Small Hall Sessions: Nadia Reid’s songs ‘unique and profound’

Nadia Reid will be playing five Small Hall Sessions in Hawke's Bay before she relocates to the UK.

Internationally acclaimed Dunedin-based folk singer Nadia Reid will be relocating with her family to live in the UK less than a week after performing her five Small Hall Sessions in Hawke’s Bay.

Locally based promoter and owner of the Small Hall Sessions, Jamie Macphail, says that very few New Zealand artists have received the level of international attention and success that Reid has.

“There is an intimacy to Reid‘s songwriting that sets her apart. Many of her songs are like snippets of conversations between close friends. There’s a wisdom and an almost timeless element to her songwriting that makes each song unique and profound,” Macphail said.

For this tour, Reid will be accompanied by her long-time collaborators Sam Taylor on guitar and Richie Packard on bass.

“These three have played together for 10 years now, and there is such a tight bond between them which creates the most beautiful unified backdrop to Nadia’s incredible vocals,” Macphail said.

Her tour of Hawke’s Bay begins with a special night in the smallest hall that the Sessions visit, the 40-seat capacity Poukawa Hall.

“Poukawa Hall is one of our favourites” says Macphail.

“It began life well over 100 years ago as a private chapel. It was moved and became a railway station for a time, and when it was no longer needed for that role, the community rallied to move it again and make it their community hall. It is a tiny, beautiful little heritage building of huge significance to both the local community and the wider region.”

Aware that in Taradale over the weekend, nearly 50,000 people will be attending the Mission Concert to see Robbie Williams, Macphail laughs and says these sessions are the antithesis of the Mission, being so tiny, so intimate and with no queue for the loo!

Reid will be playing in Poukawa on Wednesday, November 8, Te Awanga on Thursday, November 9, Bay View on Friday, November 10, Puketapu on Saturday, November 11 and Maraekakaho on Sunday, November 12.

There will be meals available and a bar. Tickets and more information are available at www.smallhallsessions.co.nz.