Amy Shark – Auckland Town Hall: October 12, 2024 (13th Floor Concert Review)

Amy Shark opened her Sadness Tour in Auckland last night bringing joy to fans young and old who hadn’t seen the Aussie singer/songwriter since 2018.

Since then Amy has released two more albums, collaborated with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Joel Little, Billy Corgan and The Chainsmokers. Her third album, Sunday Sadness, was release this past August and has already been nominate at the 2024 ARIA Music Awards for Album of the Year.

But fans can have short memories, and the Auckland Town Hall was looking sparse at 8pm when opening act Coast Arcade took the stage.

Coast Arcade

The Auckland-based quartet has been making their own brand of punk-pop for a few years now, going through a few changes along the way, with front person Bella Bavin still firmly in charge, writing, singing and playing guitar. Tonight long-time drummer Thom Boynton was pounding the skins while Leo Spykerman is the new guy on bass. I was unable to catch the other guitarist’s name but it definitely wasn’t Chris Tims.

I’ve seen the Coast crew a number of time and I have to say this was the most impressive set I’ve witnessed of theirs. Bella’s songs, particularly her lyrics, are a notch about the average punk pop I hear and all four members played with enthusiasm and precision. Kudos to Leo who played while lying on his back after his guitar strap broke during Highest Heights.

We’d heard a good portion of their EP, Next To Me along with new single, Baited (an audience fave) and a snappy cover of 5 Seconds Of Summer’s Don’t Stop. We’ll we on the lookout for an album from these folks.

Amy Shark

The former Amy Cushway is now Amy Billings, after marrying Kiwi Shane Billings in 2016. But we know her as Amy Shark and Amy knows that she has a strong tie with New Zealand that is more than just the family connection.

By the time 9pm rolled around, there were still empty seats in the Town Hall and I couldn’t help but think this show would probably be better suited at The Powerstation, but I’m guessing the feud between Live Nation and the venue has made that not an option. Let’s hope they get that sorted.

Meanwhile the fans at the Town Hall were ready for a good time and Amy and her band were ready to deliver. Some of us were temporarily blinded by the lights shooting out from the stage into the upper deck and the intro music played out. Fortunately the lighting situation was only temporary, and as I refocussed I could see Amy had appeared with her trademark hair bun, or top knot, or whatever you want to call it, intact.

The dramatic intro music led us into Two Friends, the first of eight songs we’d hear from Sunday Sadness.

From the beginning it was clear that Amy has developed into a very assured, confident and entertaining performer since the time I last saw her in 2018.

She prowled, stomped and danced around the stage with reckless abandon while nary missing a note.

The three black-clad musicians behind her stayed mostly in the background, playing drums, bass, guitar and keys. And, yes, there were backing tracks filling out the sound throughout the show.

But it was Amy’s between-song banter that really sold the show to her fans, telling us how thrilled she is to be in Auckland, who she feared she might never come back…about phone calls with her (Kiwi) mother-in-law…namedropping Ed Sheeran, Keith Urban and Russell Crowe…and posing in a high school uniform.

I will say that her story leading into Gone, about her advice to a young fan and her dad fell flat, but the remainder of the time she connected with her fans, who, by the looks of the audience, are made up of all ages and genders. The middle-aged man sitting in front of me flew up from Wellington to see Amy and brought his teenage son with him.

 

The setlist covered the hits and the new stuff in equal measure and we got a cover of The Killers’ Mr. Brightside…always good to hear.

The evening ended with a couple of singles from Love Monster…I Said Hi…the one that started it all…and Mess Her Up…the one that ended this evening.

Fans were left cheering and chanting as the lights went up. That the way it should be…leaving them wanting more.

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Michael Jeong:

Amy Shark:

Coast Arcade:

Amy Shark Setlist:

1. Two Friends
2. Only Wanna Be With You
3. Can I Shower At Yours
4. Everybody Rise
5. It’s Nice To Feel This Way Again
6. All Loved Up
7. Beautiful Eyes
8. My Only Friend
9. Love Songs Ain’t For Us
10. The Reaper/Don’t Turn Around/Blood Brothers
11. Worst Day Of My Life
12. Babe
13. Adore
14. Spits On Girls/Our Time Together
15. Gone
16. Brightside
17. I Said Hi
18. Mess Her Up

Coast Arcade Setlist:

1. Kiss Like This
2. Surf Club
3. Salty Blonde
4. Don’t Stop
5. Highest Heights
6. Tattoo
7. Baited
8. Next To Me