Shayne P. Carter – Double Whammy: September 13, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
In the wake of Margaret Gordon’s Life In On Chord film documentary and ahead of a 7-date South Island solo tour, Shayne P. Carter performed at Auckland’s Double Whammy this past weekend with support from Louisa Nicklin and Jim Nothing.
Even though Shayne has been reluctant to “do press” when Life In One Chord was shown at this year’s NZIFF and now in general release in cinemas, it feels like he is everywhere.
I’ve seen the film twice, interviewed the director, loved the memoir, Dead People I Have Known, and revisited the music of Dimmer, Straitjacket Fits and The Doublehappys. Its what happens when both the artist and the fan gets to a certain age.
The notoriously inscrutable Mr. Carter playes up the age issue…noting that the late hour (10:30) my be a bit much for some in the audience (and on stage)…while complained of his own health issue…”I’ve got a sore finger!”.
But first…Jim Nothing.
Jim Nothing
Jim Nothing is Auckland singer/songwriter James Sullivan. Usually Jim Nothing is a full band, tonight it’s a duo, with the rhythm guitar strumming of Paul Brown seated behind and to the side of Sullivan, who cuts a figure reminiscent of a certain young Mr. Zimmerman, what with the curly hair, blue denim top and harmonica around his neck.
Jim (and Paul) work their way through 8 original songs in just under a half hour as the venues quickly fills and quickly get quite noisy.
Unfortunately, Sullivan…or Nothing…seems uncomfortable on stage without his bandmates and becomes the epitome of a shoegaze performer…staring downward throughout his set, never making eye contact with the audience and mumbling, rather than speaking, between songs.
I’m sure there is something worth hearing here, but Jim inability to engage allows the crowd to make their own entertainment, conversing, laughing and otherwise drowning out what’s going down on stage.
Louisa Nicklin
Louisa Nicklin is much more comfortable in her (solo) skin. An artist in her own right…and classically trained, no less…Louisa has two full length albums out, the most recent being the Shayne Carter-produced The Big Sulk, along with a gig as a member of the most recent version of Dimmer.
Nicklin’s voice immediately quiets the crowd.
Although she is on stage alone, her passion and her talent demand attention as she glides through her own 8-song, 30-minute set.
When Louisa stops to chats, that Shayne, plug her merch, we can hear, and even better, understand her.
But more important, she engages the crowd with her songs, her voice and her performance…there is a stunned silence after The Residue.
And it just gets better…Big Sulk tracks Sleep It Off and Want Your Mother are highlights as is her take on PJ Harvey’s Teclo.
Now, we’re cooking!
Speaking of cooking, thankfully, Double Whammy feels slightly cooler that it did a week ago when the house was similarly packed to see Minuit. Its turning into a fine venue…please continue to tweak the air conditioning.
Shayne P. Carter
Shayne is also solo. I was initially disappointed…hoping for something louder…but I came around in the end.
Carter managed to maintain his cool, aloof image and still engage with his fans, who were, by now, pressing against the stage.
The hour-long set began with Burn It Up, a Straightjacket Fits tune from 1993’s Blow album. Shayne was in fine voice and his guitar playing was exceptional…he was playing acoustic…one that came unplugged during Evolution…that’s why we like live music!
Carter switched back and forth from Fits to Dimmer tunes, while including an emotional Randolph’s Going Home and a “deep cut” from The Adults…Short Change…a co-write with Shihad’s Jon Toogood.
“I was going to play one more song, but I can play three more songs” he announces after Randolph.
In the end, we get four more…damned the late hour!
When it comes down to the last song, Shayne asks for request…never a good move.
“10 Guitars!” is shouted out from somewhere in the back of the room.
“You need to go home”, replies Carter.
Instead, we get Comfortable from Degrees of Existence.
That’s enough for tonight. Its past eleven, time to head home…frozen by the frost.
Marty Duda
Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Chris Zwaagdyk
Shayne P. Carter:
Louisa Nicklin:
Jim Nothing:
Shayne P. Carter setlist:
- Burn It Up
- The Garden
- Short Change
- Pendulum
- Hail
- Evolution
- Degrees Of Existence
- No One Is Your Friend
- Randolph’s Going Home
- Here’s What Is Left
- If I Were You
- Life In One Chord
- Comfortable
Louisa Nicklin Setlist:
- Moving Slow
- Pour It Down
- The Residue
- Can’t See
- Sleep It Off
- Want Your Mother
- Teclo
- He.h.t
Jim Nothing Setlist
- Keep Truckin’
- The Present
- Seahorse Kingdom
- Sundown Clown
- First Bite
- Raleigh Arena
- Lights Out
- Easter At The RSC
Shayne P. Carter South Island Solo Tour
Friday 19th September – The Crown, Dunedin (sold out)
Thursday 9th October – WAA! Club, Nelson (4pm all-ages & 9.30pm 18+ sets)*
Friday 10th October – Brayshaw Park Chapel, Blenheim
Saturday 11th October – Lyttelton Coffee Company, Christchurch
Sunday 12th October – Grainstore Gallery, Ōamaru
Tuesday 14th October – Threes & Sevens Records, Invercargill
Friday 17th October – The Regent, Hokitika (all-ages)
Tickets on sale HERE via UTR
*Nelson 4pm all-ages tickets HERE via UTR / 9.30pm 18+ tickets HERE via UTR
