
Weekly Roundup: Friday 15th January
We're stoked to be back in the UTR saddle after a few leisurely days of soaking up summer rays, sampling Aotearoa's festival season, and staring aghast at the orange-faced political madness unfolding overseas. We hope you've had a chance to take it easy after an absolutely hectic and at times frankly quite stressful 2020 — a huge shoutout to everybody who have been working hard at day jobs over the past month.
We have a bunch of super cool projects ready to reveal for 2021 (hint: involving video pros Sports Team) that we'll be telling you all about very soon, but in the meantime let's have a look at what's happening right now gigs-wise. As it's still a tentative state of affairs regarding the global pandemic raging outside Aotearoa's borders, we sincerely encourage you to do your bit to help our live scene keep thriving. Don't be a ding-dong who couldn't be arsed, it really is as easy as scanning the Covid tracer app (download it here), getting into the habit of using it every time, and masking up when appropriate.
Announcement highlights for the last few weeks (a traditionally quiet news period) included: Pōneke dream-fuzz crew Transistor announced their their biggest tour yet, kicking off this weekend in Tāmaki Makaurau and Ōtepoti, Mermaidens announced their very own Mermgrown festival will be happening in Pōneke this February, party punks DARTZ are celebrating the success of their chart-topping banger 'High At The Beach' with a whirlwind run of national summer tour dates, Chelsea Jade is escaping the US and touring Aotearoa in February, March and April, Pōneke bedroom-pop foursome Macho Macho are gearing up for a glistening summer tour, and Tāmaki Makaurau via Lancashire songwriter Tim Allen (no relation) and bandmates The Two are celebrating the launch of their forthcoming single 'Love Is A Pill' with an extensive national tour in March, April and May. That's by no means all — Aotearoa's premier celebration of punk rock and ska Punk It Up V revealed a refreshed lineup of all-local legends due to ongoing Covid restrictions, K M T P's big-hearted debut collection P.S. C U Soon receives a long-awaited celebratory launch event at Tāmaki Makaurau's The Wine Cellar in mid-February, and the first annual Naked Whammy Fest was announced, featuring Voom, Echo Ohs, Amamelia, Phoebe Rings, Alexa Casino, Leaping Tiger, Hospital Sports and Party Dad at Whammy Bar and Whammy Backroom, absolutely free (!) on 30th January.
WEEKEND GIG PICKS:
Friday 15th January
Auckland: Ska And Reggae Explosion - Leigh Sawmill
Auckland: The Dark Eighties: Cult 80s Hits Party - Whammy Bar
Auckland: Tony Daunt And The Dauntless, Louis Jarlov And The Lonesome - The Wine Cellar
Auckland: Arthur Ahbez And The Flaming Ahbez - The Thirsty
Whanganui: Depths, Organectomy, Swamp Dweller, Pull Down the Sun - Lucky Bar
New Plymouth: Summer No Slacks Single Release Party - Crowded House Bar & Eatery
Taupo: Colette Rivers - Taupo Museum
Wellington: Doons - San Fran
Wellington: PIPSY, Grawlixes, Housewitches, Murgatroyd - Moon1
Wellington: Star Control, Straylight, Polaris Radio, Bzzrkr - Valhalla
Barrytown: Julian Temple Band - Barrytown Hall
Dunedin: Transistor, Bathysphere - The Crown Hotel
Invercargill: Ronél Hunter, Raylee Bradfield - Southland Musicians Club
Saturday 16th January
Auckland: Transistor, Na Noise, Ripship - Whammy Bar
Auckland: Colette Rivers, Memory Lake - The Wine Cellar
Auckland: Miguel BD Performs Zeca Pagodinho - Ponsonby Social Club
Auckland: Ukiah Brown and The Lo Flying Lovers, Ratso, Munters, Elphame - Piha Bowling Club
Auckland: Come Together: Neil Young's Live Rust - Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre
Waiheke Island: Radio Rebelde - Rangihoua Estate
Waiheke Island: The Solomon Cole Band, Jan Hellriegel - Artworks Theatre, Waiheke Island
Hamilton: Depths, Organectomy, Swamp Dweller, Divisionary - Nivara Lounge
Tauranga: O & The Mo - Jam Factory
New Plymouth: Corduroy. - Mike’s Brewery and Bistro
Palmerston North: PIPSY, Persimmon - The Stomach
Wellington: Arthur Ahbez And The Flaming Ahbez - Parrotdog Bar
Wellington: Paul Ubana Jones Plays 1988 - Wellington Museum
Wellington: The Devils Rejects, The Grudge, Silverfoxxx - Valhalla
Christchurch: The Cure / Siouxsie Live Tribute - A Rolling Stone
Christchurch: Duckbrewe Skate Festival: ET, Formatics, Infectiouss, the Most Known Unknown, the SUB:BASS Crew - Two Thumb Brewing Co
Dunedin: Michael Morris and The Slow Loris - Bark @ Dog With Two Tails
Dunedin: Waterfalls, Death And The Maiden, Crone - Dive
Balclutha: Ronél Hunter, Raylee Bradfield - NEUX / Port Molyneux School
Head over to our Gig Guide for more listings!!
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