Gig Review: Festival of Lights @ Pukekura Park, New Plymouth – 9/01/2026

As I made my way to Pukekura Park’s Hatchery Lawn for another Festival of Lights music gig, I was a little confused. Half the grassed area was already packed out, mostly with children and families. I hadn’t realised local Taranaki favourites The Mara were such a hit with kids – though to be fair, frontman Jordan Jones did recently set a video in a schoolroom.

It soon became clear what was going on. The warm-up act was children’s theatre performer Banana Jolie, presenting her Let’s Talk About Peelings show (or something along those lines). This was definitely a split audience, but once the kids moved on, everything shifted.

As The Mara took the stage, the mood lifted instantly. What followed was a reminder of just how easily this band can pull a crowd together – across ages, expectations, and genres – locking everyone in from the first beat and carrying that energy through the rest of the set.

Led by the ever-watchable Jordan Jones, The Mara delivered a tight, upbeat set that bounced effortlessly between roots, dub, ska, and Latin grooves. Their infectious vibe was driven by a punchy rhythm section, while layers of keys, piano accordion, horns, and backing vocals added richness and texture. The songwriting is catchy and full of character – hooky tunes with a quirky, playful edge.

The last time I saw The Mara play was at a winter festival pop-up, and it’s clear they’ve been putting in serious hours since then. The set flowed smoothly from song to song, transitions were confident and well-paced, and the audience was singing along from the get-go. There was plenty of movement onstage too, with the sax, bass, and frontman constantly in motion, adding to the sense of joy and momentum.  A couple of crowd favourites included Music in Your Life and Jimmy’s Love Song.  My picks would be the recent single Three More Hours and and as yet unreleased Currency.

Afterwards, Jordan said it’s always a pleasure playing to a home crowd. The energy, he reckons, is electric. “Taranaki is so lucky to have the Festival of Lights showcasing the amazing talent from our region and around the world.”

Hard to argue with that. This was a band hitting its stride, playing to an audience more than happy to meet them there.

Setlist:

• Didn’t Forsee Today
• Did You Believe
• Three More Hours
• I’ve Been Hurt Too Many Times
• Music In Your Life
• Spiders
• Dreamland (Sticky Fingers)
• Currency
• Jimmy’s Love Song

Photo Credit: Jenny Feaver for Muzic.NZ
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