Concert Review - Small Hall Sessions Music Month Showcase - Hawke's Bay - 31st May 2026
Presented By Small Hall Sessions
Mon Shelford
Review By: Rob Harbers
Artist/Band: The Mon Shelford Band & The Phil Edwards Band
Venue/City: CHB Municipal Theatre, Hawke’s Bay
Date of Event: Sunday 31st May 2026
On the final day of New Zealand Music Month, the Small Hall Sessions presented the second of two Hawke’s Bay Music Month Showcases, bringing some of the best of local talent into the Small Halls fold. This took place in Waipawa’s Central Hawke’s Bay Municipal Theatre, another of the hidden gems among the venues of Te-Matau-A-Māui
First act of the night was the irrepressible Mon Shelford, with her powerful, passionately delivered songs. Songs that tell stories drawn from a life of (mis)adventure, delivered with raw honesty and pure emotion, from an artist aptly introduced by host Jamie as ‘the lovechild of Janis Joplin and Prince Tui Teka’. Having returned to the Bay from her second home in Melbourne, driven by some changing life circumstances, Mon has made a definite mark on the local scene, with a voice that has to be heard to be believed. But far more than just a voice, she has a repertoire of original material that is deeply personal, emotional and touching. Her first song, Sorry Things Got Weird, delivered solo with guitar, managed to insert the word ‘exoskeletal’ into a song of heartbreak – pretty sure it’s the first time I’ve heard that done.
With her band joining her for the next number, Spoonful Of Sugar, the sound filled out considerably (not that such a voice couldn’t fill any space it desired!) This told of darker times, in which other things took the medicinal role that music now occupies in her life. It contrasted with the sentiments expressed in the subsequent Make And Be, an ode to the aspiration of living a better life for the next generation. After a few more songs in similar vein, we had ‘got the light-hearted topics out of the way’ and it was time for Terrible Things, a frank confession of past misdeeds, with a bluesy leaning, that came to her one day in the shower. The virtual sister song to this, Good Girl, spoke of ambitions toward leading a better life, with a clarity of purpose brought on by the state of parenthood – ‘Wanna be a good girl, such a fuckin’ good girl. Wanna do the right thing, so much better than the wrong thing’ – building to a spirit akin to a revivalist crusade, ‘calling in the good things’. Rousing stuff, indeed!
No Fair, a deeply personal and raw piece that told of dark experiences while only a child, proved very cathartic, and marked the end of the original material, leading off a couple of covers, of which the definite highpoint was an acapella rendition of Bic Runga’s Beautiful Collision, which demonstrated unadorned, for those who’d been asleep till now, the sheer power and range of this incredible voice. If you’ve not yet caught up with the voice, do so as soon as you can, is all I’ll say!
The second part of the package was provided by the Phil Edwards Band, an incredibly talented – and equally understated about it – combo that have been playing together for 17 years now. And it shows! Centred around the eponymous Mr Edwards, by day a builder of tiny homes, the band construct artfully crafted vignettes on a wide range of themes, but all imbued with a resonant humanity. Setting out the stall early was Cabin In The Woods, a call to a simpler life, one that is resistant to the siren call of late-stage capitalism. Almost a manifesto, as much as a description of the band’s sound – free of any artifice, heartfelt declarations of what is really important. And heavily laced with the glorious Hammond organ sounds of Tim Williams – worth the price of admission alone.
In the spirit of heartfelt declaration, Sooner Or Later is a touching meditation on the power of love, one drawn from Phil’s own experience. From this point, Phil replaced his acoustic gat with with a Telecaster, a change which coincided with a distinct infusion of reggae vibes. Such vibes created space for the adventurous UFO. Phil’s philosophy is that you can write a song about anything, as evidenced by the subject matter of the following two numbers. Love Your Scars is about recognising all experiences, both good and bad, as being essential in shaping who we currently are. Wake Me Up is a pondering of mortality, particularly that of those closest to us, both human and otherwise.
The acoustic gat returned for Taupo, Phil’s song of proposal to partner Hannah, but then it was ditched for the final few songs, which saw the pace amped up dramatically, giving the rhythm section of drummer Simon McDowell and bassist Adrian Ashdown quite the workout! In spite of this increased pace, the band could clearly have played on for much longer. Unfortunately they were stymied in this by the practicalities of the venue hire and had to call it a night, having played for 90 minutes and change. It is said, though, that the art of performance is to leave them wanting more, and this was definitely the case here!
In all, then, the perfect way to see out this month of all things Kiwi, with two out of the many fine acts that make their home in these parts – each quite distinct from the other, but both just as much a part of the rich tapestry. I think there’s a life lesson there.
The Phil Edwards Band
Small Hall Sessions Hawke’s Bay Music Month Showcase #2