13th Floor Top 10 Concerts Of 2023 (Marty’s Picks)

13th Floor founder Marty Duda picks his top 10 concerts from the past year. How many of these did you see?

By rough count, The 13th Floor reviewed (and photographed) just under 200 concerts during 2023. Marty didn’t see all of them, but he caught quite a few. Here are his favourites counting down from ten.

10. Jan Elliott and Caitlin Smith sing Joni Mitchell – Pah Homestead: November 19, 2023: Joni’s back and what better way to hear her classic songs than in the intimate setting of Pah Homestead sung by two of New Zealand’s finest. It was Caitlin’s version on Woodstock that stood out for me. Click here to read the full review.

 

9. Larkin Poe & Mema Wilda – Powerstation: April 13, 2023: The blues-rockin’ Lovell Sisters got the job done at New Zealand’s finest live venue, The Powerstation. And opening act Mema Wilda pushed this show into my top 10. Let’s hope we see and hear more from Mema in 2024. Click here to read the full review.  

 

8. Peaches – Powerstation Auckland: Feb 20, 2023: More fun at The Powerstation, this time with Peaches. 13th Floor reviewer Michael Grunfeld noted: A huge condom was rolled out over the audience and inflated so that Peaches could walk inside it as she performed Dick In The Air. At the end, she was able to squirt some green stuff through an orifice in the end of the giant condom over the very receptive audience below. 

I watched most of the spectacle from the bar along with opening act Theia who was her usual awesome self.  Click here to read the full review and see Brenna’s photos. 

7. Reb Fountain – The Powerstation: June 3, 2023: I’m not gonna lie, it helps living just a block away from the Powerstation. We’ve been fans of Reb Fountain for years and she and her ace band showed us why in June. “This is fuckin’ amazing!” Reb exclaimed after performing Swim To The Star, noting the strong sense of community in the room. Click here to read the full review.

6. Tami Neilson’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Revue – Civic Theatre: October 13, 2023: Last year’s top concert performer had another strong year and fortunately we were there to witness Tami along with 80-year-old ‘Queen Of The Mods’ Dinah Lee. And Tami had plenty to say…commenting on Elvis, dissing disgraced Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner and alluding to a certain “orange-skinned Politician” before playing Kitty Cat. Click here to read the full review.

5. Troy Kingi and The APO – Auckland Town Hall: July 13, 2023: Last year Tami jammed with the APO, this year it was Troy’s turn. It was a memorable Matariki weekend with a very special, sold out, show at the Auckland Town Hall. Sure enough they got down to business as I wrote: Eyes At 80 Fathoms was fabulously funky and Turukanini featured Mara TK who Troy called, “the coolest cat in this country”. Troy and band also performed their new album later in the year at, where else, but The Powerstation. Click here to read the full review.

4. Cowboy Junkies – Bruce Mason Centre: January 27, 2023: We fought the elements and the elements almost won as we made our way to the North Shore during a severe storm to catch this show by some of Canada’s finest. It was wet, it was blustery but it was also Margo’s birthday, the birthday girl telling us, ‘If I have to turn 62, this is the place to do it’. Click here to read the full review.

3. L7 – The Powerstation: December 6, 2023: Donita Sparks and co celebrated the 30th anniversary of their album, Bricks Are Heavy with another stunner at The Powerstation. The 13th Floor’s Simon Coffey enjoyed himself noting, Shove takes the crowd back to moshpit halcyon days, while 2017’s Dispatch From Mar-a-Lago, a dig a Trump, brings the show to an end, but not quite, as American Society and Fast and Frightening are delivered as encores. Click here to read the full review. 

2. Bright Eyes & Louisa Nicklin – The Powerstation: November 7, 2023: Something about this show just felt right…the crowd, the venue, the band. Conor Oberst told a touching story about his dad taking care of him as a child before Forced Convalescence and that was followed by a cover of Warren Zevon’s Carmelita, a personal favourite that was also just covered by Pluto at the Wine Cellar a week or so earlier. Click here to read the full review.

1. Ratso Bring The Glam To Big Fan: June 9, 2023: Yep, my fave show of the year had to be this wild night with Ratso. Along with Neon Serpent and The Situations, Ratso showed Auckland’s newest venue was a rock and roll show should look and sound like. As I noted: The vibe throughout the night was warm, caring and inclusive even if the music was loud enough to send one to the ear doctor. Click here to read the full review.