Concert Announcement: Modest Mouse
The Frontier Touring Company are pleased to announce the return of longtime genre-blending stalwarts Modest Mouse for headline shows this July and August that are sure to be an essential addition to any music lovers’ must-see list for 2011. Click here to read the entire press release.
Archival Interview: The Ramones – July 7, 1979
Joey Ramone would have been 60 years old this week. The 13th Floor celebrates the birthday of one of rock & roll’s most influential artists by offering you a chance to listen to an interview with Joey and Johnny Ramone recorded on July 7, 1979. The Ramones had just played a show in Rochester, […]
Tour Announcement: Steely Dan & Steve Winwood To Tour NZ
After dazzling audiences with their first ever New Zealand shows in 2007, jazz rock icons STEELY DAN are returning for an encore tour in November. And in a real treat for music lovers, legendary British vocalist STEVE WINWOOD will be the special guest in his first ever visit to New Zealand. To read the […]
Tour Announcement: Steely Dan & Steve Winwood To Tour NZ
After dazzling audiences with their first ever New Zealand shows in 2007, jazz rock icons STEELY DAN are returning for an encore tour in November. And in a real treat for music lovers, legendary British vocalist STEVE WINWOOD will be the special guest in his first ever visit to New Zealand. To read the […]
Christchurch Benefit Show Announced
The Bats, Drab Doo-Riffs, Lawrence Arabia, Street Chant, Princess Chelsea and Dictaphone Blues to perform at Auckland’s Kings Arms. Here’s the press release: On Sunday May 22, a benefit show will be held at the King’s Arms with all proceeds going to help the Christchurch music community. It’s called The Sugarloaf Shakedown. Just because.* Anyway. […]
Eli “Paperboy” Reed at Galatos April 29, 2011
If you were trying to avoid the Royal Wedding, there was no better place to be than Galatos on Friday night. Boston-based Eli “Paperboy” Reed brought a trimmed down version of his band The True Loves (no horn players) and entertained a small but enthusiastic crowd for just over 90 minutes. Reed has released three […]
Mavis Staples, The Blind Boys Of Alabama & Aaron Neville April 28, 2011 Civic Theatre
In a month full of extraordinary live performances, Mavis Staples’ hour-long set at The Civic may have been the high point. In a surprise move, the 71-year-old singer took the stage ahead of The Blind Boys and Aaron Neville. Her crack band appeared promptly at 8pm. This is the same band that backed Mavis up […]
Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi – Powerstation April 27, 2011
Some say Derek Trucks is the reincarnation of Duane Allman. He certainly does nothing to dispel that myth. He’s been playing guitar since he was old enough to walk, and has been touring with The Allman Brothers Band, playing Duane’s licks, since he was 12. Since 1997 he has also fronted his own band. Susan […]
Talkin’ about punks, gangsters and guitars with Mike Ness of Social Distortion
Mike Ness has been fronting Social Distortion since they formed in Orange County, California in the late 1970s. The band has just released a new album, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes and, along with it, a very ambitious video for the song Machine Gun Blues. The 13th Floor spoke to Mike Ness the day after the […]
Leon Russell Concert Review
Thirty-nine years ago I was a wide-eyed 16-year-old who had just experienced Leon Russell in concert for the first time. This was in 1972 and the tour was the one that produced the classic triple album, Leon Live. As I remember, Russell played for close to three hours, with him and his 10-piece band whipping […]
Marianne Dissard – Lucha Lounge, 16 April 2011
French-born, but now living in Tuscon, Arizona, Marianne Dissard has been a frequent visitor to New Zealand. Her latest tour took her to Dunedin, Napier and even Lyttelton, where she put on a couple of benefit shows.
Funky Meters Rock The Powerstation, 15 April 2017
The Funky Meters, featuring Art Neville (keyboards) and George Porter (bass), two original Meters, played a set at Auckland’s Powerstation on Friday, April 15th. As would be expected, the band’s set consisted of New Orleans-style instrumental classics like Fire In The Bayou and Hey Pocky A-Way. In addition to Neville and Porter, the group consists […]
Down On The Farm with Holly Golightly
London-born Holly Golightly now resides on a farm in the southern U.S. state of Georgia. You may remember Holly from her recordings with The White Stripes and The Greenhornes. Along with various horses, chickens and assorted farm animals, she lives with her musical partner Lawyer Dave. Together they make music as Holly Golightly and […]
Eli’s Coming: On The Road With Eli “Paperboy” Reed
American soul singer Eli “Paperboy” Reed is due to make his New Zealand debut later in April with two shows, one in Auckland and one in Wellington. The 13th Floor spoke to Eli just as he wrapped up his most recent tour of The States and got him to discuss a few of his […]
Dodos Interview
The indie-rock band Dodos is back to being a duo after vibraphonist Keaton Snyder left during the making of their new album No Color. The 13th Floor spoke with head Dodo Meric Long about the split and how Neko Case came to contribute backing vocals on half the album. Click here to listen to […]
Justin Townes Earle, Powerstation, 26 March 2011
Justin Townes Earle has a reputation…as a hard-drinking, drug-taking troublemaker (he spent a short time in jail last year) and as an incisive, heartfelt songwriter with an instinctive feel for American folk, blues and country music (his opening slot at last year’s Wilco concert at the Civic left many folks impressed). Of course the same […]
Elbow Interview
Manchester quintet Elbow have just released the follow-up to their 2008 Mercury Prize winning album, The Seldom Seen Kid. The new album is called Build A Rocket Boys! and it’s their best one yet. The 13th Floor spoke to drummer Richard Jupp about the making of this extraordinary album just as their first-ever arena […]
Santana Concert Review – Vector Arena 20 March 2011
I first saw Santana in 1974. They played at a huge outdoor stadium in upstate New York. It was the middle of summer and it was a blistering hot day. So I, along with 80,000 other fans, revelled in Carlos Santana’s exquisite guitar licks as they floated through the muggy air and over the simmering […]
From Punk To Folk: Introducing Tim Barry
Richmond, Virginia native Tim Barry fronted the hard core punk band Avail since 1990. Over the past 5 years, Tim has concentrated on a solo career that finds him brandishing an acoustic guitar. He still sings with the passion and urgency of punk, but his musical palette has expanded. The 13th Floor spoke to […]
A Chat With Gomez’s Ben Ottewell
Ben Ottewell is one of three singer-songwriters in Gomez (he’s the guy with the raspy voice). Ben has just released his first solo album entitled Shapes & Shadows. The 13th Floor spoke to Ben recently about the making of Shapes & Shadows and got some news about a new Gomez album in the process. […]