Didirri
16th August 2019
The Tuning Fork, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review and photography by Sarah Kidd.
After impressing Auckland audiences last year supporting Australian singer Vance Joy, Didirri made a welcome return last night to play an intimate yet evocative set at The Tuning Fork.
Gazing out across the softly lit venue, the evenings opening act of Sophie Gibson smiled with just a hint of apprehensive nerves, her charming laugh drawing the audience in as she introduced her first song whilst relaying the story of how a misheard title had her mum a little concerned about it’s subject material. Gibson’s mum had needn’t have worried though as the song relayed a more modest tale of those who enjoy the comfort of being a home body.
It is this innocence, that is rather appealing about Gibson, her songs pulling from her own experiences with romance and heartache as well as the pros and cons of sharing an abode with one’s chosen partner. Holding down the stage with an acoustic solo set is never an easy task, yet Gibson pulled it off, some slight tuning issues with her guitar a couple of songs in her only minor indiscretion.
Mixing in covers of both the Fleetwood Mac classic ‘Songbird’ – Gibson undoubtedly drawing some of her own musical influence from the Eva Cassidy version – and the bluesy Etta James tune ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’ was a chance for Gibson to show off more of her vocal range, soulful blues certainly a genre that the young singer can excel in, the lower octaves and slight lilt to her voice coming to the forefront in her own composition entitled ‘Board Games’.
Finishing with ‘Tuesday Rain’ a song that she collaborated with American duo Amitė on (the full version the perfect chillout edm track for summer) Sophie Gibson proved herself to be an act worth re-visiting.
There is an aura about Melbourne artist Didirri (pronounced Did-ear-ee), a magnetism that is thoughtful as it is playful. A youthful artist who simultaneously delivers words that are philosophical, metaphorical and at times a little heartbreaking, it is easy to see why he is fast becoming a favourite in the indie-pop ranks.
Joined on stage by a three-piece band – a fact he advised his audience that he was rather excited about as he had recently been performing solo shows only – fans were soon enamoured by the artist with the intriguing name. Derived from the Aboriginal word dadirri, which refers to the concept of inner deep listening and quiet awareness, Didirri certainly embodies the words qualities, a serenity settling over the room that remained even through the set’s rockier moments.
Interspersing anecdotes about some of life’s more interesting occurrences and interactions with both family and friends, Didirri and company led the attentive crowd through opening track ‘Breathe’, fans soon celebrating as the first bars of his debut single ‘Blind You’ fell about their ears. Fired from his factory job, Didirri’s new career is just a mere three years old and yet his songs feel as if they are steeped in the spirits of the greats, the story-telling aspects of Leonard Cohen interwoven with the emotion of Buckley and the morality of Dylan; Didirri at one point congratulating New Zealand on their past achievements which allowed those who so desired, regardless of sexual orientation, to make their relationships official in the eyes of the law.
The relationship that Didirri had with his band, especially with that of his phenomenal lead guitarist Daniel O’Keefe was tangible, at times they gave the impression that they were lost amongst each other, the crowd before them the observers of lightning in a bottle. Moving between electric and acoustic guitar, Didirri soon stripped the evening back to the bone, his solo rendition of ‘Raw Stuff’ on the keys captivating all in his presence.
Once again connecting with those before him Didirri spoke of both a friend who struggled with the worthiness of his existence and his autistic brother whose outlook on life is one that humanity would do well to adopt “Find the thing that makes you happy and don’t get in the way of other people finding the thing that makes them happy”; ‘Tea Stains’ seeing many raise their voices in song at Didirri’s request.
Without question, the highlight of the deeply fulfilling set was ‘Formaldehyde’, it’s subtle beginnings and almost military style drum bridge thanks to drummer Isaac Barter leading the room into an intoxicating maelstrom of swirling guitars and soul-searching vocals. Declaring himself not to be a fan of encores thanks to his experiences with musical theatre, Didirri gave thanks and bid farewell with the highly anticipated ‘I Can’t get last night Outta my Head’.
Some artists are just headed for greatness.
Were you there at The Tuning Fork for this sombre indie folk gig? Or have you seen Didirri perform live somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Didirri Setlist:
- Breathe
- Bird Sounds
- Blind You
- Worth The Wait
- Strange
- Blue Mood Rising
- Raw Stuff
- 383
- Formaldehyde
- Tea Stains
- Jude
- I Can’t Get Last Night Out Of My Head
Sophie Gibson Setlist:
- Home Bodies
- Catch A Bus
- Songbird [Fleetwood Mac cover]
- Board Games
- Reminiscing
- I’d Rather Go Blind [Etta James cover]
- Tuesday Rain
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