"And the sound of Te Awamutu had a truly sacred ring," as the songs and voices of Crowded House reverberated through a packed Regent on Broadway in Palmerston North.
The pre-show buzz in the foyer was palpable, with impromptu singing heard by those punters who were anticipating a vocal cord workout.
One fan told me, "This is the first concert I've been to since Covid, and it's so good to see so many people out tonight. It's gonna be awesome!"
As Crowded House look ahead to celebrating 40 years in 2025, founding members Neil Finn and Nick Seymour were clearly ready to enjoy the evening, sneaking onto stage carrying a small lantern, which they hung off their mic stands.
The feeling of whānau was evident, with Neil's two sons proudly playing the songs Dad had written. Although Nick Seymour said he's still not quite used to being "Uncle Nick."
Liam displayed a masterclass of ethereal guitar, whilst Elroy ably kept time in memory of beloved original drummer (and his own personal mentor) Paul Hester.
Mitchell Froom, who produced their self-titled debut album, and locally born and bred percussionist Paul Taylor completed the assured line-up, helping the ensemble work its way through a catalogue of songs that are quite breathtaking in their complexity and colours.
From ballads that seemed to have been taken directly from our own life experiences to rocking Crowded classics like "Mean to Me" (the first song of the set) and "When You Come," the show's 'light and shade' kept everyone engaged with the music and hilarity that lasted for two hours!
What remains one of Kiwi music's great unfathomables is the talent of Neil Finn. Perfecting his craft with older brother Tim at family gatherings, Neil has spoken in the past about how "singing all night was very much part of my upbringing," leading to his decision to become a musician at the age of 12.
Fifty-four years with a guitar slung off his shoulder and many more years of singing with his big bro gave Manawatū fans everything they could have asked for.
Oh, did I mention that Neil also plays a slick keyboard line or two, including an impromptu performance of Ray Conniff's "Somewhere My Love"?
Whilst the concert delivered great music, it was the linking chat between songs that gave the crowd many laughs, including Neil talking about his wife Sharon being born in Palmerston North. A paper dart thrown on the stage led to a request being played, and one front-row fan was handed Liam's guitar, which had everybody on their feet as she tried to look like a guitarist. The bemused expressions on the faces of Neil Finn and Nick Seymour were brilliant... her guitar playing though...
Closing the show, "Better Be Home Soon" gave the fans their final singalong as Crowded House left the stage to a standing ovation and with beaming smiles all around.
Some concerts can feel formulaic; however, I felt like I'd just caught up with some old friends who happened to be musicians. The professionalism was interspersed with personal moments, Kiwi banter only a local crowd would understand, and the kind of artist/audience connection that could only come from a local band playing to local fans. Thank you, Crowded House. You'd better be back soon!
