Marlon Williams brings te reo album tour to Gisborne's War Memorial Theatre
Williams then began his own set also in darkness with his commanding lone voice setting the tone, soon accompanied by his skilled band The Yarra Benders, which includes multi-instrumentalist Dave Khan, Ben Woolley and Gus Agars.
Williams explained that his album came out a month ago and there was also a premiere in Auckland for his documentary Ngā Ao E Rua – Two Worlds (directed by Ursula Grace Williams), where many whānau from Gisborne went up for the premiere.
A lot of the set was songs in te reo from the new album, but Williams also threw in favourites such as My Boy from the album of the same name and his own version of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, a hit for Roberta Flack in 1972.
Williams also performed a song he said was written by the late songwriter, musician and academic Hirini Melbourne, that was also in te reo, as well as his own song Arahura, which he dedicated to those in the South Island.
It was his third time at Gisborne's War Memorial Theatre. 'It's good to be back in whānau land.'
KOMMI came back to the stage to sing several more songs with the band and Williams and the band closed out the set to a standing ovation.
Williams' right-hand man, the talented Khan (who has played with the likes of Neil Finn, Sir Dave Dobbyn and Reb Fountain), proved himself able with the double-bass and guitar, and his strength as a musician was to the fore.
The tour continues in Rotorua and Hamilton this week, before a stint in Australia, followed by gigs at Auckland's Spark Arena, Dunedin and Christchurch next month.
Hopefully it won't be too before he heads back to Tairāwhiti to delight again.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
5 days ago
- Scoop
‘Blue Electric Light Tour 2025' Comes To Spark Arena
(16 June 2025) – Today, 4-time GRAMMY® Award-winning writer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and all around multi-hyphenate icon, Lenny Kravitz announces his first ever tour to Aotearoa New Zealand as part of his globally praised Blue Electric Light Tour presented by TEG Live. On Saturday 15 November, Kravitz and his band will make their highly anticipated debut in New Zealand for one night only at Spark Arena. Tickets for the Aotearoa leg of the Blue Electric Light Tour 2025 will be available on pre-sale via the Artist on Tuesday 17 June, 9am – Thursday 19 June, 9am (local time) and TEG Live and Ticketmaster on Thursday 19 June, 10am – Friday 20 June at 9am (local time). General public tickets will be available on Friday, 20 June at 10am (local time) from ' We're thrilled to welcome Lenny Kravitz and his band to New Zealand for the first time! This dynamic live show is not to be missed. Lenny will perform all the hits, along with fan favourites from Blue Electric Light. The energy, vocal power, and stage presence of Kravitz and his exhilarating band are truly outstanding.' TEG LIVE The Blue Electric Light Tour 2025 continues what Billboard calls the 'Lennaissance,' a period of worldwide success for Kravitz, who released his critically-acclaimed 12th studio album Blue Electric Light last year. The Associated Press described the project as ' glorious… the rocker's best stuff in years,' while NPR called it a ' kaleidoscope of soaring rock, psychedelic funk, gentle soul and more.' Also, Kravitz was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the 'Music Icon Award' at the 2024 People's Choice Awards, the 'Best Rock Award' at the 2024 Video Music Awards and the CFDA's 'Fashion Icon Award.' Kravitz recently took Europe by storm on his Blue Electric Light Tour. ABOUT LENNY KRAVITZ Regarded as one of the preeminent rock musicians of our time, Lenny Kravitz has transcended genre, style, race, and class over the course of a three decade-plus musical career. Revelling in the soul, rock, and funk influences of the sixties and seventies, the writer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist has won four GRAMMY® Awards. In 2023, Kravitz debuted the anthemic 'Road To Freedom,' a song he wrote, performed, and produced specifically for the much-buzzed-about Netflix film, Rustin. The track, which can be heard HERE, plays over the film's end title credits. In conjunction with the release of the song, Kravitz secured a Golden Globe nomination for 'Best Original Song – Motion Picture', a Critics Choice Award nomination for 'Best Song,' and the Guild of Music Supervisors Award nomination for 'Best Song Written and/or Recorded for a Film' for the soul-stirring anthem. In addition to his twelve albums, which have sold 40 million worldwide, his creative firm Kravitz Design Inc. touts an impressive portfolio of noteworthy ventures, including hotel properties, condominium projects, private residences, and high-end