I’m standing at the back of the dimly lit Double Whammy bar, and I’m fighting back the tears.

It’s a poetic moment. I have been waiting for months to hear Jon Toogood play his brilliant debut solo album Last Of The Lonely Gods, and alongside me is my sister. There is no one else I want to experience this with.

The themes of Lonely Gods are of family, pain, loss, grief and hope and they resonate on this warm Auckland evening.

Earlier this year, my sister was diagnosed with stage four cancer. It’s hard to write that. It was a diagnosis that rocked our family and one we are still coming to terms with. My sis is a happy-go-lucky person and universally loved wherever she goes.

Our family chat group hangs on every test result and appointment, hoping and praying for some good news to arrive, but on this special night we are putting that aside for a couple of hours of quality local music in an experience of escapism.

As Toogood casually strolls on stage, decked out in double denim, and belts out Lost In My Hometown, it is clear we are in for a special experience.

The frontman of Shihad rips through the first six tracks of his long-awaited solo album without pause. Every track is met with a heartbreaking or, at times, comical anecdote around the story behind the song.

After 40 years in the business, Toogood is a natural storyteller. He engages in a relaxed way and each track is as good as the next one. The acoustic set allows his vocals to shine.

There is brilliant songwriting throughout this record. If you break down some of the lyrics there are moments of pure genius. Like this line from the title track: "You and I, we know each other / Nothing hides from us / You don't have to say it brother / It's all so obvious."

I haven’t come across lyrics that capture that side of our Kiwi male culture, quite like that.

Or in Shouldn’t Leave It Like That (one of Toogood’s favourites on the 10-track album), the start of the second verse is a masterstroke.

"Love is for the brave / It cuts you when it goes away / It’s enough to conquer hate / But we hide it to avoid the pain."

When he belts out the final line of Us Against The World, "So you better sing, while you can"… I can feel my heart beating in my chest, and I feel like he is singing directly to me and my sister.

These songs are incredibly personal – he talks about having to say goodbye to his mum over the phone when she was on her death bed and he was in lockdown in Melbourne, or talking with a good mate about how life hadn’t turned out as he had expected.

The themes are honest and raw, and they align with where he is at as a person. He is home now, living in Auckland, and like this material, it has been a huge step out from his comfort zone to be vulnerable and on his own, centre stage.

But that bravery has been rewarded. Toogood says the nationwide tour of this material has been up there with the most fulfilling projects he has ever undertaken.

You can see why. Everywhere he has gone on this epic nationwide tour, from Kerikeri all the way down to Invercargill, he has been met with open arms and genuine love.

After the onslaught of the Lonely Gods tracks, Toogood ventures into some of the classics with Run, Pacifier and Think You’re So Free, all of which translate well to an acoustic set.

He tells a lovely story from his latest gig at the Paisley Stage in Napier where a member of the audience proposed to his girlfriend, and he follows it with the beautiful The Brightest Star.

There’s the customary breakout into covers where he does superb versions of The Exponents' Victoria (and a classic tale about frontman Jordan Luck), and David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust.

He closes out the set with the most iconic of all Shihad tunes Home Again, and then plays Gravity for a second time, as the curtain is brought down on a memorable gig.

Earlier in the night, Dianne Swann warmed up the crowd with a short and superb set.

There is no substitute for experience and Swann is a legend of the local scene. She has been around for a long time – and it’s clear that her and Toogood have a great camaraderie and mutual respect.

Swann – from the 1980's fame of When The Cats Away and a member of the NZ Music Hall of Fame – has a sweet voice as she delivered tunes from her most recent album, The War on Peace of Mind.

The night was a celebration of Toogood’s latest step into the unknown. And with a teasing social post from Shihad recently – which suggests that the end may be on the horizon for the much-loved rock band – nights like this are to be treasured.

Toogood is part of our rock ‘n’ roll royalty and surely in time, he will be honoured with a knighthood for his services to music in this country.

This gig will live long in the memory for me and my sister as she had some time away from the moments of her reality. We both held onto this celebration of love and hope.

Photo Credit: Hamilton Show 7 November 2024: Kenny Peng / K P Photography
Jon Toogood Photo Gallery
Dianne Swann Photo Gallery

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