NZ Music Month / Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa: Week 3 Highlights

It is all happening during NZ Music Month / Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa! We're here to help you pick a path through the labyrinth of free live events, workshops, initiatives, panel discussions, plus much more happening across the motu with our weekly highlights guide, laid out like a sonic buffet to feast upon below.

Brought to you by the NZ Music Commission, you can cop the classic bullseye / speaker NZMM tee and stylie new 25th anniversary design HERE — "all profits from purchasing the official NZMM tees go to MusicHelps so they can continue to support people who make music possible in Aotearoa".

We've introduced our UTR Roundup Playlist — a rolling playlist keeping you in the loop with every new Aotearoa release we've featured on the site over the past month (updated weekly). Listen up and follow HERE.

New Zealand Music Month highlights happening THIS WEEK — check out the UTR gig guide HERE and the revamped NZMM gig guide HERE for lots of live shows and more events nationwide.

Midtown Street Party at Elliott Street / Elliott Stables / The Strand Arcade, Auckland - 15th May (free, 5pm to 9pm)
A street party for everyone with fresh tracks and the best of Auckland’s homegrown musicians on repeat. Celebrate NZ Music Month with live DJs spinning slick beats in the Strand, an epic merch market and a rare exhibition of archival photography from some of NZ's most popular artists from the 80's to the present day. Don’t miss special sets from Jack Moser, Club Ruby, Hales, Sandy Mill & DJ Dean Webb, 花溪Flowerstream, Little Weird, Tusekah, Joshua Duting and more across the night.

Dungeon at Public Bar, Auckland - 15th May (free, 7.30pm start)
Paradox Princess — Paradox Princess is an experimental solo artist that infuses the hectic nature of punk into the sonics of electronic-based Hip Hop. Originally a Southern girly from Ōtepoti, she is now based in Tāmaki Makaurau performing viscously energetic sets that aim to uplift the dolls, diss men and landlords.
Black Licorice — Light sensor oscillator noise
The EE Machine — New project of Emily Edrosa... still figuring it out so probably mostly Emily Edrosa/Street Chant songs for this show. All the hits and maybe some new ones?

Going Local Whangārei: How the music industry can help you! at ONEONESIX, Whangārei - 15th May (free, 6pm panel discussion / 7.30pm one-to-one meetings book in advance)
IMNZ presents a networking session called Going Local. It’s an informal way for you to meet with some established people already working in the music industry, who can offer advice and knowledge that will help to answer some of those questions above. It is also a chance for us to get to know you and hear about your own sound and vision for the future.

Thursday Nights Live at Sky City, Auckland ft. JessB & Warren Duncan - 15th May (free)
Every Thursday night, we're bringing you the best in Aotearoa's music scene—from rising stars to legendary voices. Get ready for a lineup of epic live acts and DJs who'll bring the beats, the vibes, and the unmistakable energy of NZ Music Month. Hosted by MC Slave (Fat Freddy's Drop), this is your chance to soak up the sounds of Aotearoa's finest in an electric setting.

NZ Music Month Open Mic Nights at Southland Musicians Club, Invercargill - 15th May (free)
We’re turning up the volume this NZ Music Month with three awesome Open Mic Nights — and you’re invited to every one!

Lunchtime Live: Pop, Rock + Daydreams at Ellen Melville Centre - 16th May (free, 1pm to 2pm)
Day Dreamer band will ignite the city with their electrifying fusion of punk, indie rock, and funk in a free lunchtime performance at the Ellen Melville Centre. Designed to bring live music to the heart of the city, this high-energy event offers an accessible, all-ages space for workers, students, and locals to gather, unwind, and connect. So, take a break, soak in the sound, and lively up your Friday!

Bub, George Villa, Phoebe Rings free all-ages show at Real Groovy Records, Auckland - 16th May (free, 6pm to 8pm)

Press Play at BIG FAN, Auckland - 17th May (free, RSVP)
Presented by Play It Strange and BIG FAN, this all-ages Youth Week and NZ Music Month event takes place on Wednesday 21 May at BIG FAN in Morningside. Kicking off with a panel on breaking into the music industry, followed by live performances from seven talented young artists, Press Play is all about uplifting the next generation of music makers—both on stage and behind the scenes. Don’t miss this inspiring showcase of emerging talent and industry insight.

How To Build An Album: Louis TM 'Shelter for a Broken Soul' at Te Awe Library, Wellington - 17th May (free, 3pm to 4pm)
This talk/performance will go through each stage of releasing the album - Louis will talk about the initial musical ideas and concepts, to recording the tracks, to securing Vinyl production, to its promotion and release.

The Sounds of the City: How Music Shapes a Thriving Auckland at Wintergarden, The Civic - 20th May (free, 7.30pm, register)
What role does music play in shaping a thriving and healthy city? Join us at this special NZ Music Month x Auckland Conversations event for a facilitated panel discussion with key music industry leaders about the influential role music has in shaping our city. From cultural growth to energising economy, music is more than just entertainment – it's a catalyst for change. Join us as we delve into music’s transformative role and discover how Aucklanders can help shape a vibrant, music-enhanced future. Panel speakers include Dan Bali, Ladyhawke, Malcolm Lakatani, Lucy Macrae and Gene Rivers. MC’d by award-winning broadcaster Charlotte Ryan and featuring a special performance from singer-songwriter TEMA from 5pm, before the panel commences.

Analogue Aotearoa listening party at the National Library, Wellington - 20th May (free, 6pm to 7pm)
Music academic Geoff Stahl will guide audiences through The Clean’s iconic Boodle, Boodle, Boodle EP — sharing insights before dropping the needle on the vinyl. A unique chance to experience a classic Aotearoa record straight from the Turnbull Library’s collection.

Happening throughout NZMM:

OurAuckland Celebrates New Zealand Music Month 
It’s time to turn up the volume and celebrate our local sounds this May in the city centre! This New Zealand Music Month, the city centre is the place to be, with an exciting lineup of free live performances, outdoor gigs, talks with industry leaders, morning raves and a vibrant Midtown Street Party.

Palmy May Music Month (many events free)
A huge schedule of 66 events scheduled to take place in Palmerston North! This week you could check out Te Kura Huia – three mean mana wahine dropping dirty bass and factual bars; the soulful and sultry vocals of Preeti; the garage and jungle sounds of Te Papaioea electronic project Showponi; take the Secret Library Music Tour with laid-back acoustic artist Laura Evans in the library’s Fiction Zone and much, much more.

FromThePit 2024 New Zealand Music Photography Exhibition 
A curated collection of live music photography, focusing exclusively on Aotearoa musicians performing in local venues. This year, 59 photographers have contributed their recent mahi, providing a rich view of the nation’s diverse music landscape. FromThePit 2025 will be accessible online and at locations across the motu during Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa NZ Music Month.

Tee Me Up 2025
Bands or artists can submit a design for a new tour t-shirt to be in to win 50 printed t-shirts that they can sell, giveaway or use however they wish! This is possible all thanks to AS Colour and Karousel Printing

OUTPLAY 
A campaign focusing attention on artists such as Kaylee Bell, Princess Chelsea, Alien Weaponry and LEISURE who are succeeding internationally and getting local Kiwi audiences to match their success by ‘outplaying’ the great streaming numbers that they have in cities around the globe.

Beyond The Beat
Each week, a rising star meets with a musical legend to turn their most iconic tune on its head - giving a unique glimpse into music production and Aotearoa’s next generation of artists. The first episode featured Reiki Ruawai and MELODOWNZ. Track 2 is being revealed on George FM tonight, featuring MazbouQ & Cee Blu + Sly Chaos.

FIRST CUT
BIG FAN, Holiday Records and Downbeat Mastering have teamed up for a very special NZ Music Month initiative offering one artist the chance to take their music from studio to stage... and onto wax. The winner will score five days of studio time at BIG FAN, free venue hire for a release show, and have their single professionally pressed onto a 7” vinyl by Holiday Records.

More notable NZMM events / initiatives coming up:

NZ Music Month Summit at The Tuning Fork, Auckland - 24th May (10.45am to 4.30pm), to secure a free ticket for the in-person event register in advance
A free day of panel discussions / think tank conversations aiming to help artists (at all levels) navigate the often opaque world of local music. Presented by MMF Aotearoa and the NZ Music Commission, with support from industry organisation partners APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ, NZMMS 2025 hosts a diversity of veterans and rising stars from our community (including myself this year), sharing firsthand insights on Touring 101, Promoting Your Show, Pulling Together The Show, Put Your Best Pitch Forward, and Stories From The Road.

The Country Music Honours at SBS St James Theatre, Gore - 23rd May

Aotearoa Music Awards at Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland - 29th May

NZ Music T-Shirt Day - 30th May
MusicHelps’ annual fundraising initiative NZ Music T-Shirt Day is back for another year on Friday 30th May 2025, rounding off New Zealand Music Month. NZ Music T-Shirt Day is all about celebrating great New Zealand music, showing your support of local music by sporting your favourite artist or band tee and donating to contribute to the mahi of MusicHelps.

TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA is run by the NZ Music Commission, with support from APRA AMCOS, Creative New Zealand, Independent Music NZ, Independent Music Venues Aotearoa, the Māori Music Industry Collective, MusicHelps, the Music Managers Forum, Music Production Guild NZ Aotearoa, NZ On Air, OneMusic, Recorded Music NZ, SoundCheck Aotearoa, SOUNZ and Te Māngai Pāho. The purpose of TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA is to celebrate music from New Zealand, and the people who make it.