Kendall Elise, Wellington NZ, 2022

Kendall Elise

11th March 2022
Moon Bar, Wellington, New Zealand.

Review and photography by Tim Gruar.

Last month we featured Kendall Elise Todd’s new single, a barn-stomping rendition of Suzi Quatro’s ‘Your Momma won’t Like Me’ in our inaugural ‘Singles Club’ feature. Now’, finally, we get a chance to see the Papakura songwriter live on stage. The finalist for the APRA Best Country Music Song 2021 award is desperately trying to get around the motu under Red Light Conditions, to promote her wonderful sophomore effort ‘Let The Night In’ – a perfect mixes of rockabilly, Americana and roadhouse with touches of Nick Cave styled Gothics.

And, let’s face it, touring for artists these days is damn hard. Kendall has had to cancel and rebook shows umpteen times because of Covid. Half this current tour has been impacted by the latest Omicron outbreak. This is massively hard for any artist, but doubly so if you are self-managed like she is.

But finally we are here, in the small but cosy Moon Bar, in Newtown, on a quiet Friday night. Sure, it’s not the usually rowdy clientele or a heaving, sweaty club space, as it was a couple of years ago, but there’s still a bit of a vibe amongst the patrons who turn up – limited as we are, due to the red light settings of course.

The gig opens with Gore’s very own Jenny Mitchell, now living large in the Capital. Singing solo, with just a guitar she opens with a number dedicated to an old flame, ‘Tug Of War’ and goes on to link her next song, Énds Of The Earth’, to the story of her Irish great-grandparents moving to the Deep South in the 19th Century and the sheer ordeal and bravery of such an undertaking. Also on the set list is a new single called ‘Somehow’. The video version is played on a banjo, with a full band. Jenny on her guitar tonight plays it like it was written, simple and straight forward. Without a full band it lacks the drama but you definitely get a sense of the intensity intended. The lines “Darkness is a woman and she’s bathed in frankincense” is still spinetingling.

After a quick tale of being confused for Joni Mitchell at Melbourne airport, Jenny covers ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ and everyone helps out on the chorus. Then there’s ‘Feels So Lost’, a response to moving away from hometown Gore to the big smoke.

It all finishes with the wonderful ‘Trouble Finds A Girl’, a song that confronts society’s stubborn reluctance to change attitudes to women and sexist stereotypes. Jenny also says that the song is her interpretation of how it feels to watch someone you love struggle with mental health. There’s a new version of this featuring Tami Neilson, which is just awesome and an even more powerful statement.
What you can’t deny is the clarity of Jenny Mitchell’s voice. It’s purity and intensity and range will just improve tenfold over time and her song writing sits well between the darkness and the light that this genre is capable of when at its very best. I was reminded of Emmy Lou Harris and The Civil Wars, even Over The Rhine, and was very glad I mad the effort to come early.

And so to the headliner. Tonight, is all about the new material. ‘Let In the Night’, an album that roams from soul stirring outback gothic ballads to full blown stompers. Like Ms Neilson, Kendall Elise sits in that ‘cool’ space, where it’s ok to love this genre for all the great things it can be. Country music can be folk music, dance music, an emotional trigger, a place to dream or to experience nightmares. Going by tonight’s show it’s a compulsory booking for any music lover – no matter what your usual tastes may be.

The former Situations keyboardist has been turning heads since she went solo in 2016 with her darkly ironic single ‘Heart Full of Dirt’ off the self-produced debut EP ‘I Didn’t Stand A Chance’. That earned her a top 3 finalist for the APRA Best Country Music Song 2017. You may have already heard it on the second season of the Kiwi comedy series ‘Friday Night Bites’. You may also have heard it as part of her support set for Tami Neilson, Mel Parsons, Lindi Ortega, Big Country, Larkin Poe or Gin Wigmore. We got to hear it again tonight and it’s still a wonderful song, with the best lines – “I can’t spend my life getting beat down by you / I’d love you so much more if you were dead”.

But before we get to that song, Kendall plays an acoustic version of her new album’s title track, ‘Let The Night In’ as the opener, accompanied by John Segovia playing a slide guitar. That’s followed by a sweet version of ‘Between Hello and Goodbye’, also done by the duo, before the band jump on stage to help out with a raucous version of ‘Something’s Got To Give’ and the darker ‘Black Dog’. Kendall dedicates the very romantic ‘Who Kissed Who’ to her husband Chris Kemp, the band’s drummer, whose currently slinking into the corner, laughing.

Also on the list tonight is Jewel’s ‘Who Will Save Your Soul?’ and the new single ‘Honest Hand’, a beautiful roaming tune about honesty and trust. Her “saucy song”, ‘I Want’, picks up the pace as the band kicks in full noise.

At this point Kendall slows down to explain how she’d done research on the history of her hometown, Papakura, which means ‘’Red Earth’. This was also the title of her first album, recorded with crowdsourcing funds at Roundhead Studios. The title track, which she plays tonight, along with the rest of the material on the disc is a deeply introspective effort, full of intricate storytelling, evocative instrumentation and meaningful lyricism. Unfortunately, my favourites from the album ‘The Clock Tower’, ‘Valentine Street’ and the sinister ‘Kirk’s Bush (The Long Way Around)’ don’t get an airing, but the title track still has all it’s magic and is worth the return ticket.

Another track from the new album, ‘You Gotta Be A Little Mad’ comes out swinging, full and loud song, with elements from 60s girl groups and a classic throwback drum beat from Chris Kemp. The Belgraves Rob ‘Dizzy Fingers’ Scott on bass and Kevin ‘The Thames Tornado’ Place join in to add extra colour and funk.

The show ends on the raunchy rendition of the old Chinn-Chapman and Suzi Quatro number ‘Your Momma Won’t Like Me’, quite different from the funky pop original, and the afore mentioned ‘Heart Full Of Dirt’.

Patrons were ready to leave by now, having satisfied their need for music and drinks. This reviewer was just so pleased to get out amongst live music again, after so long. And what a great way to reintroduce that pleasure to the senses.

Kendall Elise is one to watch. She has great stage presence and is a keen song writer. ‘Country’ may be her genre but she’s far more accessible in the pop space. With a musical palette, and a voice that spans soulful torch ballad, vigorous rockabilly and delicate, fragile acoustic numbers she’s a little bit of Grace Slick, Stevie Nicks, Lorretta Lynn and Emmy Lou Harris all mixed together. But mostly she’s her own product and package. And that’s just better.

Were you there at Moon Bar in Wellington for this intimate gig? Or have you seen Kendall Elise perform live some other time? Tell us about it in the comments below!

_{Note: Ambient Light was provided passes to review and photograph this concert. As always, this has not influenced the review in any way and the opinions expressed are those of Ambient Light’s only.}

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