Kinross hosting ‘king of noir'

Otago Daily Times

25-07-2025

Delaney Davidson. PHOTO: SABIN HOLLOWAY
Fifteen years after releasing his first album, celebrated Kiwi songwriter Delaney Davidson's preparing to perform a rocking collection of bangers at Gibbston's Kinross this Saturday night.
Lyttelton-based Davidson, a finalist for 2025's prestigious Taite Music Prize with his latest solo album Out of My Head, has spent the past 20 years as an international travelling troubadour.
He's also written and recorded with big names including Neil Finn, Marlon Williams, Al Park, Barry Saunders, Tami Neilson, Bruce Russell, The Eastern and Troy Kingi and has collaborated with Tame Iti on visual work.
For Out of My Head, co-produced by Mark 'Merk' Perkins, he's co-written with Williams, Hayley Westenra, Sam Scott and Miranda Eastern — Williams and Reb Fountain feature on two songs.
Davidson initially joined Reverend Beat Man, founder of Swiss record label Voodoo Rhythm Records, to release his debut album, Self Decapitation, in 2010 — it included Little Heart, a Silver Scroll finalist in 2011, and barnstormer Dirty Dozen.
In 2011 he released Bad Luck Man, which featured You're a Loser, named APRA New Zealand Country Music Song of the Year in2012.
He scooped the same award, with Williams, in 2013 for Bloodletter, and won it again in 2014, with Neilson, for Whiskey & Kisses.
He and Neilson teamed up again to win it in 2023 for Beyond the Stars.
He's also won the NZ Country Album Music of the Year, the One Man Band competition in Zurich and was Artist Laureate of New Zealand 2015.
Davidson, who's also a multi-instrumentalist, producer and filmmaker, has been described as the "reigning king of capturing the essence of 'noir' in country and folk music".
With multiple album anniversaries this year, he's formed the aptly named The Anniversaries, featuring Alex Freer, Heather Webb and Mark Hughes, for a New Zealand tour, which is opening up his 14-album songbook to share "a rocking collection of bangers".
As for what the audience can expect at Kinross?
"A night of dark-hearted ballads, wry humour and the unmistakable energy that made him a cult figure across Europe and beyond."
Limited tickets for 'Delaney Davidson Anniversary Tour 2025' are still available, priced at $59.81 plus fees, via moshtix.co.nz — the R18 event starts at 6.30pm.