Black Joe Lewis At The Powerstation
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears turned out a heady mix of Texas-style blues and soul last night at The Powerstation. The 7-piece band, complete with 3-man horn section helped the crowd work up the first serious sweat of the summer. Watch Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears perform at The Powerstation here: [wpvideo VRVo9OqN]
Pajama Club Play At Kings Arms
Well, better late than never. The Pajama Club (Neil & Sharon Finn, Sean Donnelly & Alana Skyring) finally performed at Auckland’s Kings Arms Sunday night (the original date was postponed because of illness). The band was sounding pretty loose, with Neil Finn obviously having fun stretching out on guitar. Other than Suffer Never (a Finn […]
Interview: Victoria Girling-Butcher Talks About Her First Solo Album Since Leaving Lucid 3
Summit Drive is the title of Victoria Girling-Butcher’s first solo album. The former Lucid 3 frontwoman has been through a lot since her band split up, most notably fighting a debilitating auto-immune disease. Victoria stopped by The 13th Floor to talk about her music and her life. Click here to listen to the interview: Click here […]
Jordie Lane Makes His NZ Debut
Australian folk singer Jordie Lane performed for the first time in New Zealand at Auckland’s Wine Cellar. He is here in support of his latest album, Blood Thinner. Joining him on his NZ tour are Kiwi singer-songwriters Mel Parsons and Matt Langley. Here is a taste of what went down at the Wine Cellar. Listen […]
Interview: The Damned’s Captain Sensible Talks Punk, Politics & Psychedelia
In anticipation of The Damned’s upcoming show at Auckland’s Powerstation on January 25th, The 13th Floor gave guitarist & founding member Captian Sensible a call to see what he and his band of merry pranksters have been up to. Click here to listen to the interview: Click here to listen to The Damned’s first […]
Interview: Mulatu Astatke Talks To The 13th Floor
Ethiopian jazz/funk pioneer Mulatu Astatke is due to perform his first concert in New Zealand at Auckland’s Powerstation on Friday, November 25th. The 13th Floor called him at his home in Ethiopia just as he was about to depart for his tour. Listen in as Mulatu discusses his 50-year career as a groundbreaking musician. […]
Jason Mraz – Civic Theatre, Auckland 15 November 2011
Internationally revered recording artist, Jason Mraz, has announced plans for a special international tour, an extraordinary itinerary that will see the Grammy Award-winning tunesmith visiting North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand with one very special show at the Civic Theatre, Auckland on Tuesday 15th November. This will be the only show in […]
Portishead – Vector Arena Nov. 10, 2011
The last time Portishead played in Auckland singer Beth Gibbons left the stage bleeding, but triumphant. That was in April of 1998. Since then, the band has released just one album, 2008’s Third, but what an album it is. Now, Gibbons, along with guitarist Adrian Utley and keyboard player/percussionist Geoff Barrow return to Auckland, this […]
Bic Runga – Kings Arms, Nov. 9, 2011
The last time I saw Bic Runga perform as a solo artist was November, 2005 just as her third studio album, Birds was released. Six years later and here she is on the relatively tiny stage of Auckland’s Kings Arms, just about to release her new album, Belle. Having been away for so long, Bic […]
Interview: Bic Runga – Just Like Starting Over
Bic Runga is just about to release her new album, Belle. It’s her first collection of new studio material since 2005’s Birds. Belle was produced by former Mint Chicks’ front man Kody Nielson and was recorded in Auckland and Los Angeles. The 13th Floor caught up with Bic at the Sony NZ offices, where […]
Steely Dan & Steve Winwood: Vector Arena, 4 November 2011
Steely Dan last played here in September of 2007. That show found the band concentrating on their later output (Aja and Gaucho) and eschewing many of their biggest hits. This time around was different. The evening started with a 30 minute set by Anika Moa and her band, although, sadly I missed all but her […]
Interview: Funkommunity Comes To The 13th Floor
Isaac Aesili, one half of the soul/jazz/funk duo Funkommunity, with Rachel Fraser, popped by The 13th Floor to talk about their new album, Chequered Thoughts. The album was just released this week and they will be performing in Auckland this weekend to celebrate its release. Listen in to the conversation with Isaac: Click here […]
Interview: Lisa Crawley
She already has a Silver Scroll nomination, has opened for Jools Holland and Paul Weller and has released two E.P.s. Now Lisa Crawley is about to release her debut album. Everything That I Have Seen becomes available on Monday, October 17th. Lisa stopped by at The 13th Floor to tell us about the new album and her […]
Def Leppard & Heart – Vector Arena, 12 October 2011
Two rock giants of the 1980s lumbered into town and played to a three-quarters full Vector Arena in Auckland. Although both bands had their biggest commercial success during the pastel decade, Heart had been cranking out hits since their 1976 debut album, Dreamboat Annie, spawned AOR friendly tracks like Crazy On You and Magic Man. […]
Video Interview: We Are Augustines Direct From Brooklyn
We Are Augustines is the Brooklyn, New York-based band that rose from the ashes of Pela and features BillyMcCarthy and Eric Sanderson from that band. The duo recorded their debut album, Rise Ye Sunken Ships, and then recruited drummer Rob Allen to round out the group. The 13th Floor traveled to exotic Brooklyn to […]
Archival Interview: Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy Gives An Album-By-Album Rundown Of The Band’s Recorded History
We’re big Wilco fans at The 13th Floor and are very excited about the new album, The Whole Love. So, as a bonus, here is an interview with band leader Jeff Tweedy recorded on January 17, 2003, just before the band played Auckland’s Big Day Out. Click here to listen to the interview with […]
Interview: Mel Parsons Talks About Her New Album Red Grey Blue
Auckland-based singer-songwriter Mel Parsons has just released her second album. Titled Red Grey Blue, she co-produced it with the ubiquitous Jeremy Toy. Mel Has just set out to tour the country in support of the new album. Before hitting the road, she stopped by The 13th Floor to have a chat about her music, […]
Interview: Red Hot Chili Pipers Explain "Bag-Rock" & Why They Are Banned From The Rugby World Cup
Direct from Scotland, the Red Hot Chili Pipers begin their tour of NZ on Saturday September 30 at Auckland’s Vector Arena. Expect to hear tunes from anyone from The Who to Robbie Williams played on the bagpipes. The 13th Floor spoke to head Piper Kevin MacDonald about the upcoming tour and the group’s ban […]
Alice Cooper – Trusts Stadium, Auckland Sept. 22, 2011
It was March 5, 1973 when I first saw Alice Cooper. It was the Billion Dollar Babies tour and Alice was just starting to work his theatrics into the set…there was a dancing tooth that Alice chased with an oversized toothbrush and, of course, an execution of Alice. Almost 40 years later and we meet […]
Interview: Nick Lowe Talks About The Old Magic And Why Punk Sucked
The former Jesus Of Cool, Nick Lowe, has just released his new album, The Old Magic. Lowe, who has been recording since the 1960s is a veteran of the British pub rock scene (with his band Brinsley Schwartz) and the punk scene (producing The Damned and Elvis Costello). Lately his music has been a […]