Concert Review: Lou’ana, Disco Witch.
Before Lou’ana’s Disco Witch concert, I had never dabbled in glittery divine-feminine disco pop by a witch from Auckland. But after seeing her live, I’m thinking maybe it's what my life has always been missing.
Promoting her recently released sophomore album, Disco Witch, Lou'ana has been touring Aotearoa and bringing her unique brand of feminine, occult-flavoured 70s nostalgia to cities nationwide.
The Christchurch show was at Space Academy, an intimate venue known for its chill vibe and communal feel. When I arrived, it was as dimly-lit and foliage-y as ever, with an audience of mostly twenty-somethings relaxing on the benches over wine and cocktails. Sadly, none of my friends were free, so I was very bravely riding solo, but I found company in a mum, daughter and mild-mannered man who tapped on his WhatsApp with one distant index finger and then told us, with self-deprecating resignation, “It looks like my wife's stood me up.”
The opener was Lou'ana's partner of thirteen years, Dylan, who covered classics with his voice and a Nord synthesiser. His vocals were impressive. I did not expect the gritty spirit of a 60s soul artist to join us in the form of a white guy in skinny plaid pants, but it was a pleasant surprise. His set consisted of five songs, including Al Green's Let's Stay Together, Marvin Gaye's How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You), and, as a closer, Elton John's Tiny Dancer. Dylan sprung on us, at the outset of the chorus, the question "Where my choir at?". Luckily, one of the bartenders carried the team as his answer, while the rest of us awkwardly whisper-sang what could have been 'count the headlights on the highway' if you listened closely enough.
Lou'ana, who took the stage next from her audience seat, accompanied herself with an electric guitar. The studio versions of Disco Witch's songs are as shimmery as the visuals (cotton-candy clouds, go-go boots, rose quartz, The Love Witch, and disco balls) suggest; the mixes shine bright with brass and Motown-style tambourines. Lou'ana's live versions, pared back to the core, were, in contrast, refreshing and a testament to her skill and versatility as an artist.
PHOTO: Stephanie Cartwright, Cartwright Creative Imagery.
In fact, her raw vocals had a quality to them I think gets lost through streaming. Her higher register is clean and clear, slicing like shears through silk, and her lower tones are lush and velvety. Between songs, she explained her inspirations and musical muses, which range from the guidance of Aphrodite to the Moon and the concept of a shadow self. She was soft-spoken, with a classic poise and elegance.
Although the set-up was simple (the only set dressing being a table with a purple cloth and two battery-powered faux candles), Lou'ana commanded the stage her presence: whatever spell she cast, it worked on me.
The setlist consisted of most of Disco Witch's songs and a couple from her debut album, Moonlight Madness, as well as an unreleased track. Dylan came back to play synth on a few, which lent some depth to them, although I would argue that the solo songs sounded just as complete. Once again, we were inveigled into a couple audience singalongs, but the hooks in the more pop-oriented tracks are catchy enough even I could very quietly move my mouth and exhale to approximately the right words of Disco Heart. Her sonic range was also on full display; Love Bind's Ronettes-esque retro pop segued surprisingly well into Daydream (Voodoo Version), which was bluesy, moody and dark.
By the end of the show, several women were dancing with their girlfriends to Roseberry Avenue, the kind of flirty song you want to dance around in a sundress to, and the crowd was rapturous enough to get two encore songs, including Move On, which was a crowd favourite. Everyone seemed happy (although the mild-mannered man's wife remained, sadly, absent); Lou'ana said she'd 'had fun,' and the atmosphere was joyful as the night ended. Disco Witch, and Lou'ana, occupy a unique, glittery niche in the New Zealand music scene, and, ultimately, it was a pleasure to watch a consummate professional bring her singular vision to life.
PHOTO: Stephanie Cartwright, Cartwright Creative Imagery.