Hemi Hemingway – Neck Of The Woods: February 27, 2026 (13th Floor Concert Review)

New Zealand has a long tradition of tall, dark, handsome crooners, going right back to John Rowles. And Hemi Hemingway is the man of the moment.

The black-clad, snake-hipped, long hair slicked-back singer-songwriter formally known as  Shaun Blackwell  showcased his latest long player Wings of Desire to enthusiastic fans at Auckland’s Neck of The Woods on Friday night, accompanied by his four-piece band, and joined on stage by a couple of very special guests.

But more of that in a moment.

The night was opened by Roy Irwin. I sadly only caught end of his set. Man and guitar. Saddish songs a la Elliot Smith. Must arrive earlier next time.

Second support act Big Sur got the party started… a rousing outfit firing on all cylinders from the get-go. Cowboy alt-folk junkies. Five songs from the noisy five-piece which featured banjo, fiddle and a harp!

Great musicianship built around the rich, strong and powerful voice of lead singer/songwriter and guitarist  Niamh Pritchard.

Highlights included an immigrant song, about a shipload of Irish fleeing the potato famine.

Wailing guitars. Featuring twin vocalists on this track – the harpist/violinist sings too, and not just BVs. She has quite a voice.

Chugging drums sit alongside delicate plucking of harp-strings on song 3, a slower number, again awash in guitars with Patti Smith-like vocals. Or should that be PJ Harvey?  You get the picture. Lord Jim (?), a barnstorming wall of sound closes out the short set along with The Whale Song.

Finances permitting, Big Sur are hoping to record an album in July. Keenly awaited.

And so to the main event.

Hemi Hemingway’s new album was inspired by the Wim Wenders film of the same name, and the music and his songs are cinematic, lush, stirring, cathartic.

He’s openly said it’s an album about desire. Feeling it. Losing it. Looking for it again. Love and lust.

It was birthed out of the heartbreak of a longterm relationship ending.

Relocating back to New Zealand after an extended spell in the UK, Hemi poured his heart out, literally.  Wings of Desire was the result.

On stage, Hemi cuts a striking figure in cropped black, bolero-type flesh-revealing top, slim belted black pants, and pointy-toed Cuban heels. All black, matador-like.

This City’s Tryna Break My Heart gets us going. Slinky, synthy, Aha-like with it’s ’80s drumbeats, and a very sexy sax – one of several tracks featuring guest player, the talented Francesca Parussini.

Fast becoming a regular on stage at gigs of all shapes and sizes, this jazz saxophonist, an alumni of Auckland University’s School of Music, seems to be able to turn her hand to almost anything.

Impressive young woman, and she clearly has her fans in the audience tonight, whooping and hollering whenever she breaks out a sax solo. Of which there are plenty.

The gig grinds to a sudden, temporary halt one song in. An unfortunate kick pedal failure.

We and the band wait, somewhat awkwardly, while somebody finds a replacement piece of kit for the drummer. It arrives, quickly enough, while Finn on keys fills the silence playing snippets of The Sting over and over. Hemi seems a little rattled. But the show soon goes on.

The album’s title track brings a taste of doo-wop. Sweet harmonies. Bit of a rocker. Another sax solo.

Promises has aching, yearning vocals. More 80s synths. Always synths. Ultravox comes to mind in general. Their song Vienna in particular. A sexy guitar solo. Pounding rhythm section.

Big ups to the bass player. I love a bassist who moves and grooves, and this man gets down.

In complete sync with and facing the drummer for much of the gig, his back to the audience. He has a job to do and goddam, he’s doing it.and having a helluva good time.

Long Distance Lover  is chocka with funky basslines, chiming synthesisers. Hemi’s vocals at his amorous best, low and slow, and building to a sexy (saxy) crescendo. He seems to be finally getting his groove on.  I scribbled in the dark ‘Wham lives’. And meant it as a compliment.

To Be Without You is a big rocking number. Hemi has shed his guitar and with a hand-held mic, he shimmys and cuts shapes as best he can in the limited space he has available to move in. It’s pretty packed on stage. This is the mesmerising performer, busting out the moves I’ve been waiting to see. Well and truly warmed up now, his falsetto wailing “life is cruel.” Impressive.

Next, the band launches into If Love Is A Winter’s Day. It’s a slower, quieter, tender number, as Hemi dials it back. The stage is low-lit. He deserves a spotlight at times like this. The tempo soon picks up again, and then he introduces Desiree as one of his faves off the new album. Same old story, he says. Take the ‘e’ off the end. Desire. It’s jaunty. A little more MOR.

A rumbling rhythm section brings on 6th April ’13. It’s gothy. Dark. Heavy synths. And shimmer. Hemi’s falsetto vocal is back, along with the sax. As it ramps up, the post-punk Goth/garage rock sound Hemi is fond of comes to the fore. Sisters of Mercy anyone?. Eminently danceable. It’s a personal fave.

A very special guest is summoned to the stage for Oh, My Albertine – none other than Vera Ellen, who features on the album track. She is generous, telling Hemi as she steps up on stage “great show, great album.” Reassuring him perhaps, as they rip into it, and his performance  lifts, his vocals sure and steady. The band has really gelled for this one. Tight as. A highlight.

Vera is off the stage as quick as she came on it. The band close out the set, and the night, with No Future. It’s the last track on the album too. More great bass and shimmering guitars.

They’re done. We want more. No encore this night. Maybe next time. Thanks guys.

Hemi Hemingway is headed to Austin’s famed music festival South By Southwest in March to showcase Wings of Desire. And then back to the UK to play at The Great Escape in Brighton.

Lucky them.

Y’all come back now ya hear.