Ms. Mia & Clarissa Chai – Ponsonby Social Club

Ms. Mia and Clarissa Chai  celebrated “a collaboration born from joy” last night at Ponsonby Social Club.

Unfortunately some of the members of the audience were doing their own celebrating, cause many of us to have to put up with constant chattering that threatened to drown out the music.

Ms. Mia and Clarissa make, quiet, contemplative music…not amps, no drums, just vocals, guitar and keyboards and usually the Ponsonby Social Club is perfect for such sounds.

And to be fair, most of the audience was quite, attentive and well behaved. But there were 7 or 8 folks who were whooping it up for the duration of the 50-minte set.

To their credit, Mia and Clarissa took it all in stride, telling stories, playing their songs and trying to create and intimate atmosphere.

The duo performed 13 songs in just under an hour with Mia taking most of the lead vocals and Clarissa shining on harmonies, guitar and keyboards.

They began with a song titled Shadows which turned out to be one of the highlights…maybe that’s because the talkative table hadn’t quite got up to full volume yet.

But they certainly did by song two, a lovely tune called Life Goes On featuring the two musicians singing in harmony.

We heard Ms. Mia’s two singles, This Game and Strange Life, along with a new one (due out next Friday, titled Counting Friends (I think)…this be the song’s live debut.

Fortunately the music got a little louder as the set progressed but they talkers were still having their way.

I would have liked to stay and see the following act, Amir Yussof, but there seemed no point as this was turning into a loud, Saturday night out on the town, rather than a chance to sit down and enjoy the music.

Marty Duda

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Setlist:

1. Shadows
2. Life Goes On
3. Cry With You
4. Solid Ground
5. Counting Friends
6. Strange Life
7. Back To Me
8. I Got This
9. This Game
10. Familiar Friend
11. Butterflies
12. Gonna Get To You
13. Magic Things