Georgia Lines is in full flight as she launches new EP The Guest House, this being her last New Zealand show before heading off to Nashville.
She takes flight with the opening song Wonderful Life. At its core it may be addressing a heart departing, but it has the same spiritual joy that informed Van Morrison from Brown-Eyed Girl to the sunshine-filled tracks off Moondance (1970).
Her voice is always arresting whether in a small intimate venue or a large arena. Tonight, it feels intimate at the historic Hollywood Theatre in Avondale. The oldest working cinema house in the country, with a touch of genteel grandeur about it.
Georgia Lines steps out to a warm appreciative welcome. Plenty of friends, whanau and posse.
Wearing a loose black billowing outfit, showing a bare back, and with the trademark clumpy shoes.
The stellar band behind her. Longtime collaborator and musical support Nic Manders on keyboards, Elijah White drums, Marika Hodgson guitar, Holly Webster bass.
The next stand-out track is Julia. There’s something about Julia/ About the way she blows my mind.
The band gives this a Power Pop lift and what is a Seventies-styled Folk Pop gem is given an intense workout. I’ve only been listening to this EP since yesterday
Till The Music Stops is a ballad with the singer in a state of suspended animation. Leave me here to rest in peace/ My disbelief …suspended. Some sci-fi keyboard effects enhance the weirdness until the band kicks back in.
Limoncello is a slow burn of a song which has tentacles that insinuate itself hypnotically. It is an odd song about eating roast chicken with pomegranates, killing a mouse. And sipping on a limoncello whilst watching the sun go down (a rare liqueur you can drink straight out of a freezer).
Then you hear…should’ve known I couldn’t live without you. Compelling, and it grows on you.
The Guest House takes inspiration from a poem by Rumi, and a deep discussion with Chris Martin of Coldplay. A Pop song but in the manner of Joni with Jazz elements, or even an American Song Book classic.
Somehow, somewhere someone is waiting for me. Sounds like the echoes of Dusty Springfield. The guest house as the agent of change and transformation.
All these songs came about as a collaboration with Matt Aqualung Hales, when they came together in a recording studio in Burbank, Los Angeles.
There are some choice cuts from The Rose of Jericho to follow.
Wayside is powered by big thundering drums. End of the World and The Letter are Folk Pop with effortless inspirational powerful vocals.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and she does enough to make it her own. And a nod to Dusty again with the soulful accents. Going back to my plow.
Aisha and Bebe are two young folksingers from Tauranga, and they start the show tonight.
One has a great dominant voice with plenty of muscle. The other harmonises and plays acoustic guitar.
They were getting high rankings in the Smokefree Rockquests of 2023 and 2024.
I catch two, Angel and Violet which reveal a burgeoning talent.
Lou’ana takes the curtain raiser spot and raises the heat in the room with some smouldering to incendiary stuff.
Lou’ana Whitney is part Samoan and is based in Auckland after having been raised in Hamilton. She has a reputation as a great exponent of Soul, R’n’B, Funk and the hard Disco style. This is my first time to see her live.
Usually with a band but tonight she is solo with an electric guitar. Wearing a stunning red and dark outfit with high black boots, she resembles a cross between a young Cher, and the legendary Duchess that played with Bo Diddley in the Sixties.
Starts with Daydreams and it is pure smouldering Blues with the guitar sounding like Pop Staples vibrating on the Mississippi Delta sound.
Night Creature stands out as a sensual take on hot Soul to R’n’B with some Funk elements. Wild as a woman should be!
Heartbeat she announces as a new song, and it is Disco with a firm grip on the Chic style of hard R’n’B. Keeps me alive/ Made a choice to kiss the sky.
She has stated that she is a fan of Hendrix in interviews.
Georgia Lines tells us she will take the show out with bangers, after playing the title track off her EP.
Romeo and Never Had Love are powered by engine room thunder of drum and bass.
Made For Loving and My Love. Both powerful vocal performances which build to stunning loud climaxes. This is all without any backing singers.
Coming to the end and Lines gets quite emotional as she acknowledges her family and all her support network. She is heading to one of the musical meccas of the world after this.
With just Manders on keys, she closes with an emotional reading of Grand Illusion. A great diva ballad song. Finding our peace in the midst of distraction/ Caught up in a dream.
That was Georgia Lines and The Guest House concert.
Rev. Orange Peel
All Photos by Den, thanks to The 13th Floor.
