Honest, Kiwi music with tears, big beats

Not many people like to openly talk in public about broken love or difficult life experiences.

Except for songwriters, who don’t seem to mind reliving their life’s woes, in song, in front of large crowds of people.

That was the case at Nivara Lounge where the On A Good Note tour held the second gig of seven performances around the country.

The act was headlined by Auckland performers Abbey Harker-Ferguson and Yasamin Al-Tiay, supported by Raglan singer Parabola West.

Each singer performed a set on a cold Friday night to warm the lounge with songs filled with meaningful lyrics and harmonies.

Al-Tiay, an independent artist, was the opening act for this trio and was just a week or so out from releasing a new album when she appeared at Nivara Lounge.

The petite performer’s voice was soft and delicate but also sharp and precise with her unique sound connecting with the audience.

A favourite of her set was the song London, written about a planned trip overseas that never quite happened.

There was also a song about an old lover, the lyrics doing their job rekindling forgotten memories and the performer struggling to finish without a tear in her eye.

Al-Tiay also showed her versatility performing with guitar and then switching to the ukulele. She was engaging with those in front, asking once if there ‘‘was a counsellor in the audience’’ after talking about the struggle and triumph of her songs.

Parabola West presented the second set strongly, featuring her own style of electronica, mixed in with Nordic-folk tunes and heavy beats.

She performed her single, Fire, released last year, a slower beat where you really heard the mix of electronica and folk.

It was a good way to move into the final set of the night, performed by Harker-Ferguson.

The former Tokoroa girl’s bold voice demanded the attention of the audience, and they gave it (as many were friends or relatives who had come to see her perform).

There were strong covers from Etta James but the most enjoyable were her original songs, such as Ships and Million, from her album released last year (via Waatea Music), the latter she left until last to perform.

And like Al-Tiay, there was a song of broken love, with HarkerFerguson challenging friends in the audience to guess who it was written about.

Three women with three different styles, voices and sounds. It’s the original songs people enjoyed the most. The tour had promised ‘‘original, honest Kiwi music’’ and that is what they heard.

I would have enjoyed seeing a song performed, mixing the contrasting voices of HarkerFerguson and Al-Tiay, with perhaps a drop of electronica by Parabola West.

Maybe next time.