Concert Review - Danica Bryant - Napier - 30th August 2025

Presented By the Small Hall Sessions

Review By: Rob Harbers

Artist/Band: Danica Bryant

Venue/City: King George Hall, Bay View, Napier, New Zealand

Date of Event: Saturday, 30th August 2025

Last night Pōneke-based Danica Bryant returned to her tūrangawaewae in Te-Matau-a-Māui, for a very special one-off Small Hall Session with her band. A select audience were treated to a taste of the latest marker of her progress towards cultural domination, the debut full-length Feast. And all came away satisfied indeed!

I’ve witnessed Danica performing a number of times over the past few years. Every time there’s been clear evidence of ever-increasing confidence and comfort with the live setting. I guess playing support sets for the likes of Robbie Williams and Elton John will do that for you. This confidence was on show in spades with the opening Introduction, performed by Danica solo, its lyrics promising to “Entertain you with my spoils, keep you always listening.” A promise met with the ensuing The Band, its country-tinged pop introducing the band (bassist Nat Bennett, drummer Tyler Blythe) in a most charming fashion.

The formalities dealt with, it was then straight into the acid-drop style at which Danica excels, the sweetest of pop melodies underpinned by lyrics, dealing with complex themes, pushing back at societal expectations and twisted ‘norms’. Her oeuvre was perfectly encapsulated in Burlesque Witch, which addresses of the standards expected of, and the limited indulgence allowed to, women in entertainment as they age – expectations that are comparatively non-existent on the other side of the gender ledger. This was a theme broadly continued with Crush, which deals with experiences as a woman in an industry dominated by men, many of whom have unrealistic ideas of the nature of the business relationship. The overall theme was described by Danica as, “I don’t have a crush on you, but I wouldn’t mind crushing you!” And one gets the feeling that there are particular people in mind here, ones who would be advised to sleep with one eye open if the shit should ever hit the fan!

Cinnamon, an unexpected fan favourite that Danica hesitated over including on the album, is a paean to the power of love to overcome body image insecurities induced by those damn societal expectations. The driving riff of Androgyny Alchemy lends a power to lyrics which appreciate the joys of gender-bending. A joyful tone contrasted with the ensuing Libra, to close to the first act, inspired by someone who blames all their bad behaviour on their star sign. But Danica is not about to let them get away with such assholery!

Act two kicked off on a more melancholy note, with Old Chocolate, a break-up song with an appropriately reflective and sombre tone. This downbeat mood persisted through a cover of Chappell Roan’s The Subway, through to Danica’s professed favourite song off the album, the single (I’ll Be Your) Drag Queen, which draws its inspiration from the confidence with which drag artists practise their art, while ruminating on the concept of femininity as a performance. This musical tone and lyrical theme carried on through Narcissist, while All the World’s a Theatre surprised with its juxtaposition of slow and fast, changing pace abruptly and unexpectedly in a hugely refreshing way. The momentum introduced led into Morals, which Danica told us was initially a country song, but in the studio environment became a pop piece. Its theme is one of pushing against expectations, both external and internal, and as such closed out a trio – with Drag Queen and Narcissist – of songs reflecting on the nature of performance and projection. There’s a lot going on in these songs, inviting a deeper look beyond the surface sweetness.

With Morals having lifted the tempo, the final pair of songs amped it up even more. Acid carried a hint of Lana Del Rey, while the closing Ready To Bite lived up to its billing as “a little bit rowdy”, leaving things on a high note, with surely a few new fans gained.

This was, then, a great performance, showing the growth and development of this talented artist, one who melds a singular voice with the sweetest of pop melodies and lyrics marked by their intelligence and exploratory nature. The tour is supporting an album which both delivers on the promise already exhibited, while simultaneously setting up expectations for the next. It continues through Tāmaki Makaurau, Kirikiriroa and Taupō, so if you’re in any of those places, there are your plans for that night sorted! And then in five years’ time, (assuming none of the various maniacs currently in power have blown us all to pieces), you can smugly boast you were there at this early stage – and isn’t that something future you would be proud of?

SETLIST
Introduction
The Band
Burlesque Witch
Buzz Crush
In Love (With A Girl)
Cinnamon
Androgyny Alchemy
Libra
Old Chocolate
The Subway (Chappell Roan cover)
(I’ll Be Your) Drag Queen
Narcissist
All the World’s a Theatre
Morals
Acid
Ready to Bite

Danica Bryant 2025 PR

---