The UK’s Michael Kiwanuka has spent a significant amount of time on the road since releasing his beautifully understated debut record Home Again. Since winning the BBC’s Sound of 2012 poll, he’s simply been in far too much demand to take a break.
Considering the soulful jazz inclinations of his debut, the prospect of a cathedral tour through Australia and New Zealand was understandably met with high anticipation.
Once again the immensely picturesque Old St Paul’s Cathedral proved to be the perfect setting for one of contemporary music’s brightest performers.
On a chilly Wellington night Kiwanuka’s thick woollen beanie/hoodie combo set a relaxed vibe.
With songwriter and band backed by stained glass windows under thick wooden archways all was set for a moving evening. Whilst no one could argue about the beauty of the cathedral, the wooden pews most certainly left a lot to be desired for comfort.
Kiwanuka opened by showing off his slide guitar skills in ‘If You’d Dare’ and a willingness to kick off with a slightly more abrasive opening than expected.
It was a welcome beginning before the room was filled with his amazing voice through ‘Tell Me A Tale’. The comparisons with Bill Withers and Otis Redding only serve to highlight his talent as the band eased into ‘Worry Walks Beside Me’, as his eyes peered down the aisle and craned his neck to reach the mic.
The North London based singer has come to prominence through his honest songwriting and, of course, breathtaking vocals. But what is also immediately apparent is the immense talent of his band, with Peter Randall on bass and Graham Godfrey on the drums.
Through the lengthy touring Kiwanuka has done, his ensemble have become in tune with each other’s movements in a scary way. ‘Bones’ and ‘Lasan’ take the band through jazz, folk, and soul, with the dynamics and musicianship to match. If anything, watching this band is intimidating.
When Godfrey is given licence to show-off, the results are staggering. Drum fills that snap, rumble, and disorientate you out of time reveal what has to be one of pop’s best drummers at the moment.
Randall doesn’t have the opportunity to show the same flair but his backing vocals and subtle feel perfectly underpin Kiwanuka’s vocal performance. It’s also clear he enjoys interacting with the band and allowing them to show off their talents as well.
Moving onto softer numbers ‘I’m Getting Ready’ and then ‘Rest’, the honesty and integrity in the Briton’s voice bursts through. One of the amazing things about Kiwanuka is his ability to sound sweet without ever losing strength in his voice. However in the louder sections when he wanted pure power, it felt as though he may have held back slightly – or perhaps his mic simply wasn’t loud enough.
As he moved into a couple of new numbers, including one with solo guitar, the light banter with the crowd showed his humbleness.
Sometimes when you’re constantly in awe of a band or musician you can put them on a pedestal in your mind, but after every song he immediately made you feel like a close friend. He struggled with his guitar strap tangling with his hoodie and happily made light of clothing choices.
Closing off the set was the popular and beautiful ‘Home Again’ quickly outdone by an incredible cover of Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Waterfall’. Kiwanuka noting the great axe legend inspired him to play guitar and music, and his folk infused version left the audience transfixed once more.
A standing ovation from the majority of the devoted crowd brought the awesomely talented songwriter and his band back out for ‘I’ll Get Along’.
One of the most powerful yet subtle voices backed by one of the best rhythm sections going round cannot disappoint.
