Music News

Weekly Roundup: Friday 25th October

C.C. / Friday 25th October, 2019 5:58PM

The long weekend is ready to roll and we're 100% here for it, following an insane yet thrilling rollercoaster ride of pre-summer announcements and releases. Highlights include UK electronic punks Sleaford Mods are heading to Aotearoa for the very first time this coming February, US extreme metal masters Cattle Decapitation are returning for two NZ headline events in 2020, Japanese sonic travellers Mono will play a pair of North Island events in March, UK psychedelic blues-doom heroes Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats are not only playing an Auckland headline event but they'll also be performing alongside our own Beastwars at Upper Hutt's Obey The Riff festival, US bluesman Blind Boy Paxton is treating NZ fans to an extensive eight-date nationwide tour in February, LA's The Growlers will be hitting local punters with the sounds of their brand new album Natural Affair this summer, US punk rock figurehead Patti Smith is journeying to Aotearoa for two events in April, and St. Jerome's Laneway Festival 2020 announced a brand new dance zone for this summer's multi-stage event, headlined by rising Russian DJ and producer Kedr Livanskiy.

Local artists making waves in the near future include Tāmaki Makaurau's Sulfate is touring his superb debut album across Aotearoa (and Melbourne) in November, expat rock 'n' roll maniacs The Cavemen are returning to their homeland to lay waste to stages across the North Island, and hard hitting four-piece Coridian are embarking on their 'Rite of Passage' North Island tour in November. If it's festy action you're craving, the Hawkes Bay's Nest Fest is returning to Havelock North's Black Barn Vineyards in January, and Whammyfest 2019 revealed the maze-like timetable for their mandatory two night event taking over Tāmaki Makaurau's Whammy Bar and Backroom this pre-Halloween weekend – we advise you to spook it up.

We were super stoked to catch up with Japanese punk-pop legends Shonen Knife, who are visiting Aotearoa in November for a trio of sure to be super fun shows. They generously rattled off their five favourite punk bands from their homeland and provided awesome examples and commentary on each – treat your ears to Shonen Knife's favourite Japanese punk anthems right here. We shared a pair of in depth interviews with two Aotearoa guitar wizards – Dunedin legend David Kilgour chatted with Annabel Kean about his new album with The Heavy Eights and national tour, and Secret Knives helmsman Ash Smith spoke with Brooke Singer (French For Rabbits) about his long-awaited and sonically diverse sophomore long player Snuff. We also had the privilege of premiering two crucial local releases – the snazzy new single from Tāmaki Makaurau's Dictaphone Blues and a powerful new track (with appropriately spooky video) by Ōtepoti-based songwriter Emily Fairlight. To wrap up an exceptionally brisk week, we ushered in the latest episode our UTR Caught Live video series, this time featuring Pōneke dream team Mermaidens delivering a spine-tingling version of 'She's Running' from their new album Look Me In The Eye – experience the new episode here.

Our Caught Live video for the week features hard-gigging Aotearoa songwriter and all-around enigma Delaney Davidson, who is playing a very special homecoming event at Lyttelton's Wunderbar this Saturday, wrapping up an extensive run of shows through Eastern Europe and Japan. Experience a snack-size morsel of the excellence to come, with Davidson's haunting live to air solo rendition of 'Strange I Know' from his 2018 album Shining Day, recorded in the plush surrounds of RNZ's studios...