Dylan – Tuning Fork: March 27, 2024 (Concert Review)

Dylan is the 24-year-old up-and-coming English pop star, not the 82-year-old living legend and she brought her Rebel Child Tour to Auckland’s Tuning Fork last night.

“We may be small, but we are mighty!” shouted Dylan from the stage as thousands of fans flocked into the adjacent Spark Arena for Fred Again.

Dylan is Natasha Woods, born in the village of Bures, England, 24 years ago and now based in London.

With three EPs and a “mixtape” under her belt, Dylan is ready to release her debut album and the several hundred who gathered at The Tuning Fork were privy to quite a few of those new tunes.

Kiwi singer/songwriter Paige opened the show but the early start time kept your reviewer from getting to the venue in time to catch her set…photos by Michael Jeong are below.

At 8:30 on the nose Dylan and her band…guitarist Rosie Botterill and drummer Connor Hopkins took the stage and got the party started with Rebel Child followed quickly by Girl Of Your Dreams.

Dressed in a black bra, mini skirt and boots, Dylan also played guitar, although the sound I heard coming from the PA seemed to be much bigger and slicker than those three could have been expected to produce.

I’m sure backing tracks were liberally used, but the very enthusiastic, mostly female, crowd didn’t seem to mind as they sang along with Nineteen and Every Beat Of My Heart.

“We’re on the other side of the world!” Dylan gushed as she told us how long she had looked forward to visiting our fair land.

Dylan pulled off her guitar and presented us with Perfect Revenge, most likely her next single. It’s simple, catchy and full of energy. I’d describe the sound as a cross between Taylor Swift and Pat Benatar.

The following song, Liar Liar generated a huge sound and at the end, Dylan urged one and all to let out a scream as part of her “group therapy”…the crowd duly complied.

“You are not alone, we are all here for you” she told her fans before kicking into Blisters, and that seems to be what a Dylan show is all about…empowerment, support and…dare I say it…Girl Power.

Revenge seemed to be a common theme in the songs and various exes were mentioned in the between-song banter.

The energy ramped up…as did the backing tracks…as the 80 minute set closed with You’re Not Harry Styles, No Romeo and Nothing Lasts Forever…a trifecta that left the assembled fans hoarse from singing along.

“You guys are winning!” Dylan exclaimed as she assured us there will be a second time in Auckland…no doubt in a much larger venue.

Marty Duda

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

Dylan:

Paige:

Dylan setlist:

1. Rebel Child
2. Girl Of Your Dreams
3. Nineteen
4. Every Heart But Mine
5. Perfect Revenge
6. Liar Liar
7. Blisters
8. Kiwi (Harry Styles cover)
9. Out Of The Woods/Sour Milk (Taylor Swift cover)
10. Blue
11. Bad/Unholy (Sam Smith cover)
12. Someone Else
13. The Alibi
14. You’re Not Harry Styles
15. No Romeo
16. Nothing Lasts Forever