After a successful tour of Australia alongside Neil Finn, Paul Kelly has stepped up to the limelight with an intriguing cathedral tour of Finn’s homeland, New Zealand.
Kelly has never been one to shy away from religious themes in his music, and the gothic wooden hall of Old St Paul’s Cathedral made a spectacular backdrop for his Wellington show.
The beauty of this Melbourne songwriter’s music is that it’s just as home on the stages of a festival as it is in the intimate surrounds of a church. Of course, seeing Kelly, accompanied only by his nephew Dan Kelly, certainly increased the feeling of closeness.
For any Australians living overseas, watching Paul Kelly play carries an extra significance, immediately evoking a sense of home. Needless to say it was to be a special night for everyone, with the audience treated to the complete song cycle of Kelly’s latest record Spring And Fall and some old classics as well.
Auckland local Lydia Cole provided support and showcased an amazing voice, her sweet and subtle folk songs undoubtedly winning over some new fans.
Backed by soft light and stained glass windows, Kelly and his nephew strolled out to rapturous applause. A moment of awkwardness as his guitar slipped from his shoulder was quickly forgotten, Kelly providing a soft explanation of how the evening would pan out.
The simple, stripped back nature of the Australian icon’s last record lent itself beautifully to the surroundings, as Dan Kelly offered subtle harmonies and lead flourishes on the opener ‘New Found Year’.
It was hard to pick out a highlight as uncle and nephew worked through an amazing set of songs from Spring And Fall. Kelly’s distinctive voice and songwriting were captured wonderfully as the songs moved through the large wooden archways.
‘Sometimes My Baby’ and ‘None Of Your Business’ both displayed the strength of Kelly’s voice and the extremely complimentary harmonies of his nephew. They were a formidable duo as they played through the incredible catalogue of songs.
There’s a feeling that rises inside when two voices harmonise in the perfect way. It can make your chest swell and a lump form in the back of your throat. Imagine that for two and a half hours and that’s what Wellington was treated to in this magical setting.
The second half of the show featured some old favourites, including ‘When I First Met Your Ma’, ‘Careless’, ‘How to Make Gravy’ and appropriately, considering the setting, ‘God Told Me To’.
Of the older tunes, ‘They Thought I Was Asleep’ and ‘Wintercoat’ seemed to linger in the air and take on extra significance. Kelly then closed the show with an incredible a capella version of ‘Meet Me In The Middle Of The Air’.
It would be easy to reel off any number of religious clichés after witnessing such an awe-inspiring gig. Put simply, watching Paul Kelly play live is an experience that can’t be matched. There’s a good reason he’s considered one of Australia’s greatest songwriters and performers.
