also shared insights of his many musical influences, setting the scene for a beautifully delivered acoustic rendition of Hendrix classic “May This Be Love”, which he clearly enjoyed playing.
By far the most anticipated song of the night was “Home Again”, which Kiwanuka described in good humour as “a song the boss does care about!“ With the crowd silent until this point, a low supportive vocal began to emanate from audience as if joining in a hymn – something beautifully appropriate to the setting.
The performance was over all too soon, with the final song being the heartening tune “I’ll Get Along”. Not content for this to be the conclusion of the evening, the audience took to its feet with cheers and applause to entice the singer out for an encore performance.
Kiwanuka and his band then performed “Lasan”, which appears on the US release of Home Again. It’s a slow paced song of farewell, and a perfect way to round out the evening.
A beautiful performance by a lovely musician, Michael Kiwanuka is undeniably an artist with talent, sound and charm, the likes of which will always leave you wanting more.
