Machine Gun Kelly – Golden Brand or Personality?
The hype was real, but very little else was. Cleveland rapper Machine Gun Kelly’s packed out show had flashes of energy, showmanship and a fantastic backing band. However, this was balanced out by his limited technical skill and the jumbled array of musical pastiches that made up his set list.
Camp Cope Bring the Angst to Whammy Bar
Last night, Whammy bar hosted Australian indie rock band Camp Cope and they serenaded the audience with songs of love, heartbreak and angst. For the past three years, Camp Cope have built up a loyal following of fans throughout the world, touring Europe and America with their sweet but grief stricken indie tunes containing a hint […]
DZ Deathrays & Wax Chattels Team Up To Shred Galatos
DZ Deathrays & Wax Chattels – Galatos April 26, 2018 Last night at Galatos, DZ Deathrays tore apart the small venue with their abrasive, hard hitting style of punk enthralling their loyal audience.
The Disappointments – The Tuning Fork April 25, 2018
The Disappointments got together last night for a special one-off show at Auckland’s Tuning Fork.
John Garcia Gets Personal In His Acoustic Show
When stage hands rolled out a full bar, complete with candles for ambience and a couple of bottles of hooch, I knew it was going to be a hell of a night with John Garcia. The palm fronds and succulents brought a sense of the desert, and the couch made Whammy Bar feel like an […]
Biffy Clyro – Spark Arena April 24, 2018
Scottish trio Biffy Clyro mixed the sensitive with the seismic as they thrilled fans at Auckland’s Spark Arena last night.
The Unique and Odd Brilliance of John Cooper Clarke
Last night, the pews of St Peter’s Church of central Wellington were occupied with what I imagine is not the usual attending crowd. A mix of aging hipsters, ex-punks and the occasional younger attendees filed in and filled the ornate church. The entrance into the church was filled with a distinct herbal odour most likely […]
Are We Killers Or Are We Brandon?
The Killers – Spark Arena April 20, 2018 The Killers, or at least two of them, rocked Auckland’s Spark Arena on Friday night, reminding the nearly-sold out crowd what a killer live act they are. As frontman Brandon Flowers observed, it had been nine years since he and the band had last performed in Auckland. A […]
A Peculiar Pop Punk Party Atmosphere With Simple Plan
If you were looking for meaningful music at Simple Plan’s 15th anniversary tour of No Pads No Helmets Just Balls at The Powerstation in Auckland last night, you would’ve been shit out of luck. But that would’ve been completely missing the point of an otherwise fun, high octane evening.
Halsey – Spark Arena April 19, 2018
Halsey brings “The sound of young America” to Auckland as her Hopeless Fountain Kingdom World Tour resumes after a five-month layoff.
P.O.D. – The Studio April 14, 2018
P.O.D.’s rendition of hit album Satellite at The Studio last night was not without flaw, but better than it had any real right to be.
Anthonie Tonnon – Meow April 14, 2018
From the start it was a night of unique and often bizarre stage banter at Meow in Wellington. Vocalist Brooke Singer opened local support act French For Rabbits’ set by calling for 20 seconds of silence for her dads’ cat Nuggets, who passed away that day. An hour and a half later found headliner Anthonie […]
Eb & Sparrow and Carnivorous Plant Society – Tuning Fork April 13, 2018
Eb & Sparrow and Carnivorous Plant Society – two of New Zealand’s finest live acts converged at Auckland’s Tuning Fork last night keeping fans warm and dry even as the weather raged outside.
Concert Photos: nomad, Galatos April 13 2018
NZ indie-pop group nomad gave a stunning performance at Galatos in Auckland, NZ to celebrate the release of their debut album, Can You Feel It.
Ha the Unclear with Dictaphone Blues and The Protection – Whammy Bar April 13 2018
In conjunction with the release of their new single Wallace Line, Ha the Unclear were joined by Dictaphone Blues and The Protection for a show at Whammy Bar. Gabrielle Stoddard was at Whammy to capture highlights of the night on camera.
A Nostalgic Sexy Time With Lionel Ritchie and Nile Rodgers
Two consummate ringmasters – Lionel Richie and Nile Rodgers. An audience you’d expect, and one you didn’t. Hits from the last five decades that you know by osmosis and hold close to your heart; and a sometimes self-congratulatory trawl through them. Troupes of sensational musicians; and clowns distracting the reason everyone’s there. Creepy, nostalgic sexy time; […]
Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge Made Us Love Rock All Over Again
It was a wild night out west in Auckland as Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge set out to make rock great again at the Trusts Stadium. The two make for a cracking pop-rock double act and continue their Australasia tour here for three dates. They met on the Michael Jackson 1987 BAD tour and the two […]
Homegrown – Wellington Waterfront April 7, 2018
With 45 acts, five stages and a stunning harbour vistas the Capital’s best day out for music fans promised a great party to close off an exceptional summer. Now in its 11th year this sold out festival has rightly earned its iconic status, alongside Laneway, Rhythm & Vines, the former Big Day Out and Splore, among others. It’s also the best way to see the greatest number of Kiwi bands all in one place. So, did it live up to the reputation? Tim Gruar packed a rain jacket, his notepad and his camera to head along and find out.
The Extraordinary Union of Leisure and the APO
It is not every day you get to see a pop group play with a full orchestra inside a great hall. But that was exactly what an audience of around twelve hundred or so got to witness at the Auckland Town Hall on April 6th 2018, as supergroup Leisure became the latest to partner with […]
Audience Member Cuts Rag’n’Bone Man To The Bone
An Audience member cuts Rag’n’Bone man to the bone at his Auckland concert in Spark Arena… But the booming baritone shut the heckler down like a boss. Perhaps it was a premonition of sorts when, upon entering the evening’s venue, the arena had been halved. Alas, one could argue that a more intimate space was precisely […]