Marlon Williams has been touted as ‘a once-in-a-generation talent with a voice that crosses continents.’ Never a more true sentiment has been shared.
Willams finally returned to Australian shores for his first solo tour in almost ten years, An Evening with… In the first of two sold-out Tarntanya/ Adelaide shows at The Gov, he was captivating throughout two mesmerising sets.
Wearing a hoody and with only a spotlight shining, Williams commanded the room from the onset with an acapella E Mawehe Ana Au. Alternating between piano and guitar, he remained shrouded in near darkness for set one.
An Evening with Marlon Williams was the embodiment of a two-act play. While Act One offered a haunting backstory of sorts via song, full of emotion and a heightened build-up, Act Two was the explosion of colour, laughter and all things fanciful. Williams later decreed the first half of the performance to be the ‘sad boy set’ and the second half the ‘manic lounge set’. He wasn’t wrong.
He barely uttered more than a sheepish ‘hello’ during set one. Conversely, he sang Beautiful Dress, Come to Me, Trips, Arahura, Dark Child, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Kahore He Manu E, Nga Ara Aroha and Rimu Rimu with breathtaking earnestness and conviction. There were wide eyes from the crowd, mutterings of ‘wow’ and other superlatives. If the night ended there, everybody would have left with their cups overflowing. But it thankfully didn’t.
Bursting onto the stage, sans hoody, bright lighting adorning his dancing body, Willams offered the one-two punch of My Boy and Thinking of Nina. The juxtaposition from set one was evident. Nonetheless, the flow was not lost.
‘Welcome Adelaide. It’s a Thursday night, and we’re going off,’ a chattier Williams proclaimed. Sitting in his makeshift lounge, whiskey on hand, he shared stories and many more songs over the next eighty minutes.
Singing in English and original and traditional Māori Waiata, it was an aural celebration. Looking for a Little Sweetie was a 1920’s gem. I Wonder Why, written with Kacy & Clayton, melded Pacific Country and choral elements. Devil’s Daughter channelled the Blues. He Wawata was an ode to Halley’s comet. While Lonely Side of Her was a low-tempo love song.
Where Panaki, Aua Atu Rā, and Huri Te Whenua were a delectable trio of Māori songs, Princes Walk invoked an evocatively dreamy disposition. Hoiho reinvigorated love for the Hoiho penguin and generated many smiles. Crowd favourite Love Is a Terrible Thing was all-encompassing and not to be outdone by Promises, but it was. Concluding the second set, Williams’s rendition of the Bee Gees hit had him walking through the crowd, sharing the moment with all. It was…magnificent.
Spoiling us like it was our collective birthday, he returned for a three-song encore.
When I was a Young Girl had everyone transfixed, hanging on his every word. You could hear a pin drop as breaths were held and heartstrings tugged on. Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore, and MUTU concluded an extraordinary night.
At face value, performing with no band was risky as it placed the focus solely on Williams. In reality, it made for an incredible, intimate performance. His effortless and distinctive vocals, vulnerable lyrics, inclusivity, and musicianship shined, highlighting what an immeasurable talent he is.
An Evening with Marlon Williams may have taken over three years to arrive in Australia. It was worth the wait.
Live Review By Anita Kertes