After a final flurry of fun over Labour Weekend, the Dunedin Arts Festival has come to an end, leaving happy arts fans in its wake.
The Star went out and about to sample the festival fare, enjoying some great music and wonderfully unusual performances.
Knox Church hosted a series of top class and popular concerts during the festival, and we were able to attend those by Jenny Mitchell and Don McGlashan.
In last Wednesday’s show, Mitchell was joined by a six-piece band, including twin sisters Maegan and Nicola Mitchell, with songs of love and loss, wandering souls and the landscapes of home.
On Friday, Kiwi music great Don McGlashan and band, including our own Shayne Carter, gave a superb performance of songs from across McGlashan’s career, while highlighting new album Bright November Morning.
The sold-out show was packed with highlights, including new songs Shackleton and John Bryce, and Muttonbirds favourites Dominion Road, A Thing Well Made, Anchor Me, and White Valiant.
Dunedin Public Art Gallery was the setting for delightful absurdist dance theatre work ArteFact, created by Ross McCormack and performed by five dancers.
Leading the audience on a mini-tour of gallery spaces, the group wove movement and humour into a fabulous show, with lashings of audience participation.
The final event was an epic tribute to David Bowie, matching the great man’s music with circus and comedy. Led by singer Stewart Reeve, in a fabulous coat and boots, the show was a spectacular way to end a varied and enjoyable festival.
