Lachie Hayes – Big Fan: October 2, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
Despite being visibly unwell, Lachie Hayes delivered a captivating performance at Big Fan on Thursday 2nd October. Battling food poisoning, he nonetheless held the audience in rapt attention with his effortless fingerpicking, melodic harmonica riffs, and down-to-earth charisma.
Hailing from Tokanui in Southland, Hayes has been touring the North Island in celebration of his second album, Subsatellite. Raised in the Catlins, his songwriting paints vivid scenes of rugged isolation and soulful endurance. His music feels like a journey through the Wild West refracted through a New Zealand lens, filled with lonesome aches, profound yearning, and a storyteller’s grit.
The evening began quietly, with Hayes alone on stage under soft pink lighting. Seated on a stool with an acoustic guitar and harmonica, he struck the first chords with flawless precision, the audience hushed in anticipation. The lights were low, the sound delicate, and the atmosphere akin to being invited into his backyard. With eyes closed and foot tapping gently, he seemed absorbed in the music, strumming and plucking with breathtaking ease.
He began with In My Sweet Time, a gentle, acoustic piece that showcased his skill on the guitar. Afterward, he confessed he had food poisoning, admitting he had spent the previous hour collapsed on a couch backstage. He teased the Auckland food and, with a cheeky grin, reassured the crowd, don’t worry, I’ll go back stage to do that, making light of his situation. His humour set the tone for a performance that was raw, human, and deeply engaging.
His cover of Jimmy Rogers’ I’m Free from the Chain Gang Now highlighted his roots in blues more than country. His intricate guitar picking and rhythmic strumming were flawless, performed with eyes closed, harmonica weaving seamlessly through the arrangement.
After a short break for water, Hayes returned with his band, The Tokanui Chainsaws — Antonio Mercuri on drums, Michael Crook on guitar, and Liam Fairbairn on bass. The band opened with King Of The Night Out On The Tiles. Hayes explained the expression on the tiles means getting drunk “down where we’re from”. The crowd shouted back yeah! when he asked if the phrase resonated in Auckland. He replied with a sly smile “at least we’re civilised then”. Smooth riffs and funk-inflected blues filled the room, with strong harmonies from the bassist lifting the song.
One of the evening’s most intimate moments came with Easy To Fall For You. Under dim red lighting and a lone spotlight, Hayes’ voice carried the weight of endurance and vulnerability. Life don’t give you no choices, you gotta make your choices count. Michael Crook’s solo was understated yet extraordinary, delivered without flash, while Hayes’ harmonica floated over a steady bass and gentle drumbeat.
He then introduced a new, unreleased track, Short Time. A Beatles-esque pop number with lyrics about seizing the present. We’ll drink a beer and talk about the ways we care… hold me close, keep our love strong, we’re only here for a short time. The crowd responded warmly, clapping and laughing as the drummer announced it was Hayes’ 30th birthday. Someone shouted what a day, a reference to his food poisoning and the room erupted with good-natured cheer.
The most haunting moment of the night arrived with Living With The Ghost Of You, another unreleased track. Hayes began alone on guitar, his voice delicate, resigned, and aching. Living with the ghost of you running around in my brain. Ever since you walked out the door it’s never been the same. His falsetto rose beautifully in the chorus, fragile yet powerful. As the second verse began, the band joined, warm lights shifting to red and orange hues. Three-part harmonies deepened the atmosphere, creating something harrowing and unforgettable.
At one point Hayes had to retreat backstage, visibly unwell, but the band kept spirits light. Wait for Lachie to have a costume change, the drummer joked, and when Hayes returned he quipped, we’ve had our costume change, a moment of levity that underlined his perseverance.
Other highlights included The Likes of You, the opening track of the new album, with a powerful breakdown driven by thundering drums, and This River, greeted with cheers. Introducing it, Hayes reflected on the way landscapes shape us. Geographical landscapes have a bigger impact on us than we realise. They can give us life and take it away. The song carried both melancholy and tenderness. For all the blues that I sing, there’s a love song once in a while.
Of course, Subsatellite, the album’s title track, was a high point. With its themes of resilience and endurance. You can’t put me in your pigeonhole, you can’t tie me up with strings. The performance soared, harmonies swelling into a choral chorus. Someone in the crowd shouted back “thank YOU!” after Hayes thanked the audience, capturing the sense of connection in the room.
The set closed with S.O.B, one of the most electrifying performances of the night. Bathed in hot red lights, the band attacked the song with passion and synchronicity. Michael Crook’s riffing locked perfectly with Mercuri’s drum rolls, while Hayes’ voice and harmonica added fire. They slowed the final bars into a powerful breakdown, repeating the closing lines in dramatic style. The audience erupted into whistles, cheers, and shouts.
For the encore, Hayes apologised again for being under the weather, then launched into Shoot ’Em Once from his debut album. The electric guitar and harmonica melded into one furious, full-bodied sound, rounding off the night with intensity and grit.
Despite illness, Lachie Hayes gave Auckland a show that was raw, heartfelt, and unforgettable. His mastery of guitar and harmonica, coupled with his rugged humour and deeply felt lyrics, made for a performance that was both intimate and powerful. It was real, down to earth, and absolutely compelling.
Lexi Tuenter
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