New Zealand’s Marlon Williams has shared a new live performance video of “Make Way for Love,” featuring The Pou Tiriao Singers and directed by Tim McInnes. The re-imagining of the title track from Williams’ second LP, released in February via Dead Oceans, has a gentler sound; here, it’s only Williams’ lonesome croon (almost reminiscent of Elvis at times), an acoustic guitar, and the swelling backing vocals from the choir (made up of Raewyn Hodge, Zion Tauamiti, Nikora Nitro, Elishia Manihera, Vai Punivai, Isla Martin, Adonai Schwenke, Tuhekeao Williams, Hora Nicholas, and Biancha Biddle). It makes for a powerful and emotional performance.
Of the recording experience, Williams says:
“From the genesis of this song’s journey, it gently but surely revealed its form to be a Maori waiata. The strum, the sentiment, the mauri. Lamentably, everything but the reo. So when the idea of doing a unique performance was brought to me by Amazon, I got straight on the blower to my pal Zion Tauamiti. I knew Zion was running a Maori and Pacifica youth community choir in East Christchurch, an area absolutely put through the wringer and hung out to dry in post Earthquake Canturbury. Zion was super keen to have the choir involved. We got together for one rehearsal and the strength of the unified sound was overwhelming. They treated me like one of the crew and when it came time to pool some money for petrol to get home and I reached for my wallet, Zion turned to me and told me in no uncertain terms to stay out of it; I was manuhiri and that was that.
As we all know, in this world, terrible things happen to the best of people. Recently, Zion suffered a cardiac arrest after a routine surgery and was left in a coma for 6 days. Being the lion of a man that he is, Zion woke up and is now, thankfully, in the process of recovery. This video and the beautiful people gathered in it are a testament to Zion’s limitless energy, compassion and pure love for his people. To The Pou Tiriao, Zion and anyone watching, my deepest thanks. E hoa ma, ina te ora o te tangata.”
Following a show at The Scala in London, Williams will return to the UK’s capital to play Hackney Arts Centre on 30th October 2018. He will also play Bristol’s Rivertown Music Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival and Green Man in the UK this summer. Marlon has also announced dates in Australia as a special guest of Florence & The Machine. Full dates are below with UK shows in bold.
Marlon Williams Tour Dates
Fri. July 6 – Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival
Sun. July 8 – Belfort, FR @ Eurockennes Festival
Mon. July 9 – Segrate, IT @ Circolo Magnolia w/ The White Buffalo
Fri. July 13 – Henham Park, UK @ Latitude Festival
Sun. July 15 – Nijmegen, NL @ Valkhof Festival
Thu. July 19 – Lörrach, DE @ Stimmen Festival
Fri. July 20 – Ostrava, CZ @ Colours of Ostrava Festival
Sun. July 22 – Salacgrīva, LV @ Positivus Festival
Fri. July 27 – Bristol, UK @ Rivertown Music Festival
Fri. Aug. 3 – Cambridge, UK @ Cambridge Folk Festival
Sat. Aug. 4 – Varel, DE @ Watt En Schlick Festival
Sun. Aug. 5 – Katowice, PL @ OFF Festival
Thu. Aug. 9 – Oslo, NO @ Oya Festival
Sat. Aug. 11 – Rees, DE @ Haldern Pop Festival
Wed. Aug. 15 – Paredes de Coura, PT @ Paredes de Coura Festival
Thu. Aug. 16 – St. Malo, FR @ La Route Du Rock
Fri. Aug. 17 – Brecon Beacons, UK @ Greenman Festival
Sat. Aug. 18 – Hasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop Festival
Sun. Aug. 19 – Biddinghuizen, NL @ Lowlands Festival
Sat. Aug. 25 – Amsterdam, NL @ Once In A Blue Moon Festival
Sun. Oct. 7 – Melbourne, VIC @ Lost Picnic Melbourne 2018
Sat. Oct. 13 – Sydney, NSW @ Lost Picnic Sydney 2018
Tue. Oct. 30 – London, UK @ Hackney Arts Centre
Thu. Nov. 1 – Utrecht, NL @ Tivoli Vredenburg
Fri. Nov. 2 – Tilburg, NL @ Jupiler Hall
Sat. Nov. 3 – Groningen, NL @ Take Root Festival
Sun. Nov. 4 – Deventer, NL @ Burgerwesshuis
Mon. Nov. 5 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix
Wed. Nov. 7 – Berlin, DE @ Heimathafen
Thu. Nov. 8 – Leipzig, DE @ Naumann’s
Fri. Nov. 9 – Heidelberg, DE @ Halle O2
Sat. Nov. 10 – Paris, FR @ Trabendo
Mon. Nov. 12 – Nantes, FR @ Stereolux
Tue. Nov. 13 – Merignac, FR @ Le Krakatoa
Sat. Jan. 12 – Perth, WA @ Perth Arena *
Wed. Jan. 16 – Adelaide, SA @ Botanic Park *
Fri. Jan. 18 – Melbourne, VIC @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl *
Sat. Jan. 19 – Geelong, VIC @ A Day On The Green *
Tue. Jan. 22 – Brisbane, QLD @ Riverstage *
Sat. Jan. 26 – Sydney, NSW @ The Domain *
Wed. Jan. 30 – Auckland, NZ @ Spark Arena *
* w/ Florence & The Machine