Review: Stereophonics at the Powerstation

Kelly Jones led the singing, but the enthusiastic audience took every chance to join in. Photo / Dean Purcell

It doesn't seem so long ago that the Stereophonics pleased their ardent followers, and all the Welsh people living in New Zealand, by stopping in for a wee serenade.

Last night's show came one album and two years later, and they still managed to pack out the Powerstation.

And there's another sold-out show tonight.

It seems the Welsh rockers (well, mostly Welsh, these days as the drummer is from Argentina) have a special place in their hearts, and songs, for New Zealand.

The nature and icons of our isles have inspired lyrics in earlier albums.

The audience more than rewarded them for their visit, singing every word to every song, right the way from the opener Live'n'Love from their seventh studio album Keep Calm Carry On, released in November, through nearly two-hour set.

With a set as slick as the bassist's hair, frontman Kelly Jones led the crowd in a karaoke session that moved from the almost dark track Mr Writer - which he pointed out was about a music reviewer who dared slag off the band - to the sunny pop-rock of I Wouldn't Believe Your Radio.

Jones' husky vocals had the female fans clutching their chests and staring adoringly, especially during his melancholy solo Bright Red Star.

The 1997 single, A Thousand Trees, sent the crowd wild and the band didn't need to sing other classics such as Pick A Part - the audience did it for them.

And the (surprisingly in tune) audience chorus of encore anthem Dakota almost drowned out Javier Weyler's drums.

With that kind of reception, what Welsh band wouldn't scoot back to their Kiwi fans as swiftly as possible?