Chaka Khan – The Civic: April 16, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
American soul/disco/funk diva Chaka Khan packed Auckland’s The Civic on Wednesday night, drawing a crowd made up largely of smiling folks well into their 50s, 60s and 70s. Although there were a few younger fans sprinkled across the grand venue’s red seats, I was – at 52 – one of the least-seasoned patrons.
Bad Manners – Tuning Fork: April 16, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
50 years! Well the genesis was there in 1976, however their first live show wasn’t until 1978. But really, that’s just splitting hairs (pun intended) Bad Manners were a 100+ weeks feature in the British Singles Charts in the early 1980’s, with their take on two-tone and ska. While the onward decades have seen breakup, […]
Mary Ocher & Power Nap – Whammy Bar: April 11, 2025
Some 20 years since she first made her Aotearoa concert debut, European maven Mary Ocher returned with last night to once again, push the envelope in Tamaki Makaurau.
Crash Test Dummies -The Powerstation April 9, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
Some 35 years after forming in Winnipeg, Canada, Crash Test Dummies made their New Zealand concert debut last night at Auckland’s Powerstation and the fans showed up in droves.
Hoodoo Gurus – The Powerstation: April 5, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
Tamaki Makaurau’s affair with Hoodoo Gurus harks back to the mid 1980’s when Ponsonby’s mighty Gluepot still hosted concerts. Way back then, on the 5th (and 6th) October 1984, just over 40 years ago, in the Gluepot, Tamaki Makaurau first experienced these Stoneage Romeos, Hoodoo Gurus, (They also played a private show an extinct hipster […]
The Sex Pistols ft. Frank Carter – Auckland Town Hall: April 2, 2025
Three out of four Sex Pistols can’t be wrong…and when the fourth one is not Johnny Rotten, they prove to still be a very good band.
Dua Lipa – Spark Arena: April 2, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
Dua Lipa brought her Radical Optimism Tour to Auckland’s Spark Arena last night, delivering a tightly choreographed 2-hour set filled with glitter, glamour, and glorious music, proving she is not only well on her way to becoming an immortal entertainer – but that her meteoric rise is only just beginning.
MJ Lenderman & The Wind – The Powerstation: April 1, 2025
April blows in with MJ Lenderman & The Wind at The Powerstation and that’s no foolin’.
Dungeon #25: Clementine, Warm Leather & The Shelves – Whammy: March 27, 2025
While Tamaki Makaurau may have lost a mighty Totara of live music venues several years ago, The Kings Arms Tavern. We are living in a post-covid time of an abundance of cozy, small and intimate venues: 605 Morningside, Cupid, Goblin, Big Fan, Small Gods, The Button Factory, Audio Foundation, are a few, and the latest […]
Search For Yeti – Whammy Bar: March 27, 2025
Search For Yeti conquered at their debut Auckland show at Whammy Bar with support from the brass heavy rock stylings of Moongoat and the increasingly ruckus, jangle-punk of Cowboy Dan.
In Praise Of Older Men – Keeping The Rock & Roll Torch Lit in NZ
This may not be the most popular opinion, but its one I felt I need to share, that of the good work done recently by old dudes like Shihad, The D4 and Guitar Wolf.
Fazerdaze – Powerstation: March 22, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
Fazerdaze, aka Amelia Murray, released Soft Power back in November of 2024 and now the album has finally gotten a live airing at Auckland’s Powerstation, aided and abetted by Amelia’s bandmates, collaborators and friends.
Kristin Hersh & Jon Muq – The Tuning Fork: March 21, 2025
24 hours after enthralling a nearly-full house at The Vic in Devonport, Kristin Hersh was back on stage in Auckland, this time at The Tuning Fork and this time, sharing the bill with Jon Muq.
Alien Weaponry & Shepherds Reign – Powerstation: March 21, 2025
Alien Weaponry enlisted the help of fellow metallers Shepherds Reign (once again) to fill tonight’s venue, The Powerstation with t-shirts, black t-shirts, a sea of t-shirts with band names ranging from Lamb of God, to Motorhead, Pearl Jam to The D4 and even Accept! Metallers dominated as tangata of all cultures gathered to hear (blackened) […]
The Veils – Hollywood Avondale: March 21, 2025
Tonight’s Veils sold-out show at the Hollywood Cinema has the feel of a triumphant homecoming gig. The venue is filled to bursting, and despite the fact that Finn Andrews and co are no strangers to the local live circuit, there’s palpable excitement in the air.
Kristin Hersh – The Vic Theatre: March 20, 2025
Throwing Muse Kristin Hersh brought her solo show to The Old Vic, with the 100+ year old cinema in Devonport proving to be a perfect match for Hersh’s cinematic songs.
Guitar Wolf vs The D4 – Double Whammy: March 16, 2025
Japanese, Tokyo based Jet Rock ‘n’ Roll trio Guitar Wolf have been traversing across Aotearoa’s nga motu over the last week and a half, blasting holes in reality at reputable (and disreputable) venues including the internationally famous Under The Bridge soapbox in Tauranga.
The Stranglers – Powerstation: March 13, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
As the band embarks on their ‘final and last-ever tour’, no, wait, that was in 2023, this is the Fifty Years In Black Anniversary Tour! But sarcasm aside, fans gathered once again to hear not just crowd-pleasers but also the echoes of their shared musical history.
Slipknot – Spark Arena: March 11, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
Slipknot took over Spark Arena last night for a one-night-only performance and, for a few dizzying, chaotic hours, Auckland belonged to the Maggots. This wasn’t just a gig; it was a full-scale audio assault, a brutal, sweaty purge wrapped in distortion, screams, and adrenaline. R.I.P. my eardrums.
Chris Stapleton – Spark Arena : March 9, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
It’s show #2 of a two-night stand at Auckland’s Spark Arena as Chris Stapleton brings his All-American Road Show Tour to New Zealand.