With a band including musicians from Australia, Ethiopia, India and a female drummer, the love and respect that Rudd and his band had for each other was infectious. From the moment he came on stage, Rudd's smile and beautiful energy lit up the room, and he and the band took us on a magical musical journey on a hot Tauranga night that the crowd will not forget.
Could this man get any damn cooler if he tried?
There was a bit of folk, blues, reggae, he played tracks from his amazing latest solo album Storm Boy – his ninth album, as well as some fan favourites from his 17-year career of hits including the classic albums Spirit Bird and To Let.
With a voice sometimes dripping in raw emotion, and passionate heartfelt lyrics teamed with the mystical sound of the didgeridoo, his music is truly transcending.
At times it seemed as if both him, the band, and the crowd were all in a trance. We were sometimes moved to tears, sometimes laughter, and there was a whole lot of hand waving and ecstatic screaming going on.
It is as though his music has a calling, and he uses his amazing talent to make the world a better place, not just entertaining us with remarkable music, but Rudd is also a social activist with a message: he loves this planet and its people and wants to spread a message of love, kindness and respect for all cultures.
Environmental work, activism, veganism, spiritualism, surfing, everything Rudd does, he pours into song.
He is a passionate advocate for indigenous cultures and spoke powerfully of his beliefs that the world would be a better place if we could share the language, stories and music of our indigenous cultures, whether our Māori culture in New Zealand, or the Aboriginal culture in his homeland.
Rudd believes that the Australian government shows a lack of respect to the Aboriginal culture, denying all Australians and Aboriginies and those around the world the chance to enjoy and appreciate the richness of this culture.
In 2012, his song Spirit Bird made his message clear with a call to action not just in support of Aboriginal culture but to all oppressed people in many countries around the world.
"Soldier on, soldier on, my good country man
Keep fighting for your culture,
Keep fighting for your land
I know it's been thousands of years
And I feel your hurt and I know it's wrong
And you feel you've been chained and broken and burned
And those beautiful old people
Those wise old souls have been ground down for far too long
By that spineless that greedy man that heartless man deceiving man
That government hand taking blood and land taking blood and land."
He knows there is work still to be done, and said New Zealand made him more determined than ever for his peaceful protest through music.
Greeted in New Zealand by a haka and Māori spirit clearing ceremony, he says: "Māori culture is fascinating and amazing and it is celebrated with pride by all New Zealanders. The treaty that was reached in the 1840s has ensured that the traditional culture has been able to stay strong amongst the modern world.
"All people of all cultural backgrounds have the opportunity to learn the traditional stories/language etc and to feel part of the culture moving forward. There was a moment at the end of the ceremony when the whole crowd all sang a traditional song together with the Māori mob and the pride and unity between everyone was overwhelming.
"This brought a tear to my eye as I reflected on the situation in my home land. The complete lack of respect and effort by the Australian government to ever consider a similar treaty and to deny all Australians the opportunity to share in our rich and incredible aboriginal culture. The result has been poisoning. Guilt, shame and oppression still flow through the veins of our nation but we soldier on on a street level without the support of government and slowly we are bringing change."
Used to playing to crowds of more than 50,000, in Totara Street, all 200 of us had an intimate close up full on Xavier Rudd experience. A shout out to Rudd's lovely manager Dan, and Ross, owner of Totara Street who runs a team of wonderful staff at the venue, who were also soaking up the love and sharing it back out.
The spirits of the ancients were with us. Rudd and his band spoke to our hearts and minds and souls with the universal language of music.
And we didn't want to walk away.
OTHER NEW ZEALAND TOUR DATES
Tuesday, March 5th, 2019
7:00 PM
San Fran
171 Cuba St, Te Aro, Wellington
Wednesday, March 6th, 2019
7:00 PM
The Foundry
UCSA Events Centre 90 Ilam Rd, Christchurch
