Review: Greg Phillips. Photos: David Harris
Palais Theatre, Sunday November 9, 2025
GRAMMY-nominated British singer-songwriter David Gray, brought his Past & Present World Tour to Melbourne tonight, following the release of his acclaimed January 2025 release of his 13th studio album, Dear Life.
With my heading still spinning from Metallica’s pyro-rock stadium extravaganza in front of 50,000 people 24 hours earlier, it took a minute to recalibrate my brain and get used to this new environment. In contrast to watching events unfold on a screen, I am instead sitting in a comfortable chair, with a full view of a band merely 20 metres away and enjoying perfectly configured sound. Such is the rich diversity of our musical situations.
Opening with After The Harvest as he has done for quite some time from his latest Album Dear Life, what has already became clear is the strength of his voice and ability to nuance the delivery of his lyrics. Without a word, he then launches into the moody My Oh My from the White Ladder album.
“It’s cold and pissing down with rain, we must be in Melbourne,” he laughs, as we sympathise with the tourist’s predicament in his first words to the audience.
Dead in the Water and Be Mine (both from A New Day at Midnight) provide an early singalong opportunity and thankfully, the sound coming off stage is pristine.
Like all great singer songwriters, Gray is first and foremost a story teller and these are relatable stories that fans have latched onto as their own over David’s three decade long career. The Other Side is a case in point, written in grief at the loss of his father and at the same time suffering from a failed relationship. You can still feel the pain in his performance as he thinks about the words he’s expressing. With the audience in silence, Gray’s powerful voice soars throughout the venue.
Gray then introduces local folktronica artist Gordi back to the stage, after she had played an impressive set as his warm up earlier. Plus & Minus from the Dear Life album was a song recorded as a duo with Talia Rae but tonight a beaming Gordi does a superb job performing the appealing pop tune.
Following with his huge hit White Ladder, Gray has the crowd up and clapping in time enthusiastically to the classic song from 1998.
Again showing his penchant for a great melody, he kicks into the fabulous Please Forgive Me from White Ladder, with the audience up and about and joining in on the joyous chorus, while the band sensing the moment, jams on an extended outro.
Knowing a thing or two about show dynamics, Gray takes the spotlight and with acoustic guitar in hand, performs a stunning version of Soft Cell’s Say Hello, Wave Goodbye, aided by some sublime organ backing from multi-instrumentalist Timothy Bradshaw on his Kawai MP11SE.
In one of the most heartbreaking moments of the evening, Gray takes to the microphone to pay tribute to former bandmate/guitarist Neill MacColl, who is battling cancer and then dedicates a heartfelt version of That Day Must Surely Come to his friend.
Now in full story telling mode and amongst friends, Gray relates his covid story, suggesting with a grin that we’d moved from a post-covid world now to a pre-apocalypse time! He tells us there was a moment of realisation that while bunkered down in his home studio during the pandemic, that he really ought to be upstairs sharing time with his family and he was grateful for that pivotal thought. When the time came to return to work, he was inspired and spent a lot of time on the track Leave Taking from the Dear Life album and then proceeds to play a sincere rendition for us.
Mention must be made of drummer Craig McClune, whose spellbinding antics behind the kit had me enthralled. With multi-coloured brushes in hand, his intense attention and close proximity to his cymbals and snare make for entertaining viewing. You could almost see the cogs in his mind turning as he made choices of what he was going to hit next and in what manner he was going to complete his instrumental notions.
Gray has chosen his fellow band members well, all multi-tasking, super talented musicians. It was intriguing to watch bass player Robert Malone move from the choice of two Fender basses to a an extraordinarily modern looking electric bass, which he both plucked and used a bow on, depending on the mood required. Meanwhile, down front Bendedict Van Wyk De Vries could often be seen playing piano chords while still having a guitar strapped upon his shoulder.
An upbeat Hospital Food takes the dancing level up a notch, then continuing the emotional rollercoaster ride, Alibi and Fame Turns Blue takes us back into deep, beautiful ballad territory. The immediately recognisable opening piano lines of This Year’s Love generates a cheer as we head to the pointy end of the show. Singing For The Pharaoh morphing into a fun Just Can’t Get Enough elevates the spirits once again.
Of course we knew it was on its way and when it comes, is met with instantaneous communal singing. Babylon was the song which started it all for Gray and many of these fans have been with the amiable Brit since he first arrived on the international music scene. Now it was time to come together in voice and share the experience.
Gray then takes the opportunity to calm the farm with an acoustic solo performance of a new tune, the appropriately titled Coming Down, followed by a gorgeous Silver Lining from the White Ladder album. A Sail Away singalong seems like an apt ending to a night of wonderful memories, melodies and top class musicianship.
Check out our pre-tour interview with David Gray HERE
SET LIST
After the Harvest
My Oh My
Dead in the Water
Be Mine
The Other Side
Kangaroo
Plus & Minus (with Gordi)
White Ladder
Please Forgive Me
Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (Soft Cell cover)
That Day Must Surely Come (Dedicated to Neill MacColl)
Leave Taking
The One I Love
Hospital Food
Lately
Alibi
Flame Turns Blue
This Year’s Love
Singing for the Pharaoh
Just Can’t Get Enough (Depeche Mode cover)
Babylon
Encore:
Coming Down
Silver Lining
Sail Away
