IN CONCERT: IRVING PLAZA, NEW YORK

The only person not aware of Te Awamutu's favourite son was the scalper. "I've got tickets for Neil Funn," he said, inadvertently taking the puss, whilst almost everyone in this sellout crowd claimed a certain familiarity with the artist. Finn too, felt as much at home as anyone could when slugging across the States on a bus - he had played Irving Plaza before - "long before most of you were born." Little had changed, he said, particularly the paintwork. Irving Plaza's dank interiors might be the same, but it was a much different Neil Finn - older, wiser, perhaps a little jaded, and carrying luggage covered in Split Enz and Crowded House stickers. Ahead of him, the uncertaintly of a solo artist flogging an album carrying its fair share of brilliance with the odd toothless moment. Indeed, this show had the odd, toothless moment but Finn and his band - including his guitarist/drummer/son Liam - delivered a fairly punchy two and a half hour show, swapping instruments through the set (and two lengthy encores) and giving appropriate time to songs from the new album ("King Tide" being a standout), Split Enz favourites ("I Got You") and Crowded House numbers ("Fall At Your Feet"). Flattering as it may be to witness an audience sing your songs, it's long been a habit of Finn's, and a grating one, to indulge in crowd singalongs. A lot of people go to see him perform, not a roomful of punters. That said, he was spot-on in describing the "Fall At Your Feet" chorus as "really angelic". Finn is a curious live talent. Not that the level of musicianship ever wanes (definitely not), but you get the distinct impression that sometimes he's going through the motions. Then, when Finn starts rocking, improvising or joking with the crowd, even he seems surprised at how much fun he's having. He's a complex fella, our Neil.