David Duchovny live - the vocals falter, but you can't knock the passion

REVIEW: A couple of hours before David Duchovny's maiden New Zealand gig, some fans had paid $250 for a meet and greet with The X Files alumnus.

Various tweets proclaimed how wonderful he was. Some even showered him with Pineapple Lumps.

90 minutes before he was due to take the Powerstation Stage, keen fans, mainly mid 30s to 40s and from his fan club clearly had packed the front rows of the stage, waiting.

With the venue simply adorned with your run-of-the-mill garage band set up(drums at the back, a clutch of microphones at the front), it resembled a school prom, with couples lining the seating around the edge, waiting for Mulder / Hank Moody to take the stage.

A mixture of trans Atlantic accents filled the venue, with a merchandise stand near the exit offering you the chance to sleep with David Duchovny for $40.

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David Duchovny live at Auckland's PowerStation had passion - but not necessarily the talent to match.
DARREN BEVAN / STUFF
David Duchovny live at Auckland's PowerStation had passion - but not necessarily the talent to match.

Via way of a pillow case of course, nothing more triple X rated. (Though the occasionally lusty crowd would have settled for more, it would appear as the night went on.)

The support David Weir claimed he got the gig after he'd finished watching Aquarius, Duchovny's Manson TV show.

And it's more than likely most here were more aware of his TV work than his musical career.

Duchovny wasn't shy in coming forward to a 'tiny but mighty' crowd.
DARREN BEVAN / STUFF
Duchovny wasn't shy in coming forward to a 'tiny but mighty' crowd.

To be fair to Mr Duchovny and his band, it's a fact they were happy to acknowledge and even occasionally play on.

It started with a rocky number, Every Third Thought from the new album of the same name, setting the venue alight with a swagger and gifting its pouting frontman the adoration he was after.

As the crowd (described as "Tiny, but mighty" by Duchovny himself repeatedly) swayed and swooned at their idol, the band's skill at belting out the music became evident - even if Duchovny's vocals occasionally got lost in the mix and harmonies faltered.

For $40, you could sleep with David Duchovny. Sort of.
DARREN BEVAN / STUFF
For $40, you could sleep with David Duchovny. Sort of.

Amid the hip-thrusing and wannabe Mick Jagger slinky-dancing-cum-line-dancing moves that accompanied Maybe I Can (he even joked he'd thrown a "hammie" out), it was clear Duchovny's voice was straining to reach the top notes, with some of his tunes more suited to a studio performance and a mix than out in the live arena.

Sweat on brow, laconic charm intact among the surfer style vibes, Duchovny's group dished out a cover of The Band's "The Weight" to appease those unfamiliar with the band's two albums - and while it galvanised elements of the crowd into singing along, it slightly backfired in the person he chose to singalong from the crowd didn't know this one either.

But there was plenty of goodwill in Auckland's Powerstation, and while cries of 'Take Your Shirt Off' were evident, Duchovny seemed content to play along in mock horror, before announcing that he "felt unsafe."

The truth is out there - and so apparently are the Dad-dancing moves.
DARREN BEVAN / STUFF
The truth is out there - and so apparently are the Dad-dancing moves.

The mix of blues and dirty edges bubbled to the fore in When The Whistle Blows, with a grubby sound and rumbling roar showcasing the distance occasionally between vocals, the talent's musical prowess and the live experience.

Segueing into the gentler country MOR of Passenger from his first album Hell or High Water to the sultrier edges of new song Mo, from Every Third Thought,  the crowd were happy to let the atmosphere wash over and the fact they were in the presence of a Hollywood icon rather than revel in the fact that this garage style band were possibly more suited to jamming than a sustained musical career.

Yet, that's the thing with Duchovny - he's clearly aware that his at-times-flat vocals need work, and while leaping around like a pogoing and boogeying, slithering Iggy Pop wannabe, he's clearly having a good time and that's infectious. Even though he was clearly plugged into the band's sound and mix, he occasionally found himself lost and non-plussed at some of the crowd reaction, rather than fully interacting with them.

Duchovny took every chance to throw some moves down.
DARREN BEVAN / STUFF
Duchovny took every chance to throw some moves down.

The second album is a stronger sound, and deals to matters of love lost and faith as well as simply rocking out - it's clearly a step up, let down by a lack of vocal range from its lead singer.

His admission that his voice would "never get that high" led to a moment in the encore resulting in fellow member Colin Lee leading a cover of Crowded House's Don't Dream It's Over, with Duchovny content to marshal and play the crowd, conducting their every reaction. It's this savviness which makes it hard to truly criticise Duchovny's intentions and his passion for what he's doing - this is no cynical play on privilege or position .

Folksy and with roots in Wilco, David Duchovny's musical career feels like it's in the birthing stages - and perhaps not quite as strong as it should be to be out on the road.

The strain occasionally showed in some of the harmonies and higher notes.
DARREN BEVAN / STUFF
The strain occasionally showed in some of the harmonies and higher notes.

Sure, some of the lyrics leave a little to be desired, but there are touches of poetry throughout, and melodies to match and to stomp the foot - but the lead singer's vocals fall short of the mark, as the Dad rock edges comes to the fore. There's potential here if all is said and done but right now, I can't see him troubling the Grammys or their ilk any time soon - unfortunately.

You can't knock Duchovny's passion though - and while perhaps a handful of songs are memorable, the rest is forgettable enough music that wouldn't trouble a pub's background jukebox.

If only the vocals matched the ambition and the passion, this would have soared skywards.

As it was, it proved to be pleasant enough, but not pleasantly surprising enough to recommend a return trip other than the fact it is Duchovny himself.

David Duchovny plays in Wellington on Tuesday at the San Francisco Bathhouse.

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