Dropper [Album Release] With Mudgoose & George Barney Roberts (AUK)

Following a significant year-to-date, Wellington’s Dropper are set to celebrate the release of their debut album Be a Little Kinder with a hometown show at Meow on Friday, November 21st. They’ll be joined by the consistently impressive Mudgoose and a rising musical force from Tāmaki Makarau, George Barney Roberts.

Tickets through Meow/Flicket start at $10 (you can access Flicket through the links below)

Dropper [Be a Little Kinder]

2025 has been a transformative year for Dropper. Born out of tragedy after the end of Bleeding Star, the band have channelled that emotion into momentum, shaping a sound that’s raw, melodic, and full of heart. After signing with Particle Recordings (under the Bigpop umbrella) and releasing two acclaimed singles, Dropper are ready to unveil Be a Little Kinder - an album that blends melody and noise with honesty and conviction. Their music has drawn comparisons to the emotional grit of Bob Mould and the sonic instincts of Greg Dulli. Songs like Breathe Through the Wire which was written for Jude’s late friend and collaborator Otis Hill, and the closing title track Be a Little Kinder strike a balance between tenderness and defiance.
Having shared stages this year with international acts like Wunderhorse, The Lemonheads, and shame, Dropper have earned a reputation as “relentless performers, high energy, flawlessly tight, and emotionally compelling.” As one fan put it, “Dropper may just sound like the future of New Zealand guitar music, not because they’re reinventing it, but because they believe in it.”

Mudgoose

Wellington’s Mudgoose are notorious for channelling “ear-bleeding country” through a lens of indie-folk chaos. Fronted by the prolific Fletcher Ng, their sound swings wildly from lo-fi heartbreak to fuzz-drenched catharsis, sounding at times like a lost weekend between Dinosaur Jr., Sparklehorse, and a backroom gospel junkie. Mudgoose is equal parts raucous and revelatory.

George Barney Roberts

Hailing from Auckland, artist and producer George Barney Roberts will bring his distinct “electro-gaze” sound. Blending the raw emotion of 90s emo and shoegaze with the infectious synths and hooks of 2010s pop, George draws heavily from the unfiltered attitude of the internet’s underground music scene. Following the release of his heartbreakingly candid debut album, gbr2, this is a chance to see one of the most exciting, new genre-bending voices of the digital generation.