Alison Moyet
14th October 2017
ASB Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Doug Peters.
It has been thirty years since the enigma that is Alison Moyet has graced a stage in New Zealand, so it was with much anticipation and maybe just a hint of curiosity that fans had arrived with tonight.
Opening the evening was New Zealand’s own Hollie Smith, who coming off the back of a six date tour around the country in celebration of the tenth anniversary of her Long Player album was in more than top form for her appearance tonight. Accompanied on stage by outstanding bass player Marika Hodgson, Smith looked absolutely splendid in the most delicate peach silk pant suit, the billowing sleeves cinched perfectly at the wrists. Beautifully lit from behind with two spotlights and a small amount of stage smoke that added a moving texture to the otherwise darkened backdrop; the duo of Smith and Hodgson held the audience throughout the short but well-presented set. Featuring two new songs – “some of you don’t know who I am so I can play what I want” Smith jested – ‘Beside You’ and the heartbreaking ‘Billy’ written for a former teenage love who recently passed away, and Smith’s set felt extremely personal tonight. Tinged with sadness it also featured her wonderfully uplifting cover of ‘God Bless the Child’ and of course ‘Bathe in the River’ which prompted many to praise Smith’s name out loud in appreciation.
By now all three tiers of the theatre were teeming with people, many keenly leaning forward and watching with great interest as three small risers were brought out and placed in formation across the stage. As the lights dropped, the chattering immediately fell away, Moyet’s distinctive lower octave voice ringing out across the speakers as deep blue lights illuminated the space before the audience. For many who own Moyet’s latest album released just this year entitled Other, they immediately recognised it as the spoken word track ‘April 10th’, for those that didn’t it was indeed a fascinating way of beginning the performance. Upon its conclusion two gentlemen enter from side of stage and stoically stand behind two keyboard stands; moments later in strides Moyet, the audience already applauding her before she has even reached the riser. Stepping up, she grips the microphone stand with purpose; the lights illuminate her from behind and she fixes the audience with such a fierce glint in her eye that it almost physically pushes them back into their seats.
‘I Germinate’ could not have been a more ideal track to begin with; not only is it one of her latest further exploring the electronica soundscape that Moyet had returned to on her 2013 album Minutes but it perfectly encapsulated exactly who and what she is as a performer. Moyet continues to grow, to develop. She exists. Dressed in a simple black linen shirt and three quarter pants, she throws shapes with her body that are so gratifyingly powerful that the audience is in awe, many in the first few rows sitting with their lips slightly apart as they drink in this amazing spectacle before them; Moyet’s voice sounding even richer and more commanding than it ever has. Upon the song’s conclusion the audience erupts, some jumping to their feet with the sheer electricity of the moment. Moyet’s face immediately breaks into a huge smile “How brilliant to see you – thank you for coming!” the change in her persona instant but completely genuine.
Beginning her career back in 1982 as one half of the synthpop duo Yazoo (the other half consisting of former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke) it seems appropriate that her sound has almost come full circle to once again return to the world of electronica. But make no mistake, Moyet is no heritage act, in fact it is a term guaranteed to raise her hackles if mentioned. She is an artist who has continued to create throughout her career with the majority of her albums charting in the UK Top 30. While that doesn’t mean that she won’t feature a few ‘classics’ within her set, it does mean that she is particular about what she will play, something that she makes quite clear to an audience member who insists on requesting the song ‘Invisible’; “I hope you’re joking” some fans continuing to encourage her to play it “Sssh, I don’t care what you say, I haven’t done it for thirty years, where have you been … where have you been? While it was said with a jovial overtone, Moyet means what she says; the song no longer fitting her and therefore remaining relegated to the back of the musical archives. And to be honest if any fan had come just to hear that song than they were only doing themselves a disservice, as Moyet’s set was such a marvelous collection of well-crafted songs that it would have been impossible to have left the theatre disappointed.
Moyet spent the evening often breaking up the tracks with little anecdotes, her distinctive and endearing English accent a delight to listen to; many of these narratives were from a very personal place, the story of how her mother “who was in control of two things; her kids and the English language” slowly left her through Alzheimer’s particularly poignant. It is this honesty, this ability to be who she is and make no apology for it that makes Moyet such an outstanding artist. While society often ignores the middle aged woman, relegating her to a place where she is expected to quietly fade into obscurity, Moyet rebels; moving with purpose, she wields her microphone stand as her sword cutting a path all of her own.
Adding unforgettable ambience, instrumentals and backing vocals to the show tonight were Jim Garden who brandished both a guitar and a keyboard as if they were extra limbs and the very talented and rather sought after Sean McGhee whose vocals alone were so uplifting that it was impossible not to be carried away by them. They complimented Moyet flawlessly; visually they did not detract from Moyet, instead they framed her, providing her the musical platform from which she could earth her vocals allowing them to organically grow, shifting and changing with each new song.
All too soon Moyet was bidding the audience goodnight, but not before delivering a dazzling encore that lit up the stage and allowed Moyet to bust out some dance moves and a smile that lit up the room. Audience members bursting forth from their seats and filling the isles as they danced to the classic Yazoo track ‘Don’t Go’
To hell with heritage act – Moyet is in a class all of her own.
Were you there at the ASB Theatre for this stunning concert? Or have you seen Alison Moyet perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
- April 10th
- I Germinate
- When I Was Your Girl
- Wishing You Were Here
- Nobody’s Diary
- Ski
- Beautiful Gun
- Only You
- The English U
- Is This Love
- Changeling
- All Cried Out
- The Man In The Wings
- This House
- Lover, Go
- The Rarest Birds
- Right As Rain
- Situation
- Love Resurrection
- Whispering Your Name (Jules Shear Cover) [encore]
- Don’t Go [encore]
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