Gig Review: KEI, ‘Take’ Single Release Show at Space Academy, 5/9/2025
Well, if I thought that I could sing as a child, this evening of delightful music proved me seriously wrong because the gifts of three local acts made for an undeniably outstanding evening last Friday night at Space Academy.
KEI (pronounced ‘key’), joined by her wonderful friends, Jireh Komene and Lucy Ward took the stage to deliver three unbelievable performances to help everyone wind down after the working week.
They each delivered their own unique performances on that stage, with friends and family adorning each act, with cheering and videos being recorded. A testament to how important the world finds documenting spectacular things.
Among those people who were front row of each performance, I was also there to experience the magic that was about to unfold.
JIREH KOMENE
Jireh Komene opening the evening at KEI’s second headlining show at Space Academy.
All photos taken by Welcome to the Gig on the Sony A6000
First up, we were blessed with a formidable performance from the ever-so-lovely Jireh Komene who bought with her endlessly soulful moments, with a gleaming smile upon her face the entire set. With originals bound to make your ears fill with fondness, Jireh has this stunning way of bringing across her sweet personality and pairing it well with her musical capabilities.
Jireh has a natural stage presence about her, she evidently belongs there, with her acoustic guitar, singing such humbling tunes that felt like life outside of the four walls we were encompassed by were non-existent.
Jireh’s beautiful rendition of Whitney Houston’s ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ was moving, and really well done. While Jireh doesn’t appear to have any of her music on streaming services, it was a real treat to see her live for the first time and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next.
LUCY WARD
Lucy Ward opening for KEI at Space Academy
Up next, we had the brilliantly awesome Lucy Ward. Since meeting Lucy initially a couple of months back for a Plains Media interview, I was excited for the opportunity to finally see her live. Despite having a catalogue of songs that she has written about the same guy, Lucy somehow manages to still bring different perspectives and stories about this one guy to life in such poignant ways, each written lyric very unique to the next.
Lucy has this intense way of drawing you in with how she takes the stage - she rides the line between professional, yet unabashedly herself, and that is immensely outstanding.
On the day of KEI’s gig, Lucy actually released her own new single, Warning Lights, which showcases how wonderfully connected the Christchurch music scene truly is - support upon support, despite the fact that it was also a big day for Lucy.
I enjoy how Lucy is able to bring both her own music and covers to life on stage.
My favourite track that she delved into was her own release, Wide Eyes, a song that has been stuck that has been neverendingly stuck in my head for a long time. This is a promise: if you’re a hopeless romantic, you will get highly attached to this song.
KEI
KEI and part of her band performing at her ‘Take’ release show at Space Academy
It was finally the time we had all been waiting for, the amazing KEI came up onto the stage for her second ever headlining show in which she lined the space with originals upon originals and lit up the room like a sparkler on fireworks night.
KEI is bold, courageous and gives no signs of giving a damn when it comes to expressing her creativity through music, she’s here to showcase a good time, which is always valued by audiences.
KEI, accompanied with her skilled band, created this air filled with good vibes only, capturing the attention of everyone who had shown up the entire time, with gig-goers asking for KEI and band to play until 12:30 in the morning. This was something that created a little forcefield of laughter as we were all thinking the same thing, wishing the night wouldn’t have to eventually come to an end.
While some of KEI’s song names are risqué, the emphasis of topics not being off limits during the show was a big yes in my books, as it’s literally saying, “I am open to conversations about these songs and discussing sometimes vulnerable topics that not everybody would be willing to broach” which is admirable, and something that KEI should be so proud of; being able to comfortably do in a room full of people. She doesn’t shy away and that creates a clear cut, raw edge to her persona and ability to engage with her listeners.
Thrown into the mix for a couple of songs was a brass instrument, this was a magnificent addition to make the show even more memorable and fun.
It is rare that brass instrumentals are in placed neatly into performances here in New Zealand, however, there has been an uptake of musicians learning them over the past few years and bringing them to life. It just adds this marvellous sense of pleasure to live performances.
During My Side, KEI and her band had everybody sit down, including themselves, for a touching track that was perfectly nuanced and has continued to stay with me, even days after the gig ended. It is an emotionally charged track and was amazingly portrayed.
The song if you were unable to hear it live, could be misconstrued as an acoustic song, however, it had all of the elementals from the band - the percussion, bass and guitar, they were all there, and combined with KEI’s strong-ballad laden voice, the mixture was curated to the perfect temperature.
KEI really bought home the zest - she fits so naturally into the world of music, her aura is easily seen and transferred while doing what she loves.
Some notable songs of the evening include Skylark, High, Take and Sex Sells, however, every single played track had its own maximised charm to it on varying levels.
Overall, while the show was a little bit more lowkey, it still held remarkability in all aspects. The closeness, the flow, the supportive words said… Every piece of the puzzle was there and made this a night that was filled with warmth and unforgettable key (or KEI) moments.
To follow along with the artists in this post, please make sure you click through to all of their links below -
Additional gig photos here
KEI
Jireh Komene
Lucy Ward