AIA recently released the video for their single Pain, and they'll be heading back to where it all started - Backbeat in Auckland on 8 December with Fallstate and AnimalHead for 'The Little Big Show'.

AIA have also opened up for US Rock heavyweights Drowning Pool, as well as I Am Giant, These Four Walls and many more goliaths of the New Zealand rock scene, and with another album well and truly under way, AIA are wasting no time in proving that they are more than capable in holding their own against some of NZ's biggest names.

JP and Hugh answered the following questions for muzic.net.nz:

It has been a busy year for Armed in Advance, what has been the most exciting show you’ve played in 2017?

Hugh: Definitely the Auckland City RockFest, so many of our friends were on the bill as well so it was great.

JP, you were one of the people responsible for setting up the Auckland City RockFest. How difficult was it organise something of that magnitude?

JP: Organising it was easy - the difficult part was the nervous breakdowns, when I figured out what I'd got myself into. Fortunately, all the bands were GC's and the tickets flew out the door. Hopefully reason enough to put another one on next year.

How does the atmosphere of a full Kings Arms compare to the intimacy of Backbeat?

Hugh: The Kings Arms is a legendary venue and it will be sad when it’s gone because it has such an amazing vibe but Backbeat is like a second home, I feel very confident playing which allows me to put on the best show I can.

Do you have a preference for doing tours or one off shows?

Hugh: Tours, after every tour we go through PTD (post tour depression) where we just want to be out exploring new places and playing shows.

Your latest single Pain has been doing well with over 10,000 plays of Spotify in its first month (currently over 31,000 plays). Is it safe to say it has been well received by the fans?

JP: People seem to be into it, and we've also had some radio play from the Rock FM and BayRock which is great. Hopefully it keeps on kicking on and reaching new ears!

Rumours are you will be performing new material at your upcoming show. With the first anniversary of your debut album Change/Evolve recently, is there a follow-up album in the works?

Hugh: Yeah been working a few of the new ones into our set, might see some of these getting released together at some point but most likely in the further future.

Armed in Advance have performed a number of covers at previous shows. Is there a cover lined up for The Little Big Show?

Sure is, we will be doing a song by a band we used to get compared to when we first started out, you might just have to come along to find out what it is.

Your upcoming The Little Big Show is supported by Fallstate and AnimalHead, both having won Ding Dong Lounge band competitions, what can the crowd come to expect from these bands?

JP: Tight, savage Pop Punk/Metal from Fallstate, and slick grooves, delicious riffs and party vibes from AnimalHead.

Is this the last chance to see Armed in Advance for the year? Are there any big plans for 2018?

Hugh: Yea last show for this year but going to be very busy in 2018 so won’t be too long in between drinks so definitely keep an ear to the ground.

Website Links

Killing Bear is a band which has been kicking around the Wellington Music scene since 2010 and over the years has had a steady flow of hit songs and historic shows. Those who are connoisseurs of the psychedelic pop rock realm will remember hits of the band such as Love is Like a Skateboard, Wild Robots Roaming Free and Ride the White Rhino. The current incarnation of Killing Bear was formed early in 2017 with longstanding members Liam Hanley (bass) and Cormac Ferris (guitar/vocals) and newcomers Levon Mason (drums) and Lachlan Ferris (keys/vocals). The band also acquired a shipping container which had been converted into a studio, since then the band has been hunkered down recording their new album Mysterium Tremendum due for release on the 18/11/2017.

Cormac answered the following questions for muzic.net.nz:

How did you become involved in music?

When I was a kid I used to listen to my parents records like The Beatles' The White Album and Leo Kottke's My Fathers Face, over and over again, I would obsess over them and try imagine how they were created from a song writing and also a technical recording perspective. I would imagine the conversations they might of had while placing microphones around the studio, I would also take note of where they would place the microphones as I listened to the voices singing through my speakers I would feel like I was there in the room with them.

If you could perform with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?

If we were to open for anyone in the world (live or dead) it would probably have to be Beethoven. If the rules were that we traveled back in time and played to his audience, man that would be something for the text books! 

Which one of your songs are you most proud of, and why?

Reptilian Overlord, It is our most intense and complicated song.

How would you describe your music to someone who hasn't heard it before?

Psychedelic pop rock

What can we expect to see from Killing Bear in the next year?

A new album, loads of gigs and a video or two perhaps!

What NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?

Gold Medal Famous, they are everything you want in a band.

What local albums have you been enjoying recently?

Voom - Hello, Are You There?

What is your favourite NZ venue, and why?

The Kings Arms Tavern, the sound is always really good in there.

Have you got any tips for dealing with nerves before a gig?

Be well rehearsed and be ready before you play.

How do you balance your music with other obligations; family, job etc?

I set aside at least half an hour each night to chip away at any task to do with the band weather its mixing songs or organising gigs, slowly but surely and before I know it a year has passed and we now have an album coming out. Whooo!

Where do you get your inspiration to create music from?

Things around me, things that happen to me, things that people say or I realise a new perspective on something that I wasn’t aware of before. So mainly things.

Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians?

