By Patrick Campbell

Artist:  Kimbra

Date / Venue:  Tuesday November 18th, The Powerstation, Auckland

It's been a long time coming for me, seeing Kimbra perform a full concert. Last night it finally happened and I just don't know how to feel. The night was simply incredible... and she said that she was sick too.

The night began with MC Tali and Dan Aux warming up the crowd. This is not the first time I have seen the brilliant vocals and amazing freestyles of Tali, but it was certainly the best yet. She is simply incredible, and there could not have been a better person to start the night off.

Of course, that was simply the beginning. When Kimbra finally came out the crowd was overly excited, and from the first notes of Teen Heat we were all entranced. Shrouded in a golden cape, a single light shone down on the performer as she showcased her brilliant vocal ability. Halfway through the track she took off the cape and revealed a layered dress of metal and gold foil. Visually, it was all about Kimbra, and musically it was the same.

Through a set that featured tracks from both her first album Vows and her most recent effort The Golden Echo, Kimbra showcased why she is renowned around the world as a powerhouse vocalist and a show stopping act. Through tracks like 90s Music, Settle Down, and Nobody But You, she proved that her vocal ability is unmatched by any other artist hailing from New Zealand, and very few around the world. Before the slow, heartfelt track she mentioned that she was "having a few vocal issues" however these issues were not noticeable at all and the statement left me wondering what a show when she's not having vocal issues would be like.

One of the main highlights of the night came in her collaboration with Bilal; Everlovin' Ya, taking on both the verses alone, Kimbra killed it. The vocal acrobatics of the song and the unusual melodies were no issue for the singer as she crossed the stage back and forth, connecting with the audience. The band was a massive asset to the artist, displaying talent and artistry on par with Kimbra herself. In this track they all created a sensational sound that was even more transcending than that on the record. It was perfect and simply incredible to witness.

That could be said for the entire concert, which seemed to go by in a flash. A brief encore of Vows highlightCome Into My Head closed the night, ballad As You Are was left off due to the singers illness, but it would have been hard to be upset by that considering the show everyone had just witnessed.

It's hard to put into words how insanely brilliant the show was, but I will try. Kimbra is incredible, lyrically, sonically, and just generally. She has a talent and ability like no other artist I have seen and I feel genuinely blessed to have witnessed her first New Zealand show in support of her latest record.