I thought I’d missed out on the chance to see Scottish pop-rock act Del Amitri. They last toured Australia when I was around 10, and while they continue to gig around Europe I thought their days of international touring may be far behind them. I jumped on tickets when they finally announced an Aussie tour last year and felt fever-pitch excitement as I shuffled into the Enmore last Tuesday night.
Darren Middleton provided solid support, proving a capable frontman away from his Powderfinger bandmates. He could have taken the easy route and played at least one song from that massive Aussie act, but I appreciated his confidence in his solo skills. He’s such a gifted songwriter and he surrounds himself with quality musicians that help him bring them to life.
Looking at The Dels now, with graying hair and a few more wrinkles, you’re acutely aware of the passing of time. But then they play, and it’s as if no time has passed. Justin Currie’s voice sounds just as compelling as it ever did. While he and Iain Harvie are the only original members, the band sounds tight. Their songs have the power to transport you back to a simpler time, and I revelled in each and every one.
When you’re as good as Del Amitri, you don’t need to save big songs. “Always the Last to Know” was the fourth song of the night, “Kiss This Thing Goodbye” the sixth. I sang along to every word, although I missed the harmonica and banjo that drove the original recordings.
This wasn’t a nostalgia tour though. Songs from 2021 album Fatal Mistakes were scattered liberally through the set. From my privileged position in the dress circle, looking down on the front few rows, it seems the fans didn’t mind. They were there to hear all the old stuff back in the day, and they were thrilled to witness the new material they already knew well enough to sing along to.
They’re a band of few words, preferring to let the music do the talking. They seemed at ease on stage though, happy to share in this music with appreciative fans who helped them feel at home.
A generous five-song encore gave me some of my favourite moments of the show. Justin Currie took the lead on the stripped-back “Empty” and you could have heard a pin drop. It was a powerful, compelling performance that I’m going to remember for the rest of my life. “Be My Downfall” is my favourite Del Amitri song, and they saved it to the very end. I was starting to worry it wouldn’t make the set, as it didn’t crack the top 50 here in Australia, but it was so worth the wait. With house lights up and an audience singalong, I had chills.
I didn’t get back home until 1 am, which is some kind of lunacy in the middle of the week, but I was running on such post-gig adrenaline that I couldn’t sleep for hours. I can only hope the Dels had as much fun as I did. Maybe they won’t make us wait for another three decades before making a return visit.
Image source: own photos