Air Supply, Auckland NZ, 2019

Air Supply

30th April 2019
Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland, New Zealand.

Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Chris Zwaagdyk.

Love was in the air last night as iconic soft rock duo Air Supply touched down in Auckland for the final date of their Australasian orchestral tour.

Formed in 1975 the Australian/English duo of Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell are synonymous with the era of great love songs, the ones that seemingly pass down through the generations, serenading couples walking down aisles and through romantic anniversary dinners.

Promising a two-hour performance split into two sets, there was no support act required, the show instead beginning promptly on the hour of eight with Russell and Graham arriving on stage to euphoric applause, behind them a sixteen-piece orchestra conducted by the elegant Sarah Grace Williams and Air Supplys own four-piece band led by their musical director and rather accomplished guitarist Aaron Mclain. Having worked with the likes of artists such as Jennifer Lopez right through to Patti LaBelle and Tears for Fears, Mclain brought an additional spark as well as several intense solos to an already impressive show.

There’s something to be said for a partnership that has lasted almost forty-five years, both Russell and Graham moving in sync with each other throughout the evening, the mutual respect and unbreakable friendship evident.

Beginning with the fan favourite of ‘Sweet Dreams’, Russell serenaded the audience with a voice that was untouched by the hands of times, his stage demeanour rather spritely for a man that will shortly be turning seventy. As ‘Even the Nights Are Better’ and ‘Just As I Am’ danced through the room, couples snuggled up that little bit closer, other fans instead jumping to their feet to sing along.

The orchestral backing was certainly a fantastic idea, as Russell discussed with Ambient Light in an earlier interview, Air Supply often perform with a symphony orchestra in the US three to four times every year so the chance to do so for their Australasian tour was an opportunity they could not say no to. However due to a lack of miking of the orchestra itself, their subtleties were often lost under the drumming of Aviv Cohen and Italian keyboardist Mirko Tessandori, both of whom are exceptional musicians but unfortunately just a little overpowering in such a setting.

The Frank Musker and Dominic Bugatti written classic ‘Every Woman in the World’ was an anthem to the crowd, many joining in on the chorus line, Russell himself looking thrilled by their participation and encouraging them to sing louder.

Despite the rather well-known fact that Graham is the song writing half of the duo, he often begins many of the tracks, his acoustic guitar safely strapped across his front. While vocally not as strong as Russell, his voice has a lovely soft depth to it, like the forest floor after the first spring rains. This came through even more clearly after the duo’s rendition of their first ever single ‘Love and Other Bruises’; Graham reciting one of his poems entitled ‘Impossible’ (something he does at every one of Air Supply’s shows) with a theatricality that was quite enchanting. The first half of the evening concluding with Graham performing one of his latest tracks by the name of ‘Son of a Father’.

The second half of the show began with Russell and Graham atop bar stools for a double header of ‘Now and Forever’ that blended seamlessly into ‘Two Less Lonely People in the World’, Russell – who had changed into a far more casual print shirt – really kicking it up a notch on the vocals.

Deciding to get a little more personal with their audience, ‘The One That You Love’ saw the duo take opposites sides of the room as they wandered through the aisles, pausing for selfies with fans all the while never once missing a beat. By now the crowd were fully invested, many having made their way down to the front of the stage, those on the second level up on their feet, their arms waving in the air like branches caught in a summer breeze. ‘Making Love out of Nothing At All’ was extended out, both the fans and the musicians on stage giving it everything they had before bidding farewell and allowing the crowd to have a little fun with demanding their return to the stage.

Air Supply began their three-song encore with a cover of the 1970 Badfinger classic ‘Without You’ a song that has been covered over one hundred and eighty times by a plethora of artists including the diva herself Mariah Carey. Having first covered it in 1991 it has since been a regular on the Air Supply set list, Russell once again proving that his vocals have lost absolutely nothing over the last four decades.

‘Shake It’ a track that Graham penned for the Goldstein and Clyde musical A Wall Apart, injected a little rock n roll into the set, Graham playing up to the ladies in the front row as he waggled his tail feathers at them.

Of course, it was rather obvious what the closer would be, ‘All Out of Love’, arguably one of Air Supplys greatest hits having yet to have made an appearance. It’s delivery the culmination of an evening’s worth of music, love and laughter.

It’s easy to see why Air Supply are still touring after all these years, the magic created between Russell and Graham rarely found, but certainly treasured by their fans both young and old.

Were you there at the Bruce Mason Centre to witness this magnificent gig? Or have you seen Air Supply perform live some other time? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Setlist:

1. Sweet Dreams
2. Even The Nights Are Better
3. Just As I Am
4. Every Woman In The World To Me
5. Here I Am
6. Chances
7. Goodbye
8. Love And Other Bruises
9. Son Of A Father
10. Now And Forever / Two Less Lonely People In The World
11. The One That You Love
12. Lost In Love
13. Making Love Out Of Nothing At All
14. Without You [Badfinger cover – encore]
15. Shake It [encore]
16. All Out Of Love [encore]

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