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# Gig Review: Mel Parsons
- URL: https://www.rootsmag.nz/gig-review-mel-parsons/
- Published: 2026-09-01T02:08:38.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-01T02:08:38.000Z
- Author: Ryan Brash
- Tags: Review

### 27/08/2026, Theatre Royal Nelson

It’s 7:33 p.m. at Nelson’s Theatre Royal, and as a 23-year-old sitting upstairs waiting for Mel Parsons to take the stage, I’m starting to feel like I might be the youngest person in the room. The theatre is full, people are still quietly funnelling into their seats, and there’s no support act tonight. Just Mel Parsons and her band, who open the night with *Grain By Grain*.

From my seat upstairs, one thing is immediately noticeable: this is a crowd that knows Mel Parsons. There’s a lot of applause as *Grain By Grain* comes to an end, and over the next couple of hours, that polite theatre applause will eventually turn into clapping, stomping and calls for an encore.

**7:40 p.m.** *Not Enough* brings things into more sombre territory before *Caravan* immediately changes the mood. The stage is washed in warm orange light, the band settles into a more upbeat groove, and the contrast between the two songs sets up what will become a bit of a theme throughout the night. Parsons moves comfortably between sad, reflective songs and the more energetic moments in her catalogue.

**7:45 p.m.** Parsons makes a joke about trying to stay humble and not mention *Castle Hill* going to number one on the New Zealand charts, but admits it's such a big achievement that she can't help bringing it up. Fair enough too. The album [beat out Ariana Grande and Olivia Rodrigo in the process](https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/albums/2026-08-14?ref=rootsmag.nz), so it's probably worth mentioning.

A few songs later, Parsons introduces *Be Here Now*, a song about being present in the moment and not spending all our time looking at our phones. She also speaks about the importance of setting a good example for kids. I, meanwhile, am frantically typing all of this into my Notes app.

**8:08 p.m.** and there's another story. This time, it's about the band rehearsing at the Mussel Inn in Havelock before making the drive to Nelson. Things didn't exactly go to plan, with the engine lights coming on and the trip eventually ending with a tow. *Clean Slate* follows, before *Post High Slide* closes out the first half.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/82/ae/82ae15cc-791b-45a9-a46a-3900b2eee181/content/images/2026/08/IMG_7030-2.jpg)

After the break, the band returns at **8:40 p.m.**, and the second half starts moving more freely between the new album and Parsons' older material.

**8:52 p.m.** Jed Parsons counts in *5432* from behind the drums. A little later, Mel introduces the band: Aaron Stewart on bass and Josh Logan on guitar, who also produced that number one album she's been talking about. The four of them have an easy chemistry throughout the night, and the further into the set they get, the more the band gets to stretch out.

**9:12 p.m.** Parsons introduces *True Story*, revealing that it hasn't been played live in 10 years. It's a nice surprise and one of the moments that makes the show feel like more than just a *Castle Hill* tour. The second half digs back through different parts of Parsons' catalogue, including songs from *Glass Heart* and *Drylands*.

By **9:29 p.m.**, *Far Away* has the crowd clapping and stomping along to the beat. It's quite a change from the beginning of the night, when people were still finding their seats during the opening song.

**9:33 p.m.** Mel and the band leave the stage, but nobody's quite ready to go home yet. The Theatre Royal responds with more clapping and plenty of stomping, eventually bringing them back for two final songs.

The last of them, *I Got the Lonely*, brings the night to a close at **9:43 p.m.**

Mel Parsons' *Castle Hill* tour might be built around her new number one album, but the Nelson show never feels like it's just about one record. Over the course of the night, Parsons and her band move between new songs and old favourites, mixing the heavier, more introspective moments with stories, jokes and plenty of chances for the band to open things up.