legendary brands like Rolex, Leica and Dom Perignon. In 2022, he launched his own ultra-premium spirits brand, Nocheluna Sotol—a distillate from Chihuahua, Mexico derived from the sotol plant. Kravitz is the author of Flash, a book which showcases unique rock photography. His recent memoir, Let Love Rule, also landed him on The New York Times' Best Sellers List. Kravitz currently serves as the brand ambassador and global face for YSL Beauty's Y cologne and is the global ambassador for luxury watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre. This multidimensional artist has also segued into film, appearing as Cinna in the box-office hits, The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, as well as in the critically acclaimed films Precious and The Butler.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Scoop
‘Blue Electric Light Tour 2025' Comes To Spark Arena
(16 June 2025) – Today, 4-time GRAMMY® Award-winning writer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and all around multi-hyphenate icon, Lenny Kravitz announces his first ever tour to Aotearoa New Zealand as part of his globally praised Blue Electric Light Tour presented by TEG Live. On Saturday 15 November, Kravitz and his band will make their highly anticipated debut in New Zealand for one night only at Spark Arena. Tickets for the Aotearoa leg of the Blue Electric Light Tour 2025 will be available on pre-sale via the Artist on Tuesday 17 June, 9am – Thursday 19 June, 9am (local time) and TEG Live and Ticketmaster on Thursday 19 June, 10am – Friday 20 June at 9am (local time). General public tickets will be available on Friday, 20 June at 10am (local time) from ' We're thrilled to welcome Lenny Kravitz and his band to New Zealand for the first time! This dynamic live show is not to be missed. Lenny will perform all the hits, along with fan favourites from Blue Electric Light. The energy, vocal power, and stage presence of Kravitz and his exhilarating band are truly outstanding.' TEG LIVE The Blue Electric Light Tour 2025 continues what Billboard calls the 'Lennaissance,' a period of worldwide success for Kravitz, who released his critically-acclaimed 12th studio album Blue Electric Light last year. The Associated Press described the project as ' glorious… the rocker's best stuff in years,' while NPR called it a ' kaleidoscope of soaring rock, psychedelic funk, gentle soul and more.' Also, Kravitz was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the 'Music Icon Award' at the 2024 People's Choice Awards, the 'Best Rock Award' at the 2024 Video Music Awards and the CFDA's 'Fashion Icon Award.' Kravitz recently took Europe by storm on his Blue Electric Light Tour. LENNY KRAVITZ BLUE ELECTRIC LIGHT 2025 NEW ZEALAND TOUR DATE Saturday, 15 November | Auckland | Spark Arena TICKETS ON SALE ON FRIDAY 20 JUNE 2025 AT 10AM (local time) ABOUT LENNY KRAVITZ Regarded as one of the preeminent rock musicians of our time, Lenny Kravitz has transcended genre, style, race, and class over the course of a three decade-plus musical career. Revelling in the soul, rock, and funk influences of the sixties and seventies, the writer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist has won four GRAMMY® Awards. In 2023, Kravitz debuted the anthemic 'Road To Freedom,' a song he wrote, performed, and produced specifically for the much-buzzed-about Netflix film, Rustin. The track, which can be heard HERE, plays over the film's end title credits. In conjunction with the release of the song, Kravitz secured a Golden Globe nomination for 'Best Original Song - Motion Picture', a Critics Choice Award nomination for 'Best Song,' and the Guild of Music Supervisors Award nomination for 'Best Song Written and/or Recorded for a Film' for the soul-stirring anthem. In addition to his twelve albums, which have sold 40 million worldwide, his creative firm Kravitz Design Inc. touts an impressive portfolio of noteworthy ventures, including hotel properties, condominium projects, private residences, and high-end legendary brands like Rolex, Leica and Dom Perignon. In 2022, he launched his own ultra-premium spirits brand, Nocheluna Sotol—a distillate from Chihuahua, Mexico derived from the sotol plant. Kravitz is the author of Flash, a book which showcases unique rock photography. His recent memoir, Let Love Rule, also landed him on The New York Times' Best Sellers List. Kravitz currently serves as the brand ambassador and global face for YSL Beauty's Y cologne and is the global ambassador for luxury watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre. This multidimensional artist has also segued into film, appearing as Cinna in the box-office hits, The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, as well as in the critically acclaimed films Precious and The Butler.
