The Proclaimers, Hastings NZ, 2023

The Proclaimers

22nd March 2023
ToiToi, Hastings, New Zealand.

Review by Rob Harbers. Photography by Andrew Caldwell.

In the mid-80s, 2 sets of brothers with the surname of Reid, both from Caledonian climes, appeared on the musical landscape. Both of them authentically, but in very different fashions, expressed the sound of their background. The first to emerge were Jim and William, the force behind The Jesus and Mary Chain, who in their devotion to noise and feedback conveyed the grimness of a Glaswegian upbringing.

A year or two later, there emerged from Edinburgh the Proclaimers, with twins Charlie and Craig being initially known for their heavily accented vocals, their manifesto best expressed in early single ‘Throw the R away’. It’s probably highly unlikely that Jim and William will ever conduct a wide-ranging tour of Aotearoa, but Craig and Charlie have done so several times, and are currently nearing the end of their latest sojourn, with gigs in Hamilton and Auckland still to come, closing out the trip. But tonight it was the turn of Hastings’ ToiToi to host them, and if the reception they received is anything to go by, they’ll be welcomed back anytime!

First up, it fell to The Bads to get the crowd warmed up. This duo were the subject of my first live review for this site, and after a century of reviews and 2.5 years, we’ve come full circle! Unfortunately though, due to an overly bright sound mix, tonight’s performance failed to impress as much, despite their best efforts. While the dynamics suited Brett’s expansive guitar stylings, Dianne’s vocals weren’t able to be fully appreciated in this setting – which was a bit of a shame, given their expressive purity. In any case, they likely acquired a few new fans tonight, aided by Dianne’s expression of appreciation for being able to play in this setting, given the events of the last month or two – a sentiment that was enthusiastically received.

With the predominantly silver-haired audience having wet their whistles, it was then the turn of the Brothers Reid to take their place on the stage. Once they did, it was at a flat out, balls to the wall pace – if they were going to be walking a thousand miles, they were going to get there quickly! How quickly? They performed 24 songs in their hour and a half appearance – nae feckin aboot for these lads! This carried the crowd through much unfamiliar material, giving none the chance for ennui, although sometimes at the expense of clarity – a case in point being ‘Cap In Hand’, their early questioning of the state of the union, the wry lyrics of which got a little lost in the rush.

The highlight, for me, was a beautiful rendition of ‘Sunshine On Leith’, burnishing yet further the emotional depth of the original. This led in, via ‘I Met You’ from the same album, to the two songs that everyone was there for, and I suspect for a few present were possibly about the extent of their repertoire knowledge, namely ‘I’m On My Way’ and ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’, both of which got almost everyone on their feet. This brace closed out the main set, before a two-song encore, sadly not including the one I most wanted to hear, namely the aforementioned ‘Throw The R Away’, but regardless of my disappointment, pleasing the audience in any case.

Albeit that it was displayed at an accelerated pace, the talent of the backing musicians (the ones who aren’t brothers) was clearly evident, each being given ample opportunity to shine, while complementing the songs perfectly. So all in all, a great night out, with a band on top form, performing a huge setlist, with at least one or two songs to get you on your feet – what more do you need? As mentioned earlier, two more cities are yet to host, with Tamaki Makaurau’s Powerstation featuring a second show on Friday 24th (the original on the 25th having sold out), before the final gig on the 26th at Kirikiriroa’s Globox Arena. Residents of these areas – regard this as your warning of an opportunity not to be missed, and get there!

The Proclaimers

The Bads

Were you there at ToiToi for this magnificent throwback show? Or have you seen The Proclaimers perform live somewhere else before? 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. This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase a product using an affiliate link, Ambient Light will automatically receive a small commission at no cost to you.}

If you enjoyed this content, please consider donating towards the running of Ambient Light, covering expenses and allowing us to expand the coverage you love by visiting our PressPatron page.