More about: Nadia Reid

Nadia Reid describes her third album Out of My Province as “a travelling album; they are road songs”, a quote which found painful irony when the world went into lockdown mere weeks after its release last year. Nonetheless, 29-year-old Reid has found herself one of few lucky artists allowed to tour at home in Aotearoa, New Zealand. On Sunday, her road songs met an audience at the second of two sold-out nights in Avondale, Auckland.

In the hazy, vintage auditorium of The Hollywood cinema, converted tonight into a half-seated/half-standing theatre, Reid shines from the second she enters, and it’s not just the glow from being seven months pregnant. Yes, seven. 

Alongside her five-piece band, which includes two brass players, the performance is mesmerising. Province is showcased in its dusky glory, with ‘Other Side Of The Wheel’ and ‘Oh Canada’ standouts, as well as ‘Heart to Ride’. “Coming into season with you”, she croons, her voice utterly infallible as the autumn rains fall outside. She cradles her belly, and vows not to bend over too much. 

The room is large but Reid makes it feel intimate with her asides. “I said something quite rude about Christchurch last night that I’m not going to repeat”, she laughs, to some dismay from the audience. She mentions getting a puppy over lockdown, and meditates on the lack of toilet facilities backstage, the room hanging silently from her every word. 

‘Richard’, from 2017’s Preservation, closes the set in golden Americana before an encore. Picking up her guitar and singing “I wanna hold the hand inside you”, an awe-inspiring rendition of Mazzy Star’s romantic classic ‘Fade Into You’ ends a majestic evening on a high.

More about: Nadia Reid