Scoop
7 days ago
- Scoop
Lenny Kravitz Announces New Zealand
Today, 4-time GRAMMY® Award-winning writer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and all around multi-hyphenate icon, Lenny Kravitz announces his first ever tour to Aotearoa New Zealand as part of his globally praised Blue Electric Light Tour presented by TEG Live. On Saturday 15 November, Kravitz and his band will make their highly anticipated debut in New Zealand for one night only at Spark Arena. Tickets for the Aotearoa leg of the Blue Electric Light Tour 2025 will be available on pre-sale via the Artist on Tuesday 17 June, 9am – Thursday 19 June, 9am (local time) and TEG Live and Ticketmaster on Thursday 19 June, 10am – Friday 20 June at 9am (local time). General public tickets will be available on Friday, 20 June at 10am (local time) from ' We're thrilled to welcome Lenny Kravitz and his band to New Zealand for the first time! This dynamic live show is not to be missed. Lenny will perform all the hits, along with fan favourites from Blue Electric Light. The energy, vocal power, and stage presence of Kravitz and his exhilarating band are truly outstanding.' TEG LIVE The Blue Electric Light Tour 2025 continues what Billboard calls the 'Lennaissance,' a period of worldwide success for Kravitz, who released his critically-acclaimed 12th studio album Blue Electric Light last year. The Associated Press described the project as ' glorious… the rocker's best stuff in years,' while NPR called it a ' kaleidoscope of soaring rock, psychedelic funk, gentle soul and more.' Also, Kravitz was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the 'Music Icon Award' at the 2024 People's Choice Awards, the 'Best Rock Award' at the 2024 Video Music Awards and the CFDA's 'Fashion Icon Award.' Kravitz recently took Europe by storm on his Blue Electric Light Tour. About Lenny Kravitz Regarded as one of the preeminent rock musicians of our time, Lenny Kravitz has transcended genre, style, race, and class over the course of a three decade-plus musical career. Revelling in the soul, rock, and funk influences of the sixties and seventies, the writer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist has won four GRAMMY® Awards. In 2023, Kravitz debuted the anthemic 'Road To Freedom,' a song he wrote, performed, and produced specifically for the much-buzzed-about Netflix film, Rustin. The track, which can be heard HERE, plays over the film's end title credits. In conjunction with the release of the song, Kravitz secured a Golden Globe nomination for 'Best Original Song - Motion Picture', a Critics Choice Award nomination for 'Best Song,' and the Guild of Music Supervisors Award nomination for 'Best Song Written and/or Recorded for a Film' for the soul-stirring anthem. In addition to his twelve albums, which have sold 40 million worldwide, his creative firm Kravitz Design Inc. touts an impressive portfolio of noteworthy ventures, including hotel properties, condominium projects, private residences, and high-end legendary brands like Rolex, Leica and Dom Perignon. In 2022, he launched his own ultra-premium spirits brand, Nocheluna Sotol—a distillate from Chihuahua, Mexico derived from the sotol plant. Kravitz is the author of Flash, a book which showcases unique rock photography. His recent memoir, Let Love Rule, also landed him on The New York Times' Best Sellers List. Kravitz currently serves as the brand ambassador and global face for YSL Beauty's Y cologne and is the global ambassador for luxury watch brand Jaeger-LeCoultre. This multidimensional artist has also segued into film, appearing as Cinna in the box-office hits, The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, as well as in the critically acclaimed films Precious and The Butler.