Good things take time, don’t rush to put your demos out, perfect your songs and make sure that the work you put out is your best.

Killing Bear are Levon Mason (drums, vocals), Liam Hanley (bass), Cormac Ferris (guitar, vocals)
and Lachlan Ferris (keyboards, vocals).

Website Links

LA Thompson (also known as Shirley to her friends) is a talented musician that performs original and covers mix material, and is the founder and manager of Local Musicians Music, forming The LMM Club late last year. The LMM Club came to life on 3 November 2016 as a result of three years promoting emerging and established indie artists and their music to radio, producing compilation CD's, and moving into artist management since 2014.

As a musician, she has had an extensive career in the music industry, performing and writing her own music from the age of 9, and she has enjoyed a colorful life performing and as a promoter of indie artists throughout New Zealand.

Learning to navigate the ever-changing internet and commercial radio stations criteria has been a huge undertaking that has been met with interest from a number of songwriters, producers and music directors throughout New Zealand.

LA has an extensive CV with a history of performances nationwide and enjoyed her days as a vocalist for originals/covers band, Road to Amber, The Collective, and girl band, Lace.

LA will be on tour throughout November and December:

LA Thompson is Shirley Howe

Website Links

Facebook Page
Bandcamp Page
YouTube Page
Spotify Page
LA Thompson Business Website: Creativ Dimensions
Local Musicians Music

Auckland based musician Geoff Horne has been playing and singing since he was seven. He was born in Britain but refers to himself as ‘NZ bred’. His parents started him off with piano lessons when he was younger, then he found his way to the guitar a little later, after being impressed by the ‘twang’ of the electric guitar sound which captured his imagination whilst watching a high school band play George Harrison’s My Sweet Lord when he was eleven.

Geoff has recently finished his first album of original songs, after many years of experience playing in bands and performing as a solo artist. Having worked in Australia, the UK and USA he is certainly well traveled.

A highlight in Geoff’s musical journey would have to be when he performed with the Doobie Brothers in 2011 at their concert at the Civic Theatre in Auckland.

When playing covers, Geoff likes to cover a wide range of genres and styles although he does admit he has a weakness for Rockabilly, and describes is sound as “a blend of 30's blues, 40's swing, 50's rock n’ roll and a smattering of 60’s pop thrown in”.

Website Links

With the upcoming 5th anniversary of their EP Friendly Fire, Ralphe from This Flight Tonight  took the time to chat with Alex and Chris, muzic.net.nz's Inside the Music Crew:

You can watch the video below: 

Full Interview

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Ahead of their Caldera Tour for their upcoming release, Mike (guitar), Kris (drums), Nick (bass) Raven, and Dity Maharaj (vocals) from Coridian, also had a quick chat with Alex and Chris:

Check out the video below:

To most people, Wanaka is best-known for its killer mountain and lake views and its pricey lattes. But to others, it’s the home of New Zealand’s longest-running music festival, the place to go every summer to hear Aotearoa’s best perform smack in the middle of one of Aotearoa’s most beautiful places.

Run by the non-profit Lake Wanaka SouNZ Incorporated (LWSI), Rippon was launched in 1998 by a group of music-loving locals, which included then-music teacher Lynne Christie and three of her ex-students, essentially to solve the fact that Wanaka was light on live music. They wanted to be able to go to more gigs, so they made their own festival—and what a gig is was.

The first Rippon featured (among others) HDU, Jan Hellriegel, Pitch Black, Salmonella Dub and Chris Knox, plus the top place-getters from the 1997 Smokefreerockquest: Deep Kick and Atlas Woods.

The inaugural festie lost money (Rippon didn’t break even until 2000), but it announced itself as a kind of national music discovery service, the place to go to see up-and-coming Aotearoa acts before they broke big time.

Fat Freddy’s Drop hit Rippon before everyone knew their name (they first performed at the festival in 2004, and their last Rippon appearance was at the final event under the old name, in 2014), as did Kora (2004), Fur Patrol (1999), Tiki Taane (2008), Ladi6 (2004) and Shapeshifter (2004). Shapeshifter frontman P Digsss will be back this year for TUKI as co-MC (his seventh Lake Wanaka SouNZ event), along with Anika Moa.

The rest of Rippon’s lineups read like the table of contents in a history book about the past two decades of NZ music: performers have included Little Bushman, Che Fu, Shihad, TrinityRoots, The Mint Chicks, The Clean, Fly My Pretties, Nathan Haines, The Black Seeds, Estere, Hollie Smith, Scribe, Julia Deans, Street Chant, Minuit, Die! Die! Die!, Eru Dangerspiel, Electric Wire Hustle, Connan and the Mockasins, Lord Echo and The Datsuns. Any questions?

And so to 2017. This year, the festival is heading west, eight minutes up the road from its previous site at Ripppon Vineyard to a spectacular lakefront pozzi at Glendhu Bay, complete with its own enchanted forest, local wines and craft beers, and a smorgasbord of regional eats.

There’s also a new name to go with the move: TUKI, which means ‘mouthpiece’ in Maori, and also references the nearby Matukituki River.

