Messed!Up
Few artists in Aotearoa combine vulnerability, poetic storytelling and raw musical force quite like Reb Fountain. The award-winning singer-songwriter has built a distinctive sound somewhere between noir folk, indie rock, blues and country, driven by her haunting voice and magnetic live presence. Her self-titled 2020 album won the prestigious Taite Music Prize, cementing Fountain’s place among New Zealand’s most compelling contemporary artists.
Now Fountain returns with Water For Gasoline, an album created with remarkable immediacy. Written within a few weeks and recorded largely live in her own garage studio, the record captures songs in their rawest form rather than polishing away their imperfections. Fountain describes it as a record about connection, resilience and finding hope amid turbulent times.
That instinctive approach should translate powerfully to the stage when Fountain brings the Water For Gasoline Tour to Auckland’s Powerstation on 23 October. Her expanded touring band features longtime collaborators Dave Khan and Earl Robertson, alongside Dianne Swann and James Duncan, promising a fuller live interpretation of the new material. Auckland audiences will also get a set from Otago artist Mads Harrop, who joins Fountain for the Auckland and Wellington dates.
Expect a night where intimate songwriting meets a bigger, more visceral live sound – with Fountain’s distinctive vocals and emotionally charged performance at the centre. For fans who have followed her journey, the Powerstation show offers a chance to hear Water For Gasoline brought to life by the musicians who helped shape it.
GIG DATES
1 October at Last Place, Hamilton
2 October at Totara St, Mount Maunganui
3 October at Dome Cinema, Gisborne
4 October at Paisley Stage, Napier
8 October at The Loons, Lyttelton/Christchurch
9 October at The Loons, Lyttelton/Christchurch
10 October at Pearl Diver, Dunedin
11 October at Yonder, Queenstown
23 October at The Powerstation, Auckland w/ Mads Harrop
24 October at Meow Nui, Wellington w/ Mads Harrop
TICKETS to Powerstation, Auckland
