Bach Musica NZ - Gig Review: Bach Musica NZ @ Auckland Town Hall - 14/04/2024
15 Apr 2024 // review by Lou Clement
The historic setting of Auckland Town Hall, with its long and celebrated history of live music, was the ideal location for Bach Musica NZ. This was the first of a program of performances taking place throughout the year and bringing to the stage some favourite classical music pieces.
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Ebony Lamb - Gig Review: Ebony Lamb @ Whammy Bar, Auckland - 10/11/2023
12 Nov 2023 // review by Lou Clement
Singer songwriter Ebony Lamb treated the tightly packed Auckland, Tamaki Makaurau crowd to a night of new music from her self-titled debut solo album. The gig was part of a seven-date Aotearoa tour which began October 27th, and finished in Paekakariki on Saturday, November 11th.
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Clementine Valentine - Gig Review: Clementine Valentine @ Whammy Bar, Auckland - 16/09/2023
16 Sep 2023 // review by Lou Clement
Clementine Valentine took to the Whammy stage in Auckland on the fourth and final date of their nationwide album release tour. Their new album entitled The Coin That Broke The Fountain Floor, was released through Flying Nun Records in August 2023.
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Tom Lark - Gig Review: Tom Lark @ Whammy Bar, Auckland - 5/08/2023
07 Aug 2023 // review by Lou Clement
Tom Lark recently brought his Brave Star tour to Tamaki Makarau along with his band and support from K M T P. Lark has been absent from both touring and releasing music for a number of years.
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SJD - Gig Review: SJD w/ Beachware @ Hollywood Avondale, Auckland - 30/06/2023
01 Jul 2023 // review by Lou Clement
Sean James Donnelly (SJD) brought his Sweetheart tour to Tamaki Makaurau and presented his latest release, his ninth album, Sweetheart. SJD is low-key specialist artist: a musician, songwriter and producer who, through his compositions, seems to make music which takes life (gently) by the horns and wrestles with it.
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Mel Parsons - Gig Review: Mel Parsons @ Galatos, Auckland - 19/05/2023
22 May 2023 // review by Lou Clement
Talking about her career in an interview, Mel Parsons had said she was "grateful for the slow burn." Five albums in, tonight was a chance to hear that hard work distilled, as she moved between the decades of her life through music and shared her experiences of motherhood in her latest single release, Tiny Days.
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Neive Strang Music - Gig Review: Neive Strang @ Whammy Backroom, Auckland - 29/04/2023
02 May 2023 // review by Lou Clement
Neive Strang recently brought her Living in Two Aotearoa tour to Tamaki Makarau, Auckland. She delivered a set that felt full of certainty, with her blues, folk and rock songs.
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Gig Review: Cross Street Festival @ Auckland - 11/03/2023
19 Mar 2023 // review by Lou Clement
Street festivals have historic origins and the Cross Street Festival really was about the music. It somehow manages to catch the haphazard chaos of a vibrant Saturday night Karangahape Road and yet complement the imposing city buildings which dominate this backroad.
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0800 Belly Up - EP Review: 0800 Belly Up
14 Feb 2023 // review by Lou Clement
In this self-titled EP, 0800 Belly Up embrace the promise of their teaser single sounds while proving they are at their heart, punk rock. Their debut six-track release is emblazoned with foot-stomping and holler-inducing energy.
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Womb - Gig Review: Womb w/ Samara Alofa @ Wine Cellar, Auckland - 25/11/2022
28 Nov 2022 // review by Lou Clement
Underground a bustling K-Road the Wine Cellar played host to Womb on Friday night, a three-piece comprised of siblings, Georgette Brown and twins Haz and Charlotte Forrester. Tonight, they celebrated the release of their new album, Dreaming of The Future Again.
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No Cigar - Gig Review: No Cigar @ Galatos, Auckland - 5/11/2022
09 Nov 2022 // review by Lou Clement
No Cigar played Auckland on the final date of their Bienvenido Album Release Tour. Nestled behind Karangahape Road, the venue, Galatos, was sold out and packed to the brim on an electric Saturday night.
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Nadia Reid - Gig Review: Nadia Reid & Jenny Mitchell @ Auckland Town Hall, Auckland - 09/09/2022
11 Sep 2022 // review by Lou Clement
Worth the wait might be the short summary of an epic and memorable evening with Nadia Reid with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra and support from Jenny Mitchell. Both acts were accompanied by their bands and a packed Auckland Town Hall cheered every song.
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Gig Review: NZ Music Month Wrap Party @ Tuning Fork - 31/05/2022
05 Jun 2022 // review by Lou Clement
Live music is back with swagger as event numbers grow and crowds swarm for a crucial mark of ‘return to normal’ in Auckland. At the Tuning Fork, sandwiched between the Port and the central city streets, a diverse crowd gathered at this all-ages event, to mark the end of NZ Music month, 2022.
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TOOMS - Album Review: Fake Teeth
16 Mar 2022 // review by Lou Clement
So, a 15 tracker, entitled Fake Teeth, released on limited vinyl, from the excellent duo which are Tooms. They are: Nich Cunningham and Dorian Noval.
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Charles Aston - Single Review: Pedestal
16 Nov 2021 // review by Lou Clement
Pedestal appears to be a song about doubt. Self-criticism is one of those things that many wrestle with, and listening to Charles Aston’s new single is a chance to hear a perceptive lyricist with a hearty country-esque vocal tone tackle the subject.
