2004 Media Articles

Thread

Bic Believer- Bic Runga New Zealand Acoustic Church Tour

Original content copyright 2004 to Thread
Used with permission (thanks Megan)

Original article is at:     Thread

Date:                         29 April, 2004

By:                            Gill England

I approached Bic Runga’s Acoustic Church Tour (Friday 30 April, Saint John’s) with some apprehension. Can I dance in the aisles? Will I be served a cup of tea from an urn by a pleasant, gray-haired member of the Ladies’ Guild? Will there be a collection plate?

The crowd, an unruly mass from the mean streets of Khandallah, Karori and Ngaio, has the feel of a Youth for Christ rally for 30-somethings. However, “The first shall be last and the last shall be first” does not apply when it comes to scoring a good seat upstairs in the gallery. After applying some passion-tide brutality to our Bic-watching brethren, we are right above the stage. Unfortunately, we are also behind the speakers.

Bic’s wonderful altar boy Tim Guy warms up the crowd, with a selection of songs from his new album. Sweet and shy, he has that troubadour-from-Aussie Paul Kelly thing happening, with a slightly nasal alt.country twang. A combination of Tim’s shy muttering and being stuck behind the speakers meant that I can’t hear his song intros – however he blossoms while singing and his ballads are quirky and lyrical.

Bic comes on dressed a bit like an angel grounded by loud stripy tights – “I look like a cross between Midsummer Night’s dream and Hamburgler” she laughs. Selections from Beautiful Collision, starting with “Listening for the Weather”, are followed by a series of well-chosen covers.

Runga’s delicate yet powerful interpretation of Jaques Brel’s “Ne me Quitte Pas” is a truly religious experience. Hopefully there are others are blubbering helplessly besides myself, although, hey, this is church. Likewise, her choice of “Wayfaring Stranger” moves the congregation.

As Bic emerges for the encore and pauses, someone yells “Start it all again!” speaking for many of the believers present. Instead Bic chooses “Sway” and “Drive”, which are, remarkably, even more restrained than in days of yore, but this just adds to their impact.

In keeping with the church groove, there is a collection plate – a plastic bucket for a children’s music therapy organisation sits alongside the t-shirts and CDs.

The church thing worked, although Bic and friends could have sung in a leaking rain barrel and it would have been good. However, St John’s offered cafe intimacy with grand hall acoustics. You could just feel the love. Plus we had the space to listen more reflectively but respond rapturously minus the hype.

A beautiful collision of the seriously cool and sacred. I’m a convert.