#9 The Real Group, Bruce Mason Theatre

24 September 2017

The Real Group delivered a sublime performance in Takapuna on a warm spring afternoon. The Scandinavian quintet's concert spanned beautiful renditions of jazz classics like Nat King Cole's Nature Boy and Bill Evans' Waltz for Debbie, through to triumphant pop anthems like George Michael's Freedom, along with many original compositions. These were mixed with some hilarious songs that still underscore their vocal range, like a country number about a sexist boss, and a semi-improv about two tomatoes going to an Iron Maiden concert. 

The Real Group - Emma, Anders, Morten, Lisa and Janis - blend vocal harmonies, beat box rhythms, and clever use of looping to produce an absorbing, delicate and stirring a capella performance. Their performance on RNZ ahead of the concert is worth catching to hear their captivating harmonies and rhythms, and the approaches they take to their music.

For me, the highlights were a haunting and soaring arrangement of a Latvian folk song (yes, really) called Dark is the Night / Green is the Grass, and the delicate and original I'll Help you Home.

Their Sunday concert was the culmination of a week long Voco festival, where they performed and shared their knowledge and techniques in a series of workshops. I saw first hand their very generous approach at an open rehearsal earlier in the week, where Next Offramp, the vocal group that I've been part of for the past eight years, had a 30-minute slot to learn from them. We performed Slow Jam (believe it or not, a cycle safety campaign song from the UK). I was as nervous as I have been at any gig ever, but they were encouraging, supportive and helped us refine our technique further - and made us feel pretty damn good about ourselves. 

Then a few days later, we performed alongside six other groups at a Saturday festival show. We were the last act on before the Real Group, performing Missy Higgins' Secret and Christina Parri's Jar of Hearts. It would be technically true to say that I can carry opening for the Real Group to my grave.

With sincere and grateful thanks to the Stellar Singers who organised the festival, and invited us to take part. An absolute privilege.

... And with further thanks to the Stellar Singers who supplied the image above.