Audience warms to Dave Dobbyn performance
(Thursday, September 16, 2010 Taranaki Daily Times)

Dave Dobbyn sang to a sold-out crowd of more than 400 people last night at New Plymouth’s St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. The concert was part of Dobbyn’s Classic Hits Acoustic Church tour with Christchurch band Dukes, who opened the show. Delicately illuminated by red and blue lights, Dobbyn came out on stage to a cheering crowd. “I have had a lovely time touring,” he told them, “this is a beautiful place and it’s wonderful to be back in the Naki.” The 53-year old singer sounded better than ever as he sung his opening number Wild Kisses Like Rain, the church acoustics showcasing his voice. The song was followed up by a romantic version of Be Mine Tonight which was well received. After a solo appearance, Dukes returned to the stage and joined Dobbyn to finish the concert.

Dobbyn in church…. Gig with a difference
(Weekend Herald 11 Sept by Jacqueline Smith)

Review of Holy Trinity show in Auckland on Friday 10 September

As Dave Dobbyn predicated, there weren’t any drunken brawls in the car park after the gig last night. The sold out concert was the second of his acoustic church tour, which will travel south and finish in Christchurch in two weeks.

The tour is as much a chance for Dobbyn to bounce his tunes off the heavens as it is an opportunity for his fans to see him live somewhere far away from the beer swilling crowd. The tour coincides nicely with this week’s Silver Scroll awards which celebrate Kiwi song writing.

As well as playing a list of chart toppers from the past 20 years - including Loyal and Slice of Heaven - Dobbyn took the opportunity to show off some of his latest snappy numbers such as This Town.

Christchurch act Dukes who made a name for themselves with their single Vampires, gave a spine tingling opening performance. Their melodies ricocheted off the architecture and made you want to look up and check there wasn’t a choir harmonizing from the rooftop.

That’s the beauty of playing in a cathedral, it opens the imagination. Who knew a string of Dobbyn’s greatest pop songs could sound like the contents of a hymn book?

The atmosphere was enough to throw even Dobbyn’s concentration at one point and to stun the crowd into silences during the choruses they usually can’t stop themselves bellowing.  Dobbyn is not a huge man but his enormous voice billowed through the cathedral in a way that made even the least faithful in the crowd want to cry “hallelujah”.

In the second half he was joined by the cheery Dukes, angelic LA Mitchell on back up harmonies and his long-time friend Ross Burge on percussion.

Sure, it wasn’t exactly a case of moshing in the pews, but it sparked something memorable for that particular congregation.

It was really a great evening. Dukes harmonies were rich, full and feeling... Little Bird was certainly the highlight... Mr Dobbyn... ha. not used to playing in a chapel.. Loved the Jazz chord mistake... he is so sincere in his deliveries Be Mine Tonight... a very cool version, Loyal... inspiring and Wild Kisses... was a superb opener. To end with one of the most encompassing deliveries of Welcome Home. (a young Maori woman in front of me was in tears) was the grand finale of a superb evening in the Chapel with Dave Dobbyn and Dukes..

Steve Scott, Waikato Times
Hamilton  10/9/10