25/05/2025

Jude Kelly – Whammy Bar: May 24, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)

Jude Kelly celebrated the release of her debut EP, The Seven Spirits Of Her, with a very spirited show at Auckland’s favourite dive bar, Whammy.

Yes, spirits were high, maybe a little too high for some as Whammy Bar quickly filled up on this Saturday night. Unfortunately for opening act, Michael Llewellyn, his brand of introspective songs weren’t what some audience members were willing to listen to.

Michael Llewellyn is a Wellington-based singer-songwriter who has just released his second album, I’m Gorgeous.

Tonight it was Michael singing and playing acoustic guitar with help from an electric guitarist whose name I missed, primarily because of the noise coming from a certain segment of the audience who were cloistered near the bar and too near the stage, laughing, shouting and carrying on as if they were the only ones in the place.

They weren’t

There were plenty of folks there trying to listen and finally the folks at Whammy sent a big, burly security guard around to “suggest” they move to the back of the room, and keep the noise down.

Eventually they did.

Llewellyn’s set, what I could hear of it, was good…six songs that, in his words, deal with, “grappling with the masks that we wear”.

To his credit, Michael and his guitarist soldiered on like troopers.

I believe he’ll be back in Auckland next month with French For Rabbits, hopefully in front of a more receptive audience at Grey Lynn RSC.

Jude Kelly

That same crowd was dead silent when Jude Kelly and her band took the stage just before 9:45. Jude responded with a gently funky version of Monster Truck, the opening track of The Seven Spirits Of Her.

From the get-go it was obvious that this 25-year-old Kiwi (raised in Dunedin) has the poise, the voice and the songs to go the distance.

Confidence oozed from the stage as she then performed a rousing Siren Song. And the band…drums, bass and guitar/keys were tight. Sadly I can’t tell you who they are as Jude’s intros were drowned out by the audience’s enthusiasm.

This time, the noise was welcome and reciprocal.

Along with the seven songs from the EP, we heard one, Merrily, that didn’t make the cut and a very cool cover of The Breeders’ Do You Love Me Now. Jude Kelly’s sound is the perfect mix of pop, rock and a touch of soul and judging by the screams and shouts of delight from the fans in attendance, she has a bright future ahead of her.

And if there was any doubt about Jude’s vocal prowess, she nailed a high notes at the end of Clarence that left jaws dropped.

As we were filing out of Whammy, I could hear someone comment that they would “remember when” they saw Jude Kelly at Whammy. Because after this, she certainly seemed destined for bigger venues.

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Azrie Azizi

Jude Kelly: