Marianne Leigh and Friends – Wine Cellar: January 18, 2024

Marianne Leigh and a few of her best friends packed out Auckland’s Wine Cellar last night. The 13th Floor’s Veronika Bell was on the scene. Here is her report…

Back To The Hillside

The night started with a bang reminiscent of the angsty punk revival seen in the early 2000s, and I was definitely there for it. Emerging Auckland Indie-Punk band Back To The Hillside  took the stage first, with an amazingly punchy energy which immediately filled the dancefloor from absolutely no-body to bustling and exuberant fans which had their heads nodding in approval from the first note. 

Made up of Neo Aiono-Fukushima  (lead guitar/vocals/lyricist), Hamish Brown (bass), Rocielli Fernando (keys/backing vocals) and Sam Hatley (drums). Back To The Hillside takes inspiration from bands/artists such as Inhaler, The Smiths, Joy Division, The Cure, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Drums, Slowdive and Title Fight – and say they want to bring that underground new wave, with some small hints of shoegaze-type-sound, to all of Aotearoa.

The way in which I can liken their sound is not dissimilar to the Dunedin Rock genre coined by The Verlaines but with a modern twist: think Story of the Year and  the songwriting prowess of Breaking Benjamin.

There was a level of discordance provided by the keys player in I’m Alone and I am unsure if this was intentional but it definitely worked with the punk aesthetic. The band itself was tight, well rehearsed and had a good energy amongst themselves, really enjoying themselves on stage which was lovely to see. With the first song, my eyes immediately were drawn to the bassist who was really holding down the fort with an unmatched vibrancy which really kept the band stimulated and calm, from what seemed like a nervous start by the vocalist. Totally understandable when you’re given the daunting task to open any show. I would argue it’s one of the hardest slots to be given as an artist because you never really know what to expect, and it is your responsibility to kick off the event with a bang. And that they did. 

Lead singer and songwriter, Neo Aiono-Fukushima explains that I’m Alone is about the struggle of trying to fit in by wearing a ‘mask’. 

The vibe of the song is fun, upbeat and jumpy, but it does have a little sad undertone with the lyrics.

Recorded, mixed and mastered by celebrated engineer/producer Scott Seabright (Mumford and Sons, Broods, Six60), I’m Alone showcases that Back To The Hillside have a great sound that’s easy to connect with.

One of the most impressive feats of this up and coming band was their ability to keep pushing people through the door and onto the dance floor and to keep people moving.

Overall I really enjoyed Back To The Hillside. I feel like they have a great deal of promise. That being said, with a great performance does come some constructive criticism. I certainly suggest that the band makes the investment for all members of the band to be wearing in-ears. The sound itself at The Wine Cellar can be just that: like you’re performing in a cellar. Which really is part of the charm of performing there, however it can make it tricky to hear yourself on stage. I always recommend in-ears with bands just to make sure that everybody can hear each-other and of course, ear protection! Super important!

Wednesday’s Girlfriend

Next up, Wednesday’s Girlfriend. Great showmanship, great musicianship, really charming stage presence and overall really enthralling performance. The vocalist had a really solid punk vocal technique which was impressive to see. As shady as this sounds, So often punk bands don’t think about the longevity of their vocal chords and really strain them, which can lead to nodes and other vocal problems. Hearing a rock artist actually using their diaphragm… more of this please! We could certainly take note from this very talented vocalist.

Story, which comes from their EP Cards, was my personal favourite. It was quite a different song compared to the rest in their discography; the 70s grooves and ska references really gave the comparison if The Who, The Arctic Monkeys decided to have a metaphorical love-child with Tame Impala. It was a nice reprieve from the angsty pop-punk vibe that they had going.

I was a little confused why the band kept opening new Ableton sessions for each song that they were performing; I think it really disrupted the flow of the band’s performance. I would suggest working everything through one session and changing the BPMs for the drummer as appropriate. Heaps of people out there who would no doubt be able to help with this, as well as I am sure a plethora of Youtube tutorials.

I only mention this because the band itself were phenomenal musicians – great guitar players and genuinely really funny. I would have loved to have seen more of their personality shine through as a band and feel that the constant stopping and starting of the Ableton sessions did let them down a little. However, every performance is an opportunity to reevalute your live show.

The guitar solo for Forever was world class. The song itself has been stuck in my head ever since and I think the songwriting in this one is arguably the best in their discography, providing an anthemic vibe that is easy to sing along to after the first minute. Really talented songwriting there!

Their final song was a cover of Green Day’s Holiday which certainly went down a treat with all ages in the audience, but my inner millennial was screaming. I LOVE Green Day! It was really clever finishing the show with a cover, it allows for the audience who may not be familiar with the music being played that evening to have a little sing-along session. Always a welcomed treat.

I certainly can’t wait to see where Wednesday’s Girlfriend goes from here. 

