September 15, 2024

Mel Parsons – Artworks Theatre Waiheke Island: September 14, 2024

Mel Parsons brought her Regional Sabotage tour to Waiheke Island. Fortunately 13th Floor review writer Robin Kearns and photographer Brenna Jo Gotje are island residents and here’s their coverage.

Without knowing of Mel Parsons’ new album, one might wonder if the ‘Regional Sabotage’ tour was a political critique for these times. Instead, on Waiheke tonight – third stop of 22 – it is a night of songs addressing a more subtle politics: those conflicts of the heart like self-doubt, regret and failure.

At one point in this intimate show someone called out for a happy song. Parsons responds with a wry smile “You clearly haven’t been to my shows before”.

It’s not often that tour itineraries go offshore, so no surprise Artworks Theatre is sold out. Mel walks on in black, her electric guitar a striking white.

Opening song is 5432. Mysterious and mournful in tone. No mention of number 1, perhaps symbolic of keeping herself just a little short of confessional. From the outset, I’m reminded of what power dwells in her voice. Full of depth and yearning.

The audience seems quiet. Seated. Reverential. We’re humoured into heckling. “This is going to be intimate and fun. Any questions?”. She lives with “a lot of children “who “inspire as much rage as music”. Raw honesty about the pressure cooker of family life. She speaks of the uncommon and treasured moments all are asleep.

Three more songs off 2024 release, Sabotage. Circling the City sees the narrator driving around “too tired to fight”. The singer’s relaxed, happy to be playing on Waiheke for the first time. “Thank you for paying for me to have a break”. Her ironic humour wins the audience over.

Applause morphs from polite to enthusiastic. Before Sabotage, she offers a shoutout to Susi Newborn, the island’s late great fighter for all good causes.

A dip into the glorious Canadian-influenced Drylands, with Driving Man. Electric and acoustic guitars are swapped. Complex chord shifts made to seem easy.

After a break, Mel returns to again weave spells with her voice that at times dives as deep as a Nina Simone.

The “red wine’s run out” someone calls from the audience. “Bit embarrassing here of all places”, quips Mel.

A few songs from Glass Heart, produced by Crowded House veteran Mitchell Froom. Always something to learn at a live show. I’ve Got the Lonely , she says, was inspired feelings when Tom Petty died.

We hear of her playing support for Chris Isaak which segues into a splendid cover of Wicked Game, a song covered on the same Artworks stage last year by Anthonie Tonnon. Both great renditions.

It’s the candid moments that make this a deeply human performance. Like when Mel introduces Failure to describes her struggle with survivor guilt. A car accident in Alberta two decades ago claimed her then partner, but she was spared. Forever left with a drive to live her best life. The air is electric with empathy.

And then she singles out a 14 year old in the front row sporting generously-sized tour sweatshirt. In response to Mel remarking on the size, the young local says she bought it big to grow into. Suddenly there’s another star upfront.

Paradoxically, perhaps, a Mel Parson show is replete with sad songs but is never a morose occasion. Rather the sheer warmth of her stage presence and banter create connection with the audience. We’re offered a clue how such a joyful person writes such baleful songs. “I need sad songs to help make me happy”.

One more yearning song, the recent award-winning Hardest Thing, then the rollicking Far Away off Drylands to round out the show.

We head out into the rainy night buoyed by songs that cover tough terrain delivered with warmth and joy.

This tour offers a generous itinerary. If you are within reach of the remaining 19 locations, get along. You’ll be offered a performance that travels a map of the human heart.

Robin Kearns

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Brenna Jo Gotje: