The Maes
5th December 2019
The Tuning Fork, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Ali Nicholls. Photography by Chontalle Musson.
Gracing the shores of Auckland after a five-year stint of touring to international acclaim, Melbourne-based folk sisterhood The Maes treated the crowd at The Tuning Fork to a glowing night of storytelling and reflection.
Since their evolution away from their original act as The Mae Trio, The Maes have been nurturing a wide audience of contemporary folk lovers with their tender musicianship. Their internationally admired 2019 self-titled album bring The Maes back to their folk origins, exploring the depth of the genre with powerful lyrics and evocative compositions.
Opening their Auckland show are Looking for Alaska, a Hamilton-based duo synthesising soulful vocals with intricate instrumental compositions. Their acapella opening song sets the tone for the night, wrapping the audience with warm vocal tones. Throughout the set the duo weave together vocal dynamics and harmonies to draw us into the emotions that form the foundations of the songs. It’s an enrapturing way to ease the audience into the night.
When The Maes’ set begins the intimacy of the evening shifts, and we are introduced to the comforting vulnerability of their songs. Maggie Rigby holds the crowd with a warm smile, moving us through the set on guitar and banjo. Her sister Elsie Rigby decorates each song with perfectly placed mandolin and violin accompaniment, while cellist Monique Claire brings waves of warmth with traditional folk bass melodies.
Each song in the set is preceded by a story of its composition. The Maes don’t only want us to enjoy their music; they want us to understand that their particular sound is borne of their own experiences, their perception of their lives, and the lives that have been entwined and untangled from theirs over time. As we listen through their latest album, occasionally dipping into past work, we are entrusted with their histories. The songs become living artefacts, and the boundary that separates the audience from the artists melts away a little more with each narrative.
The set is not without its hiccups, but the occasional false start seems only to add to the authenticity of their performance. As they relax into it The Maes illuminate the room, teasing out delicate threads of sound from their instruments. Following the legacy of women in folk for generations, they don’t shy away from the femininity that shapes their perspective. We get the sense as the night moves on that their honesty and vulnerability is their strength. There are elements of whimsy, romance, and heartache dappled throughout, but their compositions are expertly crafted to marry these themes with empowerment, trust, and intimacy. Those of us in the crowd who see the nuance in their stories are invited into their tender friendship. A playful nod to Janelle Monáe with their cover of ‘Make Me Feel’ solidifies this; their sound is uplifting, and it gives them room to show us how wide ranging their influences and inspirations are.
This is no more apparent than in the closing of the main set with ‘Treat You Better’, a song that Maggie explains was written out of “love and generosity, kindness and rage.” It’s a song about kindness in the face of uncertainty. About bringing love into the world even when the difference it will make isn’t obvious. And about healing anger and confusion with the certainty of care. There’s a stillness in the room as the crowd reflects on the poignancy of such a song. The significance of their message resonates like the swirling harmonic vocal overtones. Their sound perfectly mirrors their intention. As the set comes to a close, there is a sense of wholeness that holds the room long after The Maes have left the stage.
The all-encompassing charm of The Maes live performance is in their vulnerability, their honesty, and their ability to tell stories which are both personal and relatable. They open a space and invite us in, enveloping us in their beautiful sound and the narratives that have brought them to us. Their performance at The Tuning Fork was an ode to the ancestry of folk, and a lesson in the delicacy of expressing the emotions that shape us in profound ways.
Were you there at The Tuning Fork for this folk music showcase? Or have you seen The Maes perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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