Dave Dobbyn – Auckland Town Hall, 4 May 2025: Review & Photo Gallery

Sir Dave Dobbyn is one of our greatest. From Th’ Dudes, to fronting DD Smash, and on to a solo career that has stretched five decades, Dobbyn’s name and songs have occupied the airwaves, minds and homes of Aotearoa many times over.

People turned out in numbers for Dobbyn’s first-time show at the Great Hall (although he’d played here previously with Th’ Dudes) as part of Live Nation’s Auckland Winter Series.

What was promised by Dobbyn on Radio NZ last month as more an intimate solo show focussing on deep cuts, turned out to be a full-band showcase of his repertoire.

But first in support, Delaney Davidson warmed up the fast-filling venue with his Americana-tinged tunes and persona, proving to be an accompanying tasty guitarist too.

Going solo, with a little looping and much mood building, Davidson impressed and added ace vocalist Tami Neilson to duet with him.

Their harmonising sat well, and showed they’d done their homework. Davidson has been around a while and spoke about mistakes made and Dobbyn being an influence. Tom Waits and Johnny Cash could be felt too. It was great to catch him in action after some near misses.

Having seen Dobbyn play solo with only his piano and guitar at Ponsonby’s Gluepot downstairs Corner Bar (with guest Annie Crummer) in something like the very early 90’s, there was an anticipation to hear the man once again stripped back, and with seven more records behind him.

The giveaway that this was not going to be  with instruments preset onstage, and that meant adding a six-piece band, including a horn section. A decision that was made perhaps late in the game, given the radio promos.

The tone was set to mellow, as Belltower opened, from 93’s LA produced rough diamond Lament for The Numb.

Ballads were the order of the night, as Kingdom Come followed. Forgive the brain fog, it happens Dobbyn apologised for missing some lyrics.

Living with Parkinson’s (diagnosed in 2022) and other health issues may have been the cause for overwhelm and how the body and brain react. The good news was that Dobbyn is blessed with perfect-pitch, and he was to flow as the show went on, and soar when those important moments/notes came.

Available Light (2005) was a winning set, and Dobbyn drew Forgiveness from it next, with its gospel hues. We got the vibe that lesser-known songs were going to be prevalent and interpreted in a more subtle way than remembered.

Moving to keys, Dobbyn went for a triple-play off the Neil Finn produced Twist (1994).  It Dawned on Me, Naked Flame (originally a duet with Emma Paki) and Lap of The Gods.

His onstage right-hand gal Victoria Girling-Butcher added colour and supportive electric and acoustic guitar, as well as harmony vocals.

Waiting For a Voice, the opener from 2016’s Harmony House, is a stunner, and parallels the Finn brothers Last Day in June.

Not so much executed as the stonker that it is, it highlights Dobbyn’s growing depth in songwriting and move further in a spiritual direction.

A solitary entry from each of The Islander (1998) Blindman’s Bend, and 2008’s Anotherland, Howling at The Moon checked in.

The instinct for the obscure was to continue a little longer with the frantic Falling Off a Log, but the familiar songs were about to start showing up.

Language took us all back, the video in the day showed Dobbyn singing outside the dugout foundations of what would become the Sky City complex and tower.

Another of Dobbyn’s regulars, bassist Jo Barus, played solidly with taste, and acted as onstage MD at times. Drummer Tom Broome kept things together well and set up tempos to the nearest bpm. I’m guessing he was filling in or has taken over from Ross Burge, Dobbyn’s go to tub-thumper for 30 plus years.

The band was coming together nicely for You Outta Be in Love, its sing-along dreamy chorus cueing choir singing in the rafters and waving of phone lights.

Off the Footrot Flats soundtrack (1986) which was officially Dobbyn’s first solo outing after the demise of DD Smash. Slice Of Heaven (the OG featuring Herbs) from that record was to follow later.

Welcome Home brought Davidson and Neilson back onstage, acting as a mini super-choir. Well, Dobbyn has connections. A fitting tune to close on, anthemic in nature and one of Dobbyn’s most heard songs of the new millennium.

An encore was mandatory one felt, and commenced with the unusual selection of You Get So Lonely. Nodding to Dobbyn going for some of his personal favourites rather than the usual suspects.

As mentioned, Slice Of Heaven was a winner as it has always been, and the closer was appropriate, bringing Dobbyn back to where he began as a reluctant singer/frontman to jump in and wail Be Mine Tonight from Th’ Dudes era.

A household name, a knighthood, a great singer and guitarist, he’s all that.

But most importantly, Sir Dave is a songwriter of growth and immensity, with tunes standing the test of time. Embraced by generations, a Dobbyn show is rarer to find nowadays, so this had special occasion attached to it. Well played, Sir.

Mike Beck

Auckland’s Winter Series continues tonight with Teeks, Mall Grab on the 6^th  and Japanese Breakfast playing the 7^th June.

Dave Dobbyn

Delaney Davidson

Setlist
Belltower
Kingdom Come
Forgiveness
Don’t Hold Your Breath
It Dawned on Me
Naked Flame
Lap Of the Gods
Waiting For a Voice
Blindman’s Bend
Howling At the Moon
Falling Off a Log
Just Add Water
Maybe The Rain
Pour The Wine
Language
You Outta Be in Love
Welcome Home
(Encore)
You Get So Lonely
Slice Of Heaven
Be Mine Tonight