Music News

Weekly Roundup: Friday 12th April

Friday 12th April, 2019 5:56PM

Now that's what we call a week! Along with today's merciless barrage of crucial releases and show announcements, there was a tonne of good stuff to delve into all week. Highlights included legendary Wellington metal masters Beastwars are playing a senses-shattering national release tour for their new record IV this June and July, LA-based digital pop artist Banoffee is returning to Aotearoa for two pumping yet intimate headline shows in Auckland and Wellington this May, local legends Che Fu and Melodownz are headlining Tāmaki Makaurau's inaugural Friends & Whānau Festival in late April, Dunedin's Repulsive Woman – the solo project of Millie Lovelock (Astro Children) – is playing a three date single release tour in May, and Byron Bay surf / garage rockers Skegss are returning to New Zealand for a four date winter tour. More shows to look forward to include UK songwriting superstar James Blake is returning to Aotearoa for a special headline event in July, and a clutch of local sideshows for Australia's Splendour In The Grass mega-fest have been announced, with UK math-rockers Foals, English MC Little Simz and Brooklyn progressive soul unit Phony Ppl all lined up to play Auckland headline events in July.

We were psyched to share a conversation between Denver, Colorado extreme metal crew Primitive Man and our very own Fluffy ahead of the band's ear-shattering nationwide tour in late April, and UTR editor Chris Cudby [who enjoys writing in third person] had a chat with the affable Hugh Cornwell, original singer and guitarist of punk / new wave legends The Stranglers, in anticipation of his impending return to Aotearoa this May. We had the privilege of being the very first to share the debut collection from Auckland's Bad Timing, who are currently touring the land in celebration of the release of their Might As Well Be Cabbage EP. We also revealed the latest awesome instalment of our UTR Monthly Playlist for you to explore / lose your shit to, and Annabel Kean compiled a very handy cheat sheet to help you navigate Record Store Day events happening across Aotearoa this Saturday – get amongst it and support your local record store!

Our Caught Live video for this week features Salt Lake City crust punk / extreme metal crew Cult Leader, who'll be deafening local punters with their relentless aural assault at Wellington's Valhalla on Sunday and at Auckland's Whammy Bar this coming Monday. Get a taste of Cult Leader's sonic ferocity with live footage of the band tearing through their songs 'I Am Healed' and 'Curse of Satisfaction' (both from 2018's A Patient Man), recorded late last year for artist discovery platform Audiotree Live...