KEY POINTS:
As raptuous applause emanated from wonderful Spiegeltent, where sell-out show La Clique was taking place, we couldn't help but wonder how the corporate tent that is the Festival Club (a.k.a. the Britomart Pavilion) would convert to a music venue.
No fear - after last night's performance by Nathan Haines and his all-star band lifted the audience out of the canvas construction.
Greeted by the groovy sounds of DJ Manuel Bundy, the crowd were toe-tapping before Haines and band came on and fired up.
The show focussed on material road-tested on Haines' summer tour of New Zealand - including a date with a 3000-strong audience, lions, monkeys and elephants at the zoo - for his sixth solo album due to be released later this year.
But the Festival Club really came alive with the arrival onstage of Tama Waipara.
Hidden under the brim of a hat, Waipara brought the audience under his spell with the beautiful vocals of his own composition, Morning Sun.
His powerful voice rooted in soul, touching on dub, reggae and waiata, had the audience transfixed each time he appeared through the back curtains.
There's no doubt many in the crowd will be booking in for his Thursday show supported by Haines' brother Joel and father Kevin.
By the time Haines and band were playing a composition by keyboardist Kevin Field mid-way through the set, an impromptu dancefloor had formed off to the side of the seated audience.
Haines kept up an easy chat with the audience between songs, checking to make sure the sound balance was ok and batting away a female heckler fortified with drinks arrayed on the table in front of her.
"We have the microphones - and the talent" - 'nuff said.
As we left, door staff were commenting on the smiles on the faces of those heading off into the night.