Jon Toogood. At home, again, on stage in Napier

Toogood's solo show, though, is a joyous celebration of classic New Zealand songs, rock/folk-rock anthems and Shihad gems. Photo / File

Covid-19, tourism, rental prices.

Highly relevant subjects discussed before an attentive audience.

A Stuart Nash street corner meeting?
Or a Rotary dinner?
Young Nats chatting over a Rheineck in a quiet Hastings sport bar?

Nope.

Jon Toogood is playing a solo show at Napier's Paisley Stage on a Thursday night in winter.

Jon Toogood in action for Shihad. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Toogood usually fronts New Zealand hard rock titans Shihad, who are presently based in Melbourne. And The Adults - an alternative side project when he's not busy with other musical endeavours.

Toogood's solo show, though, is a joyous celebration of classic New Zealand songs, rock/folk-rock anthems and Shihad gems.

Neil Young (My My Hey Hey), Dance Exponents (Victoria), Dragon (Rain), Split Enz (I got you), Th' Dudes (Bliss) and an outrageously good version of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust.

"F**k I love playing that song," says Toogood.

Home Again's riff is as distinct on an acoustic, as it is on an guitar.
Same with Run and Pacifier.

It's not unusual for artists to express themselves through music and song alone, and say little to the audience.

Lou Reed, for instance, developed a grumpy reputation for infamously banning people from moving or dancing while he was performing in seated venues.

Not Toogood.

He chats to the audience like he knows each and every one of them personally.

Turns out, one of the reasons he loves the Paisley Stage is that he can see each and every one of our faces. Clearly.

"F**k I love this venue,'' he grins at one point.

In between songs, there are jokes, anecdotes, and questions.

When he plays though, he's invested in the performance, at one with his guitar.
Flecks of spit shine in the stage lights and douse the F bombs smouldering on the carpet.

Ever the rock frontman, even with an acoustic, songs are punctuated with the guitar held aloft, a grin on his face.

As the night flows, we learn people have come from far and wide.

There's Sticky Filth T-shirt guy, who drove from Taranaki.
He wants to hear Toogood's version of Motorhead's rockpunk classic Ace of Spades.

Toogood says he'll dedicate it to Sticky Filth guy, but later in the set, as it shreds his voice.

Toogood is true to his word, and follows it with a Tom Petty classic.
A chuffed Sticky Filth guy goes to the loo, mid-song.

There are also Hamilton fans, and a Dunedin couple, all adamant they came to Napier to see Toogood.

He turned 50 this past week, and pontificates on getting older, and being eligible for a Covid-19 jab.

An enthusiastic anti-vax fan yells out that he doesn't have to.

Toogood says "Nah bro", he's getting it, because he is sick of Melbourne, and wants to come home.

He and his wee family are looking for somewhere in NZ.

"I've got a room,'' a female fan calls out.
"Hawke's Bay all the way,'' yells out someone else.

"What's the rent like?'' he asks the audience.

The banter fizzles out as Toogood launches into another classic.
Given the state of Hawke's Bay's rental market, probably not a bad thing.

At the end, an encore. But now he's 50, Toogood jokes he can't be effed walking off and waiting for people to clap etc for an encore.

He stays on stage, finishes the song and declares "that was the encore".

The audience demand more, Toogood relents, and plays an unreleased song.

And then he's done. "Play some Stones," he yells to the sound guy as fans approach the stage for a chat.