Live at Studio 1 Launches

Dressed in denim, with canine companion in tow and wielding his beaten Martin D-28, Adam McGrath came and conquered the first Live at Studio 1 session.    

  

 

All in attendance were in awe of this affable, redwood of a gent with steel in lungs, striking his guitar with Popeye-like power. It takes a confident performer to attempt a crowd sing-a-long in the first song, but after a quick rundown on the 'rules of folk club' Adam had the room singing along to Woody Guthrie's I Ain't Got No Home in this World Anymore and from this point on we were transfixed. Sharing songs from his recent solo record Dear Companions and his back catalogue with The Eastern, Adam also peppered his set with the colourful tales of his youth, his post lock-down 'Barlands' experiences and how to trick an audience into confusion and one particularly rawkus story involving our former Prime Minister.

 

 

Adam is the kind of performer that isn’t thrown by anything and seemingly takes it all in his stride. Perhaps he’s seen it all down the endless folk highway he’s riding… perhaps he knows every song that has ever been written and when he takes requests from the crowd it ain’t nothing to belt out a Creedence Clearwater Revival song, word perfect. Whatever the case maybe here are a few things I know for sure. Adam McGrath is a compassionate, consummate performer who knows his lane, knows every corner on the track, knows when to put the foot down and when to drop it into neutral and let the engine idle. He gives it all and asks for nothing. He is a believer in the power of song and in the invisible human connection that a live performance can create.

 

So with this freshly in the forefront of my mind, I say: if you have the chance to see this national treasure (RNZ’s words, not mine) then I strongly suggest you take it. You won’t be disappointed. 

Keep an eye out for our May Live at Studio 1 announcement coming soon.