Lucy Dacus – Hollywood Avondale June 3, 2022

Lucy Dacus brought her Home Video Tour to New Zealand last night with the first of four shows taking place at Auckland’s Classic Hollywood Cinema in Avondale.

As you can hear in the 13^th Floor MusicTalk interview recorded with Lucy just a few days ago, Dacus has found that the break caused by the pandemic has seemed to open her music up to a younger fan base.

Those young ones were out in force last night singing, screaming and, at times. weeping to their favourite tunes from Home Video, the album Lucy released just about a year ago.

Pickle Darling

Before the screaming and the weeping we heard from Pickle Darling, the musical outlet for Christchurch’s Lukas Mayo. The band was a trio tonight with Cameron Finlay and Sarena Close helping out.

They opened their 30 minutes set with Another Sad Boy Song, a title that pretty much sums up their act. We heard songs such as A Deep Breath and Rosary, taken from the 2021 album, Cosmonaut and the crowd gave their full attention (mostly) until Rinse Spin Cycle/Nicholas Cage when a restless murmur could be heard through the room. I don’t blame them as I found them a bit twee for my taste especially with a lyric like, “you’re born, you wank, then you die”.

Lucy Dacus

So, on to Lucy, but first this brief announcement:

“Please wear your masks, if not for you, then for us”, urged Lucy about five minutes before show time.

Finally, with minimal lighting and maximum anticipation, Lucy took the stage with her band (Jacob Blizard/guitar, Sarah Goldstone/keys, Ricardo Lagomasino/drums and Dominic Angelella/bass), and got started with Triple Dog Dare, the nearly 8-minute opus that is a highlight of Home Video.

The crowd loved it and yes, there were tears, tears of joy, of emotional connection, that Dacus has established with her audience.

“Lucy we love you!” was shouted out after Addictions, the first of many opportunities for the crowd and the band to bond with a good old fashioned singalong.

As the set progressed, the lights got (a bit) brighter and by VBS, we were all under the spell of Lucy Dacus and her songs.

Lucy eventually spoke to the crowd with a “thank you” and a remembrance of her previous trip to these shores.

“New Zealanders are the nicest people!” and then she thanked all for wearing their masks. Let’s face it, at this point most of the audience would have worn full surgical gowns if asked.

Musically, the songs, the singing and the playing got better and tighter as the night proceeded. Jacob Blizard seemed to live up to his name with a blistering solo during Partner In Crime with Brando and Thumbs Again serving to round out the mid-set highlights.

The singalongs continued during Going Going Gone which Dacus claimed, “just cured my depression and anxiety” and on to set closer Night Shift which quickly led to a rousing Dancing In The Dark as the encore.

This was the first of four New Zealand shows…one each had to be added in Auckland and Wellington to accommodate ticket sales and Lucy has promised a few set changes between the shows. International artists have finally returned to New Zealand and seeing and hearing Lucy Dacus and her band is a perfect way to get back into the swing of things.

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Veronica McLaughlin

Lucy Dacus

Pickle Darling

Lucy Dacus set list:

1. Triple Dog Dare
2. First Time
3. Addictions
4. Hot & Heavy
5. Christine
6. VBS
7. Cartwheel
8. Your & Mine
9. Timefighter
10. Partner In Crime
11. Brando
12. Thumbs Again
13. Going Going Gone
14. I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore
15. Kissing Lessons
16. Night Shift
17. Dancing In The Dark