What hasn’t changed is the organisers’ commitment to showcasing the beautiful thing that is New Zealand’s homegrown music scene. Onstage this year will be US-based Unknown Mortal Orchestra (fronted by Kiwi Ruban Nielson of The Mint Chicks), Aaradhna, Marlon Williams, The Phoenix Foundation, Maala, The Shamblés, Mel Parsons, Lips, Arma Del Amor as well this year’s up-and-comer, TAPZ.

Even better, TUKI is run by Lake Wanaka SouNZ Inc, a not-for-profit society that has donated $118,000 to causes from the Red Cross Canterbury Earthquake Appeal to the Te Kakano Trust’s work in native habitat restoration, from TEDx Wanaka to Wanaka Wastebusters to several local schools. It also runs the YAMI SouNZ Summit, held biennially in Wanaka, where youth and adults get a chance to work with and learn from some of the country’s top musicians, promoters, producers, engineers and managers. The idea? Help young people find career pathways in the music industry on and beyond the stage.

The team at TUKI are also all about having a minimal impact on both the local and wider environment. With this in mind, TUKI is aiming for more than 92% waste diversion in 2018 through using a three-bin system, using recycled products wherever possible, as well as compostable plates and cups, and working with New Zealand-based innovators For the Better Good, who will be launching a plant-based (versus petroleum-based) plastic water bottle at TUKI.

The one-day, two-stage TUKI festival takes place on February 10, 2018 at Glendhu Bay on Lake Wanaka.

Tickets are on sale now through Ticketek and Cosmic. Camping is available at the Glendhu Bay Motor Camp—get in quick to grab a tent or caravan site, all cabins and lodge spaces have already sold out.

Website Links

The biggest super-group of NZ musicians to ever hit the stage will be playing at The Trusts Arena in Auckland this November. The show, MARLEY: CELEBRATE THE LEGEND, is endorsed directly by the Marley family and now features 21 of your favourite kiwi stars playing the hits of Bob Marley. It will be staged for one night only in Auckland on Thursday 30 November.

We are excited to announce the All-Star juggernaut will then head to Australia for two shows, playing Nightquarter on the Gold Coast, Friday 1 December and Metropolis, Perth on Saturday 2 December. Tickets are now on sale via Oztix.

Support at all shows will be from powerhouse NZ band, L.A.B. The Bay of Plenty four-piece, which includes past members of Kora and Katchafire, have been taking the NZ music scene by storm with their infectious funk reggae vibe and gaining legions of fans at festivals nationwide. This band are incredible live, and their new album is set for release on 24 November with the first single Jimmy Boy out now.

If anyone could bring the Kora brothers together again on stage, it had to be Bob Marley. We are stoked to have all 4 brothers, Laughton, Fran, Brad and Stu Kora reunite for the coming shows in Auckland and Australia. This is the first time the brothers have performed together in over 5 years and will make for a memorable night.

The Marley NZ All-Stars are also thrilled to be confirmed as the headline act for the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival, Saturday 10 February 2018 at Brancott Vineyard, Blenheim. Lock in your tickets in early, this annual feast for your taste buds and ears sells out!

Earlybird tickets for the Auckland show have sold out, General Admission are on sale now for $65+BF and VIP / Christmas Packages, including a meet and greet, dinner, drinks and merchandise, are available for $189pp. Book at Ticketek.

  ABOUT THE NZ ALL-STARS  

Some of New Zealand’s biggest artists are part of this homage to one of the greatest influences on NZ music. Tiki Taane, Che Fu, Annie Crummer, Laughton Kora, Fran Kora, Logan Bell, Boh Runga, Ria Hall, Anna Coddington and Joel Shadbolt each take the lead vocals in one or more songs including Get Up Stand Up, 3 Little Birds, Stir It Up, Redemption Song, Turn Your Lights Down Low, Buffalo Soldier, Punky Reggae Party, Exodus, No Woman No Cry, One Love and many many more.

They are backed by the amazing NZ All-Stars band, featuring Grenville Bell, guitar, Hani Totorewa, keys and Leon Davy, percussion (past and present members of Katchafire); Fran Kora, bass and vocals (Kora), Brad Kora, drums and percussion (Kora), Stu Kora, guitar and keys (Kora); Ara Adams-Tamatea, bass (L.A.B), Lucien Johnson, sax and Barrett Hocking, trumpet (both from The Black Seeds); Paul Russell, drums (Stomp and Supergroove); Joel Shadbolt, guitar (L.A.B); Shelton Woolright, guest drums (I Am Giant, Blindspott) and Godfrey de Grut, keys (Elemeno P, Che Fu & The Krates), with our very own I-Threes on backing vocals, Boh, Ria and Anna.

  WHAT THE FANS SAY  

This was an amazing show. You people and your talent blew me away. What incredible music, what beautiful people, what fun we had. Thank you so much. Issac Watts, Northland

What a fantastic line up, was an awesome concert - so much talent Sian Williams, Napier

That was such an epic night!! Highlights were Redemption Song and Tiki Taane's "Get Up, Stand Up" for Standing Rock!!Sarah Doyle, Hastings

WOW! That was an