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Renee Millner - Single Review: So Much
01 Oct 2021 // review by Lou Clement
Taranaki-based artist, Renee Millner, brings substantial quality to her music – it’s effortlessly sung, lyrically modest and full of emotional impact, because of her unique and skillful talent. Her new single So Much was self-penned and produced by Sam Johnson.
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OddJive - Album Review: Hell Yeah Nah
31 May 2021 // review by Lou Clement
Multi-genre mining act OddJive released their second album in May 2021, and the release is accompanied by vibrant, beautiful artwork by Alex Hoare. Titled Hell Yeah Nah, it is birthed by the five members of the band and promoted as a work created with the ongoing support of friends and family.
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Dr.Reknaw - Gig Review: Dr.Reknaw @ Anthology Lounge, Auckland - 16/04/2021
19 Apr 2021 // review by Lou Clement
Epic eight-piece, Dr.Reknaw, took to the stage at Anthology Lounge on a wet Friday evening for their only Auckland gig.
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Something Zesty - Album Review: Funk’t Up
06 Mar 2021 // review by Lou Clement
Something Zesty is a musical project from solo-artist Iain Chamberlain and Funk’t Up, released in early 2021, is his debut album. It offers a mix of easy going funk riffs and enjoyable guitar-infused tracks overlaid with urban vocals.
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Avantdale Bowling Club - Gig Review: Avantdale Bowling Club @ Hollywood Avondale, Auckland - 23/10/2020
25 Oct 2020 // review by Lou Clement
Multi-genre bending Avantdale Bowling Club played to a sold out crowd, breaking in, what seemed like the first long weekend in a very long time, at them Hollywood Avondale. Their most recent release, earlier in 2020 was LIVE, it does what it says on the tin.
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Yumi Zouma - Album Review: Truth or Consequences
30 Mar 2020 // review by Lou Clement
Yumi Zouma are a four-piece band who formed in New Zealand and have seen international success with their brand of dreamy beach pop – effortlessly upbeat and post-party feels. It’s music that I can always put on my playlist repeat loop.
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Fat Freddy's Drop - Gig Review: Fat Freddy's Drop @ Thames Racecourse, Thames - 28/12/2019
08 Jan 2020 // review by Lou Clement
When Fat Freddy’s Drop announced their Summer Album tour, with dates across New Zealand, I had the feeling of the holiday season beginning. I went along to the first of the tour dates that began their extensive list of stop offs and took place in the lazy in between days of the Christmas-New Year break.
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Dead Little Penny - Album River: Urge Surfing
13 Nov 2019 // review by Lou Clement
Dead Little Penny released their debut album Urge Surfing on 13 November 2019. It’s nine tracks of electro-industrial, synthesiser-infused melodic, dirge-drifting fun.
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Troy Kingi - Gig Review: Troy Kingi @ The Tuning Fork, Auckland - 26/09/2019
04 Oct 2019 // review by Lou Clement
Troy Kingi delivered a mash up of reggae, funk and soul as he debuted an album of politically laced tracks and performed for an enthusiastic crowd at the Tuning Fork in Auckland. This was the first of a three date New Zealand tour, following the release of his latest album Holy Colony Burning Acres and tonight he played to a sold out crowd.
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Ghost Who Walks - Gig Review: Ghost Who Walks @ San Fran, Wellington - 14/09/2019
22 Sep 2019 // review by Lou Clement
The venue was buzzing and continued to fill as the DJ warmed up the Saturday night crowd at Wellington’s famous music venue San Fran. On tonight’s bill was headline homegrown act Ghost Who Walks.
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Ben Ruegg - Album Review: The Road (Remastered)
22 May 2019 // review by Lou Clement
Auckland-based musician Ben Ruegg’s album The Road, frets through emotion-laden lyrics and surges from an acoustic-indie tone to a rockier bent with nostalgic guitar solos and drums. The album is stitched together with Ruegg’s refined and considered vocals.
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Mermaidens - Gig Review: Mermaidens @ Neck of the Woods - 13/04/2019
17 Apr 2019 // review by Lou Clement
It was Record Store Day, and vinyl fans across the country were treated to special events and special releases from musicians who year on year support the event. Across Auckland, independent record stores opened their doors following advertising campaigns on the run up to day.
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Gig Review: Milk & Honey @ Whammy Bar, Auckland - 08/03/2019
11 Mar 2019 // review by Lou Clement
International Women’s Day, in my experience, is often not marked by celebrations other than something official in the news – something with flowers and over-privileged celebrity-like figures at the mic. It’s the first year I’ve lived in Auckland for it though, and to find that celebrations planned for the occasion with music performances taking place as part of a curated event were exciting.
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Rob Joass - Interview with Rob Joass
19 Feb 2019 // interview by Lou Clement
Folk singer and band member Rob Joass is due to release his new album Pencarrow in March. He spoke to Lou from Muzic.
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Dead Little Penny - Gig Review: Dead Little Penny @ Whammy Bar, Auckland - 25/01/2019
27 Jan 2019 // review by Lou Clement
Three-piece Dead Little Penny were the second act on stage and headlining at the Whammy Bar on Friday evening, launching their new single Depression. The venue was packed out and the fans did little to reduce the temperature of the basement venue.
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