Ed Sheeran – Vector Arena April 11, 2015
There was plenty of love in the house as English heartthrob Ed Sheeran drew screams of delight from the first of two sold-out crowds at Auckland’s Vector Arena. The floor was jammed with mostly young girls, some of whom had to be carried away by security guards due to the overwhelming thrill of being so […]
Tami Neilson – Tuning Fork April 10, 2015
Tami Neilson headlined an evening of music at Auckland’s Tuning Fork that included a parade of some of New Zealand’s finest songwriters, instrumentalists and vocalists. The evening began with Will Wood, accompanied by the seemingly omnipresent Dave Khan and the multi-talented Reb Fountain. Any one of these three artists is capable of carrying an audience […]
Jurassic 5 – Powerstation April 9, 2015
As the lyric goes in Concrete Playground, “Just that classic rap shit from Jurassic.” And boy did they kill it with their vocalism, with the four MC’s – Chali 2na, Akil, Soup and Marc 7 – serving up a lyrical storm along with some entertaining help from DJ’s Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark. After calling time […]
David Gray – ASB Theatre April 9, 2015
It may not have been the funkiest show to come through Auckland recently, or the most rocking, but I’d have to say that David Gray’s performance at the ASB Theatre was certainly one of the most beautiful. The lights came down at the ASB at 8:53 and David Gray took the stage along with his […]
George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic – Powerstation
With over a dozen funksters sharing the stage with him, George Clinton showed the fans at Auckland’s Powerstation exactly how to Tear The Roof Off The Sucker. I saw George and his P=Funk Allstars a few years ago at the Powerstsation, and while I had a good time, I seem to remember that Clinton himself […]
Paolo Nutini – Powerstation
Paolo Nutini is on a roll. The Scottish singer with the Italian name has been picking up momentum ever since the release of his first album, nine years ago. Now that momentum has brought him to Auckland where he is playing two sold-out shows at The Powerstation. The first of those two shows took place […]
Dave & Phil Alvin – The Tuning Fork
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Thirty-three years ago Billy Idol was tearing up the pop charts and taking over MTV while Dave and Phil Alvin were fronting The Blasters, playing unfashionable roots music to relatively tiny crowds. Fast-forward to 2015, a there was Billy Idol, rebel-yelling his way through a […]
Billy Idol & Cheap Trick – Vector Arena
1980’s hit maker Billy Idol rocked a near-capacity crowd at Auckland’s Vector Arena with more than a little help from American power poppers Cheap Trick. First of all, apologies to fans of Aussie rockers The Angels, much as I tried, I was unable to get to the Vector in time to see their set, although […]
Gary Clark Jr – Powerstation
Last time Gary Clark Jr played in Auckland he had about 25 minutes to get his message across. This time around, he took almost two hours to tell his story. That story is one that is based solidly in the blues. Out of the past seven days, I’ve spent six of them at The Powerstation. […]
The Waterboys – ASB Theatre
“I was grounded…. While you filled the skies I was dumbfounded by truth… You cut through lies I saw the rain dirty valley….. You saw Brigadoon I saw the crescent …. You saw the whole of the moon I spoke about wings…. You just flew I wondered I guessed and I tried You just knew” […]
Michael Franti & Spearhead – Powerstation March 29, 2015
“Best Sunday night ever!” Obviously, Michael Franti is not a Blackcaps fan, but he and his own fans had a rollicking good time at Auckland’s Powerstation on Sunday night, serving up a set that neither he nor the crowd, wanted to end. Not only did the show run late, it started early…slated to take the […]
Jimmy Cliff – Powerstation
It was nothing short of a two-hour celebration of music, love and life as reggae legend Jimmy Cliff led his 8-piece band and a very enthusiastic crowd through a Saturday night of singing, dancing and cheering. When I spoke to Jimmy Cliff a couple of days ago, he told me he was feeling more creative […]
Uriah Heep – The Studio Saturday 28 March 2015
If there are any aspiring music gods in the audience, they’ve come to the right place to get a rock n roll education. The five members of Uriah Heep, the English prog rock band named after a Dickens character, could write a book about song writing, stage craft and putting a rocket under your audience. […]
Beth Hart – Powerstation
I had a feeling this Beth Hart show might be something special…a preview of her about-to-be-released album, Better Than Home, indicated an artist bursting with talent…but her performance at Auckland’s Powerstation this Friday night was nothing short of a tour de force. Beth Hart has history with New Zealand. She spent several weeks here back […]
Pseudo Echo – The Kings Arms
At the Kings Arms we run into Emily, one of Australian new wave band Pseudo Echo’s biggest fans; a woman who loved singer Brian Canham so much that at age eleven she cried when he got married. Emily is buzzing with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Excitement that she is about to see her […]
Charles Bradley & The Extraordinaires – Powerstation
Soul veteran Charles Bradley, the “Screaming Eagle Of Soul”, spread his wings around a small but enthusiastic crowd at Auckland’s Powerstation and filled the venue with love and happiness. The 66-year old performer emerged on the Powerstation stage, resplendent in a black-sequined jump suit shortly before 10pm, but not before his ace band, The Extraordinaires […]
Pokey LaFarge – Tuning Fork
A Pokey LaFarge show is a 78-RPM record brought to life, a string of wildly, infectiously, exuberantly catchy songs performed by a band of talented musicians led by a man who could so very easily be a cartoon, a caricature, but who manages to be one of the most authentic performers I’ve heard in some […]
Greg Johnson – Q Theatre
Greg Johnson introduced the Cocktail Club by saying: “If you can remember anything about the original Cocktail Club – you weren’t there.” The banter, the intimate venue, special guests and yes, cocktails, make for a performance that is unforgettable. Joining Johnson on stage was Lisa Crawley on keys, recorder and melodica, and Ted Brown on […]
Mastodon – Powerstation
Atlanta metal monsters Mastodon came raging into town last night, filling Auckland’s Powerstation with huge slabs of sludgy guitar riffs and howling vocals. Few things equal the anticipation felt just before a metal gig. The Powerstation was filled with black-T-shirted punters ready to have their senses assaulted by the four musicians known as Mastodon. The […]
Kele – Kings Arms March 21, 2015
Bloc Party front man Kele Okereke took the solo route to Auckland’s Kings Arms on Saturday night. When he finally showed up, it was with a lap top, and not a guitar in sight. Two years ago, Kele was leading his band through a raging set in front of a sold out audience at the […]