Teeks performed at Waikato Regional Theatre last Friday. Photo / Levi Santana
Teeks performed at Waikato Regional Theatre last Friday. Photo / Levi Santana
Teeks’ show at the new BNZ Theatre was a passionate and intimate performance that would have, without a doubt, brought him a bunch of new fans.
Myself included.
Aside from an invitation-only civic opening show, a Waikato local production earlier last week, New Zealand soul singer Teeks was the firstbig artist to perform at BNZ Theatre in Hamilton.
But the event last Friday, January 23, was special not only because of this, but also because it marked Teeks’ first show in Waikato.
Born in Hokianga, Teeks (Te Karehana Toi) rose to fame in 2017 after releasing his debut EP The Grapefruit Skies. In 2021, he released his debut album, Something to Feel, which won him three NZ Music Awards, Best NZ Act at the MTV EMAs and Rollingstone’s Best New Act.
Teeks has performed sold-out shows across Australia and New Zealand, including headliners at the Sydney Opera House, and also has a global fanbase.
Before Friday’s concert, all I knew about Teeks was that he is an award-winning New Zealand soul singer – I had never listened to any of his songs before.
The audience was a mix of people, including young and old and people new to Teeks’ music.
On stage, Teeks was joined by a string sextet and a pianist, and for some songs towards the end of the show, by a guitarist as well.
Throughout his 75-minute set, it felt like Teeks was not just joined by them, but rather shared the stage with them, giving each of them moments to shine.
He treated the audience to a mix of songs from his EP and debut album, including Waves and Remember Me, but also new music, and a few covers, including Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide, Bob Dylan’s Make You Feel My Love (which Adele famously covered), and Really Love by D’Angelo.
The performance at BNZ Theatre in Hamilton marked Teeks' first performance in Waikato. Photo / Levi Santana
A one-song surprise appearance by fellow New Zealand singer-songwriterMaisey Rika, who sang her song Game of Life in a duet with Teeks, attracted the biggest applause of the night.
A personal favourite was Teeks’ own Wash over Me, for which he turned the audience into his background singers.
The backdrop of the new BNZ Theatre, paired with the simple stage setting and moody lighting, gave Teeks’ performance a quiet seriousness and authority.
For most of his performance, you could hear a pin drop, with Teeks’ soft, low and breathy voice taking centre stage.
This stood in contrast to heckles and interjections from some parts of the younger audience, including during his performance and while he explained the background of some of his songs.
Teeks took it like a champ, like the professional that he is, reacting with polite smiles and chuckles.
I couldn’t help but feel like the hollers were disrespectful to any artist who is pouring their heart out on stage, though.
Despite this little dampener, Teeks’ performance truly felt like something special, not only because it was in the new theatre, but also because the musician did an amazing job bringing people from different backgrounds together – through his music, as well as his personality.
The audience rightfully demanded an encore – and he delivered – which was met with well-deserved standing ovations.
Teeks’ performance stayed with me for a little while after I had gone home.
I have been trying to figure out how best to describe his music to someone who hasn’t heard it before.
It’s melancholious, yet soothing – though those words are not quite enough to capture the essence.
In the end, it was Teeks himself who delivered the answer on his Instagram bio, where he states, “I’ll rip your heart out but only to kiss it better”.