Marianne Leigh

Marianne Leigh, an emerging indie-pop artist, channels the trials of adolescence into her heartfelt and confessional music. A New Zealand native, now based in London, garnered attention with her sophomore EP, ‘simple things‘.

Before relocating, she toured twice in New Zealand, had her music selected to be playlisted on Air New Zealand flights and made her first international impact by placing in the Top 50 on Australian radio.

 Marianne has also been fortunate to be mentored by platinum recording artist Bic Runga. Her television appearance alongside Jamie McDell and performances on platforms such as the Tedx YouTube Channel, as well as at festivals like Earth Beat and Big Gay Out, highlight her growing reputation.

Marianne is currently in the process of writing and recording her third EP, with a planned release in the summer of 2024. Her relocation across the globe, driven by her unwavering passion for music, underlines her commitment to her craft.

Marianne’s voice is super unique but her delivery sits somewhere in the realm between: Phoebe Bridgers, Miranda Lambert, Masie Peters and of course Olivia Rodrigo.

I was actually expecting a more chill country-pop-rock set from Marianne and was completely blown away by how much pop-punk really took the forefront of her artistry. I mean, it definitely makes sense given the rest of the evening’s aesthetic but it is just proof that somebody does not always sound exactly like their recorded music on streaming networks. Truly though, I mean this with the biggest compliment. I love being surprised by a performance and seeing songs being performed in a different way in which they were recorded. Keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.

Now, I had NO business wearing false lashes during the evening, there were definitely a few moments where I had tears in my eyes. Marianne has that world-class star power where she encapsulates the audience with her vulnerable story-telling and sweet vocal delivery.

Masterclass: This song started the set, and it was punchy. The band at this point I think was a little nervous because the harmonies were not landing the way in which I would have expected but by the end of the song their nerves seemingly evaporated and it was time to really showcase each of her band-members personalities, as well as her own. 

What’s a girl gonna do?: Songwriting style of Taylor Swift but for the ‘sweemos’… (IYKYK). Really powerful vocal performance here and Marianne showed a little more of her cheeky, sweet and quirky personality. I always really enjoy when an artist chats about what their songs mean or give anecdotes for the audience; it makes the show seem a lot more intimate. This is something I really give Marianne credit for, and one of the main reasons why I think that she is already at an international level.

Nice Guy:  This one is for the country x pop x punk gals (it’s me, hi). Arguably one of the strongest vocal performances from this emerging artist and one of the most impressive for me. Country inspired vocal twang is notoriously difficult to achieve (especially if you don’t have an American accent to start with) but this technique seemed to come at ease for Marianne, and somewhere where I think her voice sits the best.

Best of Me:  My favourite song in her entire discography. The start where she sang with only her guitar… all I will say is more of this please. A moment where when I was looking at her on stage, everything else dissipated away. It felt for a brief moment that it was just me alone in the audience with my overly emotional self really getting lost in the lyrics. Impeccable songwriting and a song to put on your playlist ASAP.

Ordinary: A Lana Del Rey delivery if she started wearing black chokers and black lipstick (a vibe honestly). Marianne’s vocals soared above the higher frequencies of the band, over the audience and into everybody’s hearts. Watching the audience’s reaction to this song was incredibly special. Everybody was moved (emotionally), everybody had their eyes on her and her alone – nobody was on their phones! (can you believe it?) it truly is a testament to her ability as a performer to keep an entire audience of Gen-Zs focused for 40 minutes. 

Mashup (ICD x Crazy GF)  was followed by All American Bitch (an Olivia Rodrigo Cover). The decision to finish the show with a serious punch was a really smart one actually. The audience was dancing, having fun and really engaging with her and singing the lyrics back to her. It was sweet to see Marianne so humbled by the experience, she really is such a sweet soul with a spicy heart and an sassy attitude – Queen. As she should.

The only thing I would say is I wish Marianne played a few completely acoustic tracks to really let her voice and her songwriting shine. Sometimes artists don’t need ‘the works’. Sometimes, if they’re really that good, then they just need themselves, their voice and their instrument of choice. This is one of those rare occasions where Marianne could play an entire show acoustically and you wouldn’t hear a pin drop. I love the two sides to this artist, it’s really fun and I can’t wait to see where she takes her live show going forward.

In Marianne’s tik tok bio she says ‘Budget Olivia Rodrigo’ and something that I will say to that… she is not a budget anybody. She is certainly in a league of her own and an artist that I will certainly be following very closely. She is a talented songwriter, vocalist and phenomenal instrumentalist and guitarist. At what point does somebody become a quadruple threat? Because Marianne certainly is one to watch.

You can catch her on her nationwide tour in Wellington on the 24th of Jan and in Tauranga on the 2nd of Jan.

Veronika Bell 

Click on any image to view a photo gallery:

Marianne Leigh:

Wednesday’s Girlfriend: