Concert Review - Unsung Heroes - Hawkes Bay - 22nd May 2025

Presented By A Small Hall Session

Unsung Hero’s - Photo Credit Andrew Caldwell

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL UNSUNG HERO’S GALLERY BY ANDREW CALDWELL

Review By: Rob Harbers

Artist/Band: Unsung Heroes

Venue/City: Wallingford Hall, Wallingford Hawkes Bay

Date of Event: Thursday 22nd May 2025

Legendary Aotearoa folk musician Chris Priestley has something of an obsession with the history of this country, and the characters and stories that populate it. He gives expression to this obsession by writing and performing songs that tell those stories, accompanied by some very fine musicians indeed. And now he brings this ensemble to the halls of Te-Matau-a-Maui, for a 4-night run of Small Hall Sessions.
The format consists of a spoken introduction by narrator Peter Elliott (familiar to a generation of TV audiences from his many acting and presenting turns) introducing the subject of the songs, in his mellifluous tones. This leads into a song about the person or incident, accompanied by a tightly co-ordinated set of slides, arranged and synced by Chris, that give visual expression to the tale unfolding. History brought to life, in the most entertaining fashion!

The subjects of the stories ranged far and wide, spanning much of the period post-colonisation. Showing that for all that this may be a relatively short timeline, there have emerged many a dramatic incident in the history of this colonial project. Exemplifying and introducing the thematic approach, the tale of Charlotte Badger, the first Pakeha woman to visit this country, and an accused pirate and mutineer to boot! The song was beautifully sung by Sonia Wilson and complemented by Cam Bennett’s mournful lap-steel. The ensuing story of Huria Matenga, who led the rescue efforts that saved all but one life from the shipwreck of the Delaware in 1863, saw Chris take on vocal duties for a truly dramatic tale of courage and compassion.
Delving in to more supernatural legend, the relating of the ghost of the Vulcan Hotel saw some superbly atmospheric slide guitar from virtuoso Nigel Gavin, accompanying Cam’s vocal turn. Cam retained the mike for the story of the erstwhile capital of Kororareka (Russell, to the uninitiated), the legendary ‘hell-hole of the Pacific’ in its heyday. This broke out, in very appropriate fashion given the subject, into a sea-shanty finish that would do many a sailor proud.

The musical rendition of the visit of Samuel Longhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, took the form of a truly electrifying solo guitar piece by Nigel, one that clearly held his fellow performers just as entranced as the wider audience, fingers of fire flashing across his 7-string, and showing the form that led to previous work with Robert Fripp (if you have to ask, look him up-he’s big!). Masterful indeed!

It is, intrinsically, in the nature of history that its subjects are now departed, some tragically (more on that anon) and some ironically, as in the case of Bobby Leach, who was the first man to survive a tumble (deliberately, not maliciously!) over the Niagara Falls, only to come to a bitter end after slipping on an orange peel in the streets of Onehunga. Aotearoa showing off early its tendency to punch above its weight? Who am I to say?

On a vastly more dramatic and tragic scale, the Tangiwai rail disaster on Christmas Eve 1953 saw 151 lives lost, in an incident that touched the nation, and this was commemorated in another beautiful vocal performance by Sonia, accompanied by powerful harmonies from the rest of the ensemble.
No such recollection as this piece would be complete without a murder ballad or two, and for this we travelled to 1963 Remuera, for the infamous Bassett Rd murders, which were said to bring the spirit of Chicago gangster life to the streets of Auckland, and set to a suitably gritty musical backdrop.

Similarly, in terms of the overall (and not laudable) history of colonialism in this land, there was also mention of the military history of the 19th century, with songs about the Rutlandshire Regiment (in which one of Cam’s antecedents served), and about the infamous Von Tempsky. The Count emerging as somewhat of a Renaissance man, alongside the killing and plundering, of course.
The finale of the main set consisted of the tale of George Moonlight, the famous gold prospector, publican and discoverer (men wore many hats in them days!), and took the form of a narration by Peter accompanied by Nigel’s masterful guitar, before breaking out into the full band to close out. Or was it a close-out? Of course not, the performers retaking their seats to provide the story of Minnie Deans, the scourge of Otago childcare, and source of many a threat to misbehaving children for some years to follow.

But all these words of mine cannot adequately cover the voyage of discovery that this ensemble performance provides. Put any thoughts of “boring history lecture” far from your mind, this is gripping stuff, and well worth the effort it takes to attend. Sure, the nights are a bit cooler now, but what better excuse to gather, like times of old, in community hubs, around the modern version of campfire tales? You can still catch this run, either in Tutira on the 23rd, or in Bay View on Sunday 25th-do it!

Unsung Hero’s Small Hall Sessions 2025

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