05/06/2025

Dave Dobbyn & Delaney Davidson – Auckland Town Hall: June 4, 2025

Last night…described as ‘Selected Songs’ amounted to a dream set list, reaching back into a catalogue of Aotearoa’s finest compositions that zero in on Dave Dobbyn’s central themes: love, hope and rootedness in this land.

A wet Wednesday night in Auckland. Will he play Outlook for Thursday? Or Maybe the Rain? Standing in the line snaking down as far as the Civic Theatre, so many memories of seeing Dave Dobbyn flood back: in Th’Dudes at university orientation in ‘78; premiering Anotherland at the Concert Chamber; playing to a lucky few at the late great Golden Dawn; singing with Lucy Lawless across the road at the sadly defunct St James; and generously responding to my invitation to a commemoration of James K. Baxter’s writing at Newman Hall where he played Song of the Years off the Charlotte Yates-curated Baxter album.

Looking at the crowd as we enter the Town Hall, everyone doubtless has their Dave Dobbyn memories and moments. He’s been part of our journeys, part of our lives. What will tonight be like? First show in two years and first since the wolf came to his door in the form of Parkinson’s. And a show titled ‘Selected Songs’. Could this be the deep dive into the DD catalogue many of us have hoped for?

Delaney Davidson

Inside, it’s another DD first up. Delaney Davidson opens with a mihi acknowledging the iwi of Tamaki (no government minister yelling out ‘crap!’ tonight). With opener Moving On, the sorcery begins. One man, one acoustic guitar and the venerable Town Hall is filled with layered sound.

The besuited Davidson moving in that ambiguous space between preacher and one possessed. Conjuring a magic mix of Southern gothic – the America South meets another south: the wide-open spaces of Te Waipounamu. Sounds like train whistle or coyotes call with outbreath. Fuzzed-up atmospheric vocals via his green bullet harmonica.

The swirl of sound and churned emotion flip back into the here and now with ‘A song about dads’ and Tami Neilson walking on, resplendent in wide straw hat and floral dress. It’s an exquisite duet of their co-write Beyond the Stars.

Two more solo Delaney songs in which his quivering hands raised high could be channeling a powhiri or preacher man. A compelling performance as always.

Dave Dobbyn

A huge roar and diminutive Dave walks out dressed in black with his band. The first picking of guitar strings reveal that its Belltower. Is there a more beautiful DD love song? The suggestively spiritual Kingdom Come is next. The deep dive has begun.

His band offer full, tight but modest enough backing such that Dave always remains a central presence. No gratuitous solos. A cracking good combination of bass, drums, keys, acoustic guitar and two-man brass section. Tom Broome on drums and Victoria Girling-Butcher (Lucid 3) on guitar, tambourine and BVs are particularly impressive. The band thicken out the sound, doubtless adding confidence for a man who has not stepped on stage for so long. Lyric sheet stands are among the only indications of Dobbyn’s challenges. We are reminded more from Dobbyn’s self-deprecating comments than his performance. “Forgive the brain fog. It happens”. Of course we are forgiving. And to fill out that virtue he sings the beautiful Forgiveness off Available Light.

Dave introduces Gavin the guitar tech who gets a big shout out each time he appears. That good-humoured kiwi gig sensibility pervades.

Highlights? So many. The early albums Lament for the Numb and Neil Finn-produced Twist get a good look-in: gems like Naked Flame and Don’t Hold Your Breath. The first, a love song for his daughter Grace (she gets a shout out in the crowd) and the second for a troubled world (mention of Palestine evokes are sounding cheer).

Google Dave Dobbyn and before musician comes up there’s the descriptor ‘public figure’. He’s relatable. Holds values we can aspire to. He may use that Sir prefix, but perhaps it’s ironic? He sings that “the empire is fading away”.

The regular calls of ‘we love you Dave” are not gratuitous. They speak to a sense of connection. At one point he nods to his own whanau in the balcony. Someone on the floor yells out ‘We’re all family, Dave”. Here it feels like it even if outside the nation feels divided.

His songs are always instantly recognisable. None of the guessing game at a Dylan concert. There’s fidelity to original arrangements with slight departures into reggae and country stylings. Familiar landscapes loom large We get Lap of the Gods (“a song from Te Henga. It’s given me many songs”) and the driving west coast road song Blind Man’s Bend.

Crowd favourite You Ought to Be in Love is introduced with ‘1986 was a good year for small dogs and couples’. Love. It infuses his songs. From family to foreign arrivals to Aotearoa. In the Dobbyn book of lyrics, everyone is worthy of love and belonging. He may have few overtly political songs (the anti-nuclear Maybe the Rain is one) but there’s a gentle political message at work: a politics of love and faith in something if not Someone bigger than ourselves.

Deep cuts like Howling at the Moon. Cutting loose, in full flight with band on Falling off a Log. The joy and harmonies on Just Add Water. A night of surprises. As with the encore. The perhaps expected Loyal was rested for other anthems ending up with a searing rendition of Be Mine Tonight. A triumph!

Robin Kearns

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Den:

Dave Dobbyn: