Latest news with #DelaneyDavidson
Otago Daily Times
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Focused on his joy
If you stand your ground, people come around, Delaney Davidson tells Seren Stevens. Delaney Davidson is a country musician set in a noir film. His music has American roots with shades of blues, hints of early rock 'n' roll, and a gritty, trashy timbre binding it all together. "I look at all these different genres like pots of paint. I'm going, 'Let's have a bit of this, bit of that, wham, slap that over there'," Davidson says. The process has garnered awards in both Europe and New Zealand, including the 2015 New Zealand Arts Foundation Laureate Award and New Zealand Music Awards Country Album of the Year. Now he's on the road again with The Anniversary Tour, which represents 15 years of his work, reaching back to 2010 when his critically acclaimed album, Self Decapitation, was released. Preparing for the tour was a nostalgic process for Davidson, casting him back to Northern Italy, where he recorded the album for Swiss label Voodoo Rhythm Records. "I would listen to the songs again, and I would suddenly be back in the original studio. It was like this time travel machine, where you would put the song on, and once you started listening to all the parts, you would remember. You would hear the song, and you could go back into the recording session and relive it, almost." In a quiet and gravelly voice, he recounts the hazy days that the Anniversary Tour draws upon. "I'd be thinking of these summer nights in Italy, with the swampy heat, and eating pasta and sausages and going out in these little towns, into the squares. White marble clock towers and ice cream in the evening. All these old times came back." Known as a troubadour, Davidson spent a decade travelling Europe while writing and performing his music. Many of his early songs were scribed on the long train journeys between small European towns, or in restaurants or cafes, with simple pencil and paper. Davidson discusses how tantalising the simplicity of tour-life is, in both Europe and New Zealand. "It really feels like a natural state. Life becomes very much about the day to day. 'Where do we have to be? Are you hungry? Eat something. Are you tired? Have a nap. Then sound check, play the show. Go to sleep, get up, drive.' That's nice. It's a way to become really present. "Touring feels so zen, and so focused. It's such a true dedication to the music. And that's ultimately what so many of us as musicians are looking for; we're looking for a way to dedicate ourselves to the glory of music." Davidson presents as a wandering soul. But while travelling and living on the road has been his natural state for years, he still finds value in stillness. Now based in Lyttelton, he sees a settled life as a parallel to being grounded in his own style and music. "In terms of keeping my style my own, I just think of that saying: even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day. Trends come and go, and I love being influenced, but I don't particularly want to deviate from my take on those things. "If you stay in one place, things come around. If you move around and change, it's hard to connect with things. I find that happens in my hometown of Lyttelton — if I want to see people, I just stand in one place. I can stand down the end of the first aisle of the supermarket around 5 o'clock, and sooner or later, everybody walks past. But if I move around trying to find people, forget it. Everybody's moving. You miss everybody." Looking back on his music career, Davidson offers the lessons he's learnt along the way, that have kept him on track when difficulties arise. "Make sure the reasons you're doing it and your motivations are all based in love. Based on the love of the music, and not based in success or industry or comparison, because that's the way to ruin. If you try to keep it focused on your own joy of the music, you will always be getting something out of it. "Ultimately, it's total energetic magic that we're doing. You can transport yourself back in time, you can mend a broken heart, you can do all sorts of stuff with music. It's not some commercial, interchangeable thing. It's way more than that." In Dunedin, Davidson will perform alongside his band, featuring Alex Freer, Heather Webb and Mark Hughes. "The Dunedin tour is going to be crazy — it's going to be wild and fun. Come and bask in the magic and the love," he says. Delaney Davidson plays two shows at The Crown, Dunedin, on Friday, July 25, then the Cellar Door, Kinross Winery, Queenstown, on Saturday, July 26.
RNZ News
28-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Proposed noise limit changes could make Christchurch NZ's loudest city
Delaney Davidson with Chamber Music New Zealand performing live at the Great Hall in Christchurch. Photo: Sabin Holloway Christchurch City Council is looking to raise city noise limits from 60 to 65 decibels, making the CBD the loudest in the country. Auckland and Wellington noise limits are 60 decibels Music venues have been warning the council that outdated noise limit rules threaten their livelihoods. Central ward councillor Jake McLellan told Morning Report the changes were being considered because businesses had moved into an area that was not designed for loud noise. "We have a number of music venues in the South-East side of the city who have opened up over the last 10 years since the quake," he said. "We had a plan for where businesses would go post quake but obviously 10 years on things have changed, and we want to update the zoning to let businesses continue." Central ward councillor Jake McLellan. Photo: Supplied McLellan said he was expecting push back as there would likely be unintended consequences for some residents, but accepted of no changes were made businesses wouldn't be able to operate properly. There were other options, he said. "We could zone to allow those music venues in the South-East of the city without impacting residents on the other side of the city." A consultation of the options was planned to take place in June, with a decision expected in September. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Delaney Davidson Joins Sir Dave Dobbyn And His Band As Special Guest At The Auckland Winter Series
Press Release – Live Nation Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Live Nation is proud to announce multi-instrumentalist Delaney Davidson will join Sir Dave Dobbyn as special guest at the A uckland Winter Series line up at the Auckland Town Hall this June. Well known for his hypnotic and original One man and his Ghost Orchestra show, enigmatic multi-instrumentalist Delaney Davidson both defines and commands his own unique realm in the shadowy musical world some call 'Country-Noir' or 'Gothic Americana'. He joins one of Aotearoa's most treasured musical voices, Sir Dave Dobbyn, live in concert at Auckland Town Hall on Wednesday June 4. With over 45 years as a recording artist, Sir Dave Dobbyn has shaped the sound of Kiwi music, penning the soundtrack to generations of New Zealand lives. From iconic anthems to an extraordinary catalogue of deeper cuts, Dobbyn's set for the Auckland Winter Series promises an unforgettable journey through one of the nation's most storied songwriting legacies. Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2022, Dobbyn declared it 'business as usual' – and continues to inspire with his unmistakable voice and enduring presence on stage. Recognised with a Knighthood in 2001 for his services to music, Dobbyn remains one of New Zealand's most revered cultural figures. Generally dealing with the darker side of things, Delaney Davidson has been described as ' being the reigning king of capturing the essence of 'Noir' in Country and Folk Music, pushing at the framework and preconceptions of roots music with his brand of modern gothic Americana.' (Post to Wire). Having spent the last 20 years as travelling 'troubadour' around the globe, sometimes solo, sometimes with accomplices, but always with his Ghost Orchestra, Delaney Davidson has found new focus embracing a love of Aotearoa. Through his collaborative work with Troy Kingi ' Black Sea, Golden Ladder ', his visual art work with Tame Iti, and his most current album ' Out Of My Head ' produced by Merk, he has featured such varied talents as Hayley Westenra and Reb Fountain and has toured with Chamber Music New Zealand – all the while continuing to reinvent concepts and challenge expectations, and gaining respect and admiration from audiences. Auckland Winter Series is a new curated concert experience from Live Nation, in association with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited on behalf of Auckland Council. Featuring an eclectic lineup of international icons and homegrown heroes, the series brings world-class performances to the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau this June. Delaney Davidson joins Sir Dave Dobbyn as part of the Live Nation Auckland Winter Series line up which also features TEEKS, Mall Grab and Japanese Breakfast.
Scoop
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Delaney Davidson Joins Sir Dave Dobbyn And His Band As Special Guest At The Auckland Winter Series
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Live Nation is proud to announce multi-instrumentalist Delaney Davidson will join Sir Dave Dobbyn as special guest at the A uckland Winter Series line up at the Auckland Town Hall this June. Well known for his hypnotic and original One man and his Ghost Orchestra show, enigmatic multi-instrumentalist Delaney Davidson both defines and commands his own unique realm in the shadowy musical world some call 'Country-Noir' or 'Gothic Americana'. He joins one of Aotearoa's most treasured musical voices, Sir Dave Dobbyn, live in concert at Auckland Town Hall on Wednesday June 4. With over 45 years as a recording artist, Sir Dave Dobbyn has shaped the sound of Kiwi music, penning the soundtrack to generations of New Zealand lives. From iconic anthems to an extraordinary catalogue of deeper cuts, Dobbyn's set for the Auckland Winter Series promises an unforgettable journey through one of the nation's most storied songwriting legacies. Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2022, Dobbyn declared it 'business as usual' – and continues to inspire with his unmistakable voice and enduring presence on stage. Recognised with a Knighthood in 2001 for his services to music, Dobbyn remains one of New Zealand's most revered cultural figures. Generally dealing with the darker side of things, Delaney Davidson has been described as ' being the reigning king of capturing the essence of 'Noir' in Country and Folk Music, pushing at the framework and preconceptions of roots music with his brand of modern gothic Americana.' (Post to Wire). Having spent the last 20 years as travelling 'troubadour" around the globe, sometimes solo, sometimes with accomplices, but always with his Ghost Orchestra, Delaney Davidson has found new focus embracing a love of Aotearoa. Through his collaborative work with Troy Kingi ' Black Sea, Golden Ladder ', his visual art work with Tame Iti, and his most current album ' Out Of My Head ' produced by Merk, he has featured such varied talents as Hayley Westenra and Reb Fountain and has toured with Chamber Music New Zealand - all the while continuing to reinvent concepts and challenge expectations, and gaining respect and admiration from audiences. Auckland Winter Series is a new curated concert experience from Live Nation, in association with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited on behalf of Auckland Council. Featuring an eclectic lineup of international icons and homegrown heroes, the series brings world-class performances to the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau this June. Delaney Davidson joins Sir Dave Dobbyn as part of the Live Nation Auckland Winter Series line up which also features TEEKS, Mall Grab and Japanese Breakfast.
