Don McLean Goes Out On The Top Of His Game On Final Australian Tour - Noise11.com
Don McLean photo by Bron Robinson

Don McLean photo by Bron Robinson

Don McLean Goes Out On The Top Of His Game On Final Australian Tour

by Paul Cashmere on May 1, 2023

in News

Don McLean is calling his 20th Australian tour his last but I think he has a few years left in him.

McLean is performing 24 shows on his current Australia and New Zealand tour. The 18th stop was in Melbourne Saturday night (29 April 2023) before completing the Australia leg in Geelong on Sunday. Next stop is Nelson, New Zealand tomorrow May 2.

What is amazing with Don McLean is that he does not have a setlist. The Don McLean show is pure improvised entertainment with Don creating the set in his head as he goes along and pairing it with wonderful stories of the past 50 years.

One song ‘Botanical Garden’ was written in Sydney during Don’s last Australian tour. It became the title track of his 2018 album.

‘Castles In the Air’ was there too which was track one side one from the very first Don McLean album ‘Tapestry’ from October 1970. (Fun fact: Carole King’s ‘Tapestry’ came out on February 10, 1971 so Don beat Carole to the title).

Music director Tom Migliore drives the band. The keyboard player has been with Don “longer than my two marriages added together” Don says. It total 37 years.

The credentials in this band are worldclass. Guitarist Kerry Marx worked with Johnny Cash and when he isn’t touring with Don is a member of the Grand Old Opry staff band performing with over 10 artists a week at the legendary Nashville music venue.

Songs like ‘Vincent’ remind us of how great a songwriter Don McLean is. Songs like his cover of Roy Orbison’s ‘Crying’ remind us of how Don’s unique voice and style can make a song his own.

While the current tour is billed the American Pie 50th Anniversary tour, Don didn’t lean heavily on the album. Only ‘Vincent’, ‘Crossroads’ and the epic title track represented the album but I did not in some shows he also served up ‘Winterwood’. ‘American Pie’ was a number one album and the song a number one single in Australia in 1971.

‘American Pie’ was kept to the finale and the audience in the near sold-out house was standing from beginning to end.

I can’t believe this really is the last Australian tour for Don McLean. He still have the voice, he has showed no signs of slowing down and even at 75 is still younger than Dylan, Jagger and McCartney. Springsteen is just two years younger than Don and he certainly isn’t going away. One more slice of ‘American Pie’ shouldn’t be out of the question.

Don McLean’s New Zealand dates are:

Tuesday 2nd May – Trafalgar Centre, Nelson
Thursday 4 May, Civic Theatre, Invercargill,
Friday 5 May, Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch
Sunday 7 May, The Regent on Broadway, Palmerston North
Tuesday 9 May, Auckland Town Hall, Auckland

Get tickets here

Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here

Be the first to see NOISE.com’s newest interviews and special features on YOUTUBE and updated regularly. See things first SUBSCRIBE here: Noise11 on YouTube SUBSCRIBE

Noise11.com

Follow Noise11 on Social Media

Noise11 on Instagram

You’ll discover music news first following Noise11 on Twitter

Comment on the news of the day, join Noise11 on Facebook

Related Posts

10cc in Melbourne 25 June 2023 photo by Winston Robinson
Kevin Godley Reunites With 10cc In London

10cc had a special reunion at their London show this week when former member and co-founder Kevin Godley joined the band at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday night (25 March 2024).

2 days ago
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel To Release ‘Back To Front – Live In London’ DVD

Australia missed out on the Peter Gabriel tour but we will get the DVD.

2 days ago
Bruce Springsteen Named First International Ivors Fellow

Bruce Springsteen is set become the first international songwriter to become a Fellow of The Ivors Academy.

3 days ago
No More Make Up For Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons has vowed "no more make-up" on stage.

3 days ago
Vincent Bonham of Raydio Dies At Age 67

Vincent Bonham, a founding member of Raydio with Ray Parker Jr in 1977, has died at the age of 67.

3 days ago
The Damned at Northcote Theatre, Melbourne 22 March 2024 photo by Mary Boukouvalis
The Damned + The Hard Ons, Northcote Theatre, Friday 22nd March 2024

The Damned released the first ever UK punk single, “New Rose” off album Damned, Damned, Damned, in 1976, and were often overshadowed by their English punk counterparts. Now in their late sixties and still touring world-wide, featuring the original line up of Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies and Paul Gray, they are the ones having the last laugh and have left their old rivals for dead, in certain respects, quite literally!

5 days ago
Marcia Hines, Photo By Ros O'Gorman
Marcia Hines Recovering After Collapsing Backstage During Show Recording

Marcia Hines was taken to hospital in Sydney on the weekend after collapsing in her dressing room before she was due to perform on Australian Idol.

5 days ago