Mel Parsons
By Ben Doy
Following the release of her third studio album 'Drylands', Mel Parsons has been busy touring here, there and everywhere - and has managed to get herself nominated for a Silver Scroll Award; the winner of which is announced tonight (Thursday September 17th) at the Vector Arena in Auckland.
Interview - Anthonie Tonnon - September 2015
By Ben Doy
Earlier this year, Anthonie Tonnon released his latest studio album'Successor'; the first under his own name after retiring the moniker Tono and the Finance Company.
Sleeping With Sirens
By Ben Doy
Sleeping With Sirens are heading to New Zealand this week, playing one show only at the Powerstation in Auckland on this Wednesday September 16th.
Interview: Courtney Barnett
By Alva Casey
The rain started to spit down on an Auckland Hump Day as I hid in a closet (yes a closet, it is amazing how difficult it is to find a quiet space in an office) to chat with Courtney Barnett. Certainly there are way worse ways to escape the damp spring weather then talking to a fast rising star ahead of her upcoming New Zealand tour.
Interview: The Rubens
By Wal Reid
I am meeting one of the most exciting rock bands out of Australia, The Rubens. The band known for their gritty dirty blues style were last here in Aotearoa supporting American Rock duo Black Keys, their recent sophomore album Hoops has been making waves both here and in Oz, while the boys hope to crack American & European audiences next year. "I'd like to go to Europe" quips Scott.
No Tag
By Wal Reid
Andrew Boak is a man on a mission. The ex-guitarist from Kiwi punk band No Tag which had its auspicious beginnings in Auckland in the mid-80s, now living in the US and is back in NZ to reunite with the band after two decades to play a small set at tonight's Punk It Up gig at the Kings Arms in Auckland, including seminal 80s bands Spelling Mistakes and the X-Features featuring special guests. It's a far cry from the days when punks were punks and boppers were bopping.
Interview - Seth Sentry - September 2015
By Poppy Tohill
In the middle of breaking rap history for the biggest tour in Australia (45 dates), off the back of releasing critically acclaimed sophomore album 'Strange New Past,' and kicking arse at Halo, Fall Out and other such video games, Melbourne hip-hop star Seth Sentry found some time to sit down for a chat during a power outage in Bunbury to talk to us about touring, the world of hip hop and teleporting, ahead of his first ever upcoming New Zealand shows next month.
Anna Coddington & LIPS
By Wal Reid
If you believe everything Wikipedia says then new mum Anna Coddington has quite the colourful past. Raised in the seaside town of Raglan (anyone else get Home & Away vibes going there?) she tutu-ed on the drums at age 11 before taking up her signature guitar while fronting and writing for her first band Handsome Geoffrey which went on to win the 1998 Smokefree Rockquest, the prodigious siren went on to record an EP with her group Duchess before a tirade of solo albums including The Lake in 2008 and Cat & Bird in 2011.
Jordache from 'Fire & Ice'
A Sunday session event featuring some of New Zealand's Hip Hop Heavyweights is becoming the top 'Sunday sesh' on the Auckland City social scene.
'Shenanigans' is now holding it's sixth event this Sunday, August 30th at Sweatshop Brew Bar, and I sat down with Jordache of 'Fire & Ice' to have a chat about the event and also some exciting projects he's working on right now.
The Snowdroppers
By Poppy Tohill
The Snowdroppers are the epitome of a good time and when it comes to Australian rockers, there's no one better than these dirty, gritty, bluesy rock stars. With a busy past few years since the release of their second studio album 'Moving Out Of Eden,' the boys are finally back with a new album 'Business,' set for release on August 28th.
Dead Letter Circus
By Poppy Tohill
Dead Letter Circus are the Avengers of the alternative rock scene. With superpowers of all sorts including impeccable basketball skills, their most lethal secret weapon is Jelly-tip biscuits...
For twenty minutes I was victim to this weapon with permission to join the avengers gang as Black-widow while Kim Benzie (Vocalist), Clint Vincent (Guitarist) and I talked music, touring and the band's latest record‘Aesthesis,' which in case you were wondering is pronounced, ‘As-thes-sis' (meaning, no, there's no silent letters in there).
Yoko-Zuna
By Ben Doy
This July saw the release of Yoko-Zuna's long awaited debut album 'This Place Here'. The album feature's a who's who of guests, such asDavid Dallas, Rodney Fisher, Bailey Wiley, Melodownz and Spycc.
Dean Ray
By Poppy Tohill
Music has always been a considerably big part of Dean Ray's life, but since coming runner up in Australia's sixth season of X Factor, Ray has become a lot busier touring the world and releasing singles such as'Coming Back,' which reached number #5 on the ARIA Singles Chart, followed by the release of his self-titled debut album in November last year, which also debuted at number five on the ARIA Albums Chart and has been certified gold in his home country.
Like A Storm
By Will Brown
Today, Friday July 31st, sees the New Zealand release of Like A Storm's brand new album 'Awaken The Fire'.
New Gum Sarn
By Wal Reid
New Gum Sarn are relative newcomers to the local scene as vocalist Oscar Dowling & guitarist Durham Fenwick confide ‘they've been playing together for two years', they've also been busy carving out a name for themselves with their animated live shows garnishing word of mouth around the country building anticipation for their just released debut record New Gold Mountain.
Symphony X
By Mark Derricutt
It was many a year ago when I was first introduced to Symphony X,'The Damnation Game' had been out for just over a year with 'The Divine Wings of Tragedy' soon to be released - from those opening riffs and vocals I was hooked, and became an fan for life: here was a progressive metal band with huge melodies, harmonies, riffs and solos galore, but with little or no fanfare about being "music for musicians" - the only problem was I was the only one who had seemingly heard of them - my own little secret.
Mark Sultan
By Will Brown
Mark Sultan is returning to New Zealand this week where he'll perform four shows throughout the country -in Dunedin, Queenstown, Wellington and Auckland.
Cymbol 303 & This Pale Fire
By Ben Doy
Today (Friday July 24th) sees the release of Auckland producerCymbol 303 (Shivnesh Sumer) and singer/songwriter This Pale Fire(Corban Koschak) collaborative EP The Cycle. Described as EDM meets sensible indie-rock, I sat down for a chat with the duo in the lead up to the release and found out more about this intriguing project.