Shapeshifter – The Powerstation: October 17, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
Shapeshifter brought their innovative live show The Mix to a packed Powerstation on Friday night.
Following last year’s 25 year anniversary tour and re-release of their back catalogue in full it is very much in keeping with their constant process of creation and re-creation that they would stand up a new live iteration for 2025.
The idea behind The Mix is simple but daring: take the spontaneity of a club mix and give it the Shapeshifter treatment. In the band’s own words “We’re bringing the energy of a classic DJ style mix to the stage, but with the full Shapeshifter live treatment.”
They delivered !!! Seamless transitions, unexpected twists, and a flow that felt like a festival or late-night rave—but with the warmth and humanity of live musicianship.
Scizzorhands
Before Shapeshifter hit the stage, the highly active Auckland based DJ, Scizzorhands worked the decks with surgical precision delivering a complex and compelling sound. His set naturally showcased his masterful turntablism—scratching, beat juggling, and genre-bending grooves that had the crowd buzzing. He is a fast-moving creative guy. It proved a perfect warm up.
Shapeshifter
From the opening notes of New Day Come the room was alive. P Digsss’ voice soared over Darren Mathiassen’s relentless drums, while Sam Trevethick and Dan McGruer layered shimmering synths and guitar textures.
The setlist was a nonstop party with barely a chance to draw breath as one track slid into the next in keeping with the DJ ethos. Before kicking into Police in Helicopter P Digsss’ took it down just for moment to honour the passing of DJ Mu and acknowledge his influence and legacy.
Then the big songs kept hitting with Stars and Dutchies standing out alongside some tributes which as Digsss explained, between War Pigs and Super Stylin, part of the whole idea was to play some of the songs that had provided the band with inspiration. There was a big shout out as expected to da brotha Tiki Taane driving the mixing wizardry and adding his 2003 classic Dont Tell Me in the flow.
An outstanding In Colour was followed by the newish Block Party, then mashups and hybrids that blurred the line between rave and live gig. An encore featuring Runaway and an epic six and a half minute rendition of their love song to NZ – Monarch, tonight dedicated to neo- soul artist D’Angelo who passed earlier in the week.
The Powerstation was heaving for the first of two sold-out evenings, the audience was deeply immersed in the music. When the last note faded, it felt like we’d witnessed something that was a live electronic music statement.
Shapeshifter are deeply embedded in our music heritage. Since forming Christchurch in 1999, they’ve carved out a big space for live drum & bass driven by creativity, innovation, collabs , un-sequenced performance and as they put it ‘off the grid’ shows. For much of the past twenty-six years they have been perhaps the local band producing some of our most international resonating music but tonight reminded us that at its heart this band beats and sweats a thousand percent pure Aotearoa.
John Hastings
Click on any to view a photo gallery by Chris Zwaagdyk:
Shapeshifter:
Scizzorhands:
