A family affair _{by Madelaine Empson}

Avalanche City (Dave Baxter) is about to hit the road again for his most ambitious Aotearoa tour to date: one that marks a new chapter for the beloved indie-folk artist behind the number one earworms Love Love Love and Inside Out.

The recent touring model – which includes a completely sold-out 2025 run – has been the most successful of Baxter’s career. Everything has moved in-house: his wife Sharanna takes the lead as the tour manager while he manages the technical production and show design. The couple travels the country with their children in tow, making for the ultimate family road trip!

It might be a lot of work, but it sure leads to some fun and interesting stories.

“When our eldest Billy was six months old we spent three months travelling and playing gigs through Europe. In Germany we travelled by train between gigs”, Baxter tells me, noting the extremely short changeover time between the trains. “There were many times when Sharanna, Billy, and I would be waiting at the train door, with Billy in the front pack, two guitars, a small sound system, a box of merch, a suitcase, and all the baby gear, ready to jump out, race up a set of stairs, find a new platform, race down a set of stairs, and find a train within the space of two minutes! Miraculously we only missed one train in the whole tour.”

A lover of Wellington crowds, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist can’t wait to play Meow Nui on the 7^th of March after a sure-to-be magical gig on the 20^th of February at Wairarapa Events Centre. With support from Mountain Boy, this will be an intimate evening full of fan favourites, new material, and unmistakable charm.