Tami Neilson: my Kiwi fans made me
Tami Neilson says it’s her New Zealand fans who got her to where she is today.
As an act of gratitude, the Canadian-born songstress is returning to her adopted home, New Zealand, for her Songs of Sinners Tour.
A window in her schedule meant she had the time to treat her Kiwi audiences to something her international audiences don’t get to see.
Neilson will play 13 shows across New Zealand but she revealed it was Paekakariki she was most looking forward to.
‘‘I always love playing Paekakariki, because it’s off the beaten track,’’ says Neilson.
‘‘They have always been the most amazing audience, they are always the first to sell out the venue and they are so appreciative,’’ she said.
Sure enough, Neilson’s June 8 stop off at the St Peter’s Village Hall is already full up.
She’s also looking forward to playing in Christchurch where the Songs of Sinners concept all started.
Neilson, who will start the tour in the city tomorrow, says it was nice to bring the show full circle.
In 2016, the Christchurch Jazz Festival asked Neilson to curate a gospel show to perform at the Cardboard Cathedral.
‘‘I was thinking ‘I don’t know if it might be a bit intense to do an hour of gospel music’,’’ says Neilson.
‘‘I said it can be a little bit polarising if you are a person of faith, so can we make it a little bit more accessible to people so it’s mainstream?’ ‘‘ says Neilson.
As a compromise Songs of Sinners was born, a show about how gospel music became rock and roll.
What audiences hear is a concert/history lesson as Neilson takes the time to explain the origins of the songs and who they influenced.
The songs she sings helped shape artists like Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, Ray Charles and Prince.
‘‘All these incredible artists that we have today probably would not exist without the influence of the artists that I sing and perform in this show,’’ she says.
‘‘Digging into the songs and artists and who they influence is pretty amazing.’’
Although known for her country sound, Neilson is no stranger to gospel.
Neilson’s family band at home in Canada sang in a range of styles.
‘‘It’s not so much a change or a jump it is just exploring a part of me I don’t always get to explore,’’ she says.
These days, she reckons the genre boundaries are much more blurred, as demonstrated by the music of Marlon Williams and Nadia Reid and her own work.
And the lines between gospel, country, soul and blues are even fuzzier, thanks to their shared heritage in the American south.
Neilson is happy to be a ‘‘hybrid of all those genres’’.
Although the show is based around the birth of rock and roll, Neilson will also be performing her own award-winning songs.
However, Neilson said audiences should look forward to the last song of the night, Reap What You Sow by Otis Rush.
‘‘It’s one of those songs that as a performer you totally wring yourself out and every last drop of vocal stamina and energy just totally goes into that song,’’ she says.
‘‘As a vocalist that is so much fun to sing a challenging song like that.’’
The ‘Songs Of Sinners’ New Zealand Tour 2017: May 25, Christchurch, May 26, Dunedin, May 27, Queenstown, June 7, Paekakariki, June 8, Wellington, June 9, New Plymouth, June 10, Tauranga, June 11, Napier, June 15, Auckland, June 16, Hamilton, June 17, Auckland, June 18, Leigh.