Concert Review - Hawke's Bay Arts Festival 'Toitoi': Deva Mahal - Hastings - 9th October 2025

Presented by Hawke's Bay Arts Festival

Review By - Rob Harbers

Artist/Band - Deva Mahal

Venue/City - Toitoi Opera House, Hastings, New Zealand

Date of Event - 9th October 2025

The Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival is back, baby! And there could scarce be a better way to mark the opening night than with the sweetly seductive soulful siren voice of the great Deva Mahal, on her first-ever appearance in Te-Matau-a-Maui.

There was an air of anticipation in the foyer of the venerable Opera House, as the Arts Festival was about to mark its return, the previously annual event having fallen victim to the economic adversity brought on by the Coalition, having a year off in 2024. Their economic vandalism resulted in a stripped-back format this year - the length of the festival reduced to 10 days from its customary 14. Such matters were swept aside by the joyous celebration of life that ensued, as Deva and her masterful band heralded the revival of an institution of the province’s cultural life.

Deva took to the stage with the urban sounds of ‘South Coast’. Showing her refusal to be boxed in to categories (she boasted ‘Boxes don’t fit me’), ‘Snakes’ hit a reggae groove , its lyrics warning of the hazards of life – ‘Don’t you know, the world is so mean?’. Heating things up to the point of her losing both an earring and an eyelash, the languid vibe (‘One for the lovers’) of ‘I Want You For All Time’ led into the single ‘Need’, an expression of feminine confidence and self-assurance. With a theme of making a lover well aware of what’s required of them, this gave full expression to the ‘groaning, sexy mode’ that Deva confessed to having grown in to.

This gig marked her first in around eight weeks after surgery, but there was no rustiness or restriction, as she took ownership of the stage - this queen ruled the venue for 90 minutes. New song ‘Sometimes Good‘ featured some dynamic fretwork from guitarist Jules Blewman, breaking out the George Benson vibes, before atmospheric, brooding ‘March’. This gave Deva the opportunity for a full vocal workout, showing her power - power put to use in ‘On Read’, a vitriolic response to a former lover, making it clear that you don’t cross this diva.

Having cleared the emotional backlog, the next songs radiated positivity, from aquatically-inspired ‘Goddamn’, through ‘Optimist’ , with its sampling of ‘Everyday People’ from Sly Stone, RIP - a celebratory ode to the power of love. But the celebration was tempered with a reminder that in order to see change, we need to take action, as per the words of Bob Marley, ‘Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights.’ To break out of this ourobouros of negativity, the people need to take action, as expressed in ‘Will Anything Change?’ This call to action marked the closure of the main set.

The clamour for an encore saw the band return to the stage with the atmospheric ‘Fire’, leading into the hit-the-floor extended jam ‘Worthy’, that brought many to their feet and gave further opportunity for the band to show off their chops - Jules Blewman, along with Johnny Lawrence on bass and Darren Matthiasson hitting the skins; the trio bringing the skills needed to back up the powerhouse that is Deva.

And with that, it was over, the festival having been brought back from its slumber in fine style, with a powerful jolt of defibrillatory joy and positivity from a true queen of the scene. The smiles on the faces of the audience as they filed out told the story of the night and boded well for the next nine days, as the event brings people together to celebrate life through art. Strap in, folks!

Setlist:

South Coast

Snakes

Run Me Through

I Want You For All Time

Need

Sometimes Good

March

On Read

Goddamn

Optimism

Will Anything Change

Stand In

Fire

Worthy