The Nudge – San Fran Sept 1, 2017
Wellington three piece The Nudge bring a tsunami of sound, washing us with wave after wave of dirty blues, psychedelia and funk. These guys are famous for dressing up silly but playing like there’s no tomorrow!
Christopher Cross – Auckland Town Hall August 30, 2017
I’m not sure if he rode like the wind, but 80s hitmaker Christopher Cross and his 6-piece band took over Auckland’s Town Hall to relive his glory days and to play a few new tunes along the way.
Kane Strang – Whammy Bar August 26, 2017
Last night’s performance from Kane Strang, Girlboss, The Beths and Eyes No Eyes at Whammy last night proved not only the enduring importance of guitars in modern music, it also brought together some of the best talent within local indie pop.
Stone Sour – Spark Arena August 23, 2017
It was time to wave those horns and pump those fists as Stone Sour barrelled in Auckland’s Spark Arena, urged on by a sea of black T-shirt, metal-loving fans.
Photo Gallery: Katchafire, Kora & L.A.B. – Powerstation August 12, 2017
Katchafire and Kora brought their summertime vibes to Auckland’s Powerstation last night. Also on the bill were L.A.B., featuring former and present members of both Katchafire and Kora. 13th Floor photographer Ivan Karczewski was on hand to catch the action. Click on any image to view Ivan’s photo gallery:
Aaron Carpenter & The Revelators – Tuning Fork August 4, 2017
Crossing over from Waiheke Island, Aaron Carpenter and his Revelators celebrated the release of their first long player, Pretty Lies, with a show at Auckland’s Tuning Fork.
Bridge Burner – Audio Foundation July 29, 2017
This one is a freebie in more ways than one. As with all other performers at 95bFM’s bStreet Festival, Bridge Burner’s set was free entry. This review is also “free.” I didn’t arrange it with 13th Floor beforehand, I was at the gig in no role except a metal fan who liked Bridge Burner’s debut […]
Steve Hackett – Auckland Town Hall July 28, 2017
Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett brought his “Genesis Revisited” show to Auckland last night. Incredibly, after over 40 years and countless albums, this was Hackett’s first foray into New Zealand.
Julien Baker & Adam Torres – Tuning Fork July 23, 2017
21-year-old Memphis-based singer-songwriter Julien Baker performed at Auckland’s Tuning Fork last night ahead of the release of her highly-anticipated second album. Also on the bill was Fat Possum recording artist Adam Torres. Photographer Trevor Villers was there and has put together this photo gallery: (Check out The 13th Floor interview with Julien Baker here)
The Miltones – Tuning Fork July 22, 2017
The Miltones wrapped up their album release tour in front of a hometown crowd at Auckland’s Tuning Fork. And what a crowd it was…they showed up early and in large numbers making for a very special evening.
Sigur Ros – Spark Arena July 21, 2017
After being bewitched by the Icelandic art rockers as a late teen via Takk and hearing awed reports from friends who had already seen them, I felt nervous going to last night’s concert at the Spark Arena as I grappled to lower my stratospheric expectations. Being a reviewer can be jading and I’ve seen many […]
Kirin J Callinan Kings Arms July 20, 2017
Kirin J Callinan claims he is a different man than when he last performed in Auckland back in January of 2015. That may be, but he is still a riveting performer…mercurial, unpredictable, a bit shambolic, but always entertaining.
Mmmm Mmmm – Kings Arms July 15, 2017
Mmmm Mmmm was a multi-stage, multi-band event at Auckland’s Kings Arms featuring the likes of Earth Tongue, The Beths and Miss June.
Cowboy Dan, Being & Mali Mali – Wine Cellar July 14, 2017
It was a cosy night at Auckland’s Wine Cellar as Cowboy Dan celebrated the release of their new song Stopping By with help from Being and Mali Mali.
Queens Of The Stone Age – Logan Campbell Centre July 13, 2017
Josh Homme and his Queens Of The Stone Age opened their Villains tour at Auckland’s Logan Campbell Centre last night, proving that bone-crunching, riff-driven guitar rock is still alive and well.
The Undertones – Powerstation July 12, 2017
Bands! If you want to sell out The Powerstation, take a cue from The Undertones…record a handful of catchy, punky pop tunes, then wait 35 years to finally get around to playing in Auckland.
Pallbearer – Whammy! Bar July 8, 2017
Back in 2012 newcomers Pallbearer caused an immediate stir with their debut album Sorrow and Extinction. In a doom metal scene where the most popular sounds were embracing the extreme versions of the genre, or buried in layers of stoner fuzz, Sorrow and Extinction stood out as clean, melodic, epic and meticulously layered.
The Bads – Tuning Fork July 7, 2017
The Bads presented their latest album, Losing Heroes, to a roomful of fans and fellow musicians last night at Auckland’s Tuning Fork, proving, once again, that they are gems in New Zealand’s musical crown.
The Wedding Present – The Kings Arms July 4, 2017
The Wedding Present holds a special place in the hearts of many Kiwi music lovers…they are still buzzing about the last NZ visit a couple of years ago. And so, the veteran band from Leeds returned to Auckland’s Kings Arms to light a fire under the crowd one more time.
Aldous Harding – Pah Homestead July 1, 2017
Rather than celebrate a triumphant homecoming at a large venue such as The Powerstation or The Civic, Aldous Harding chose to play three nights at the very intimate Pah Homestead. For anyone who has followed Harding’s career, the decision seems par for the course… ‘expect the unexpected’ could easily be her motto.