- artist:Te Vaka
- featured artist:Te Vaka band
- region:Polynesia
- release year:2003
- style(s):Fusion, Polynesia
- country:New Zealand
- formats:DVD Video (Digital Versatile Disc)
- record posted by:Te Vaka Management
- label:Warm Earth Records
- publisher:Spirit of Play Productions Pty Ltd
- buy this record
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The New Zealand Musician Magazine June/July 2003
DVD REVIEW Te Vaka: Live at Apia Park
Te Vaka play on the world music circuit, regularly traversing the globe. The gods smiled when the group got to perform before a huge crowd in a ground breaking concert in Samoa. The back notes tell the story best.
“On the 31st of August 2002, over 20,000 people gathered in Apia Park for the biggest live concert ever to be held in Samoa. After 5 years of international touring and performing in over 30 countries, the band had come full circle and for many members of the group this event was a homecoming. The atmosphere on the night was electric. The audience witnessed something very special as Apia Park reverberated to the powerful, tribal and unique sound that can only be Te Vaka’.
Indeed a Te Vaka concert is special, a true blend of music, dance, spectacle and emotion - and in that sense this is a typical Te Vaka concert. It varies from moments of high energy and bpm log drumming to the mellowing acoustic guitar-led folk songs of the leader Opetaia Foa’i, to the intoxicating serenity of the dance and female voice dominated love songs.
Multiple video cameras were in use providing plenty of good angles though it’ s hardly crystal clear. Some of the editing is a little quickfire too, but on the whole it maintains a sense of movement that suits the music.
The 20 songs played in the 90 minute concert are also directly accessible via a song list, as are three videos. Pate Pate is a fun NZ on Air funded travelogue, shot in exotic locations all around the world. Lua afe is also an NZOA video, this one much more stylised and atmospheric with imagery of Samoan tattooing. The third, Papa e is an arty, waves on the shore type number.
There are a few software flaws minor enough not to really affect the viewing pleasure of those who want to remember the energy and pleasure of a Te Vaka concert. This was surely one of their best.