Blues, rock and soul that is complex and detailed, all played at a frenetic pace posing an incipient threat of spontaneous combustion
See former Swamp Thing rocker and solo acoustic maestro Grant Haua in his final form, reunited with his Swamp Brother Michael Barker on drums and Hurricane Elis’ Brian Franks on bass, in a night of acoustic and electric fretwork fireworks that’s not to be missed. It’s a rare opportunity and a final public show for this summer.
Kicking off proceedings with an Awa Blues acoustic solo set, Grant will present his deep timbre soul blues vocals/acoustic guitars and foot percussion (Cajon/snare). This performance relates heavily to his Maori culture, which is at the heart of these songs. Grant wants the audience to feel like they’re guests in his home and, like the songs, his home is pretty simple but it’s warm and friendly.
Writing for Elsewhere magazine, Graham Reid said: “Grant is a seasoned artist who touches all kinds of points in the blues and folk from Taj Mahal and JJ Cale to dialled-down Stevie Ray and even an adventurous touch of acoustic James Blood Ulmer.”
“It may be simple, and at times feels closer to pre-war blues than music from 2021, but it is also incredibly honest. What you hear is what you get with Grant, and in this throwaway and the image-centred false world that is something very special indeed,” according to Kev Rowland music.net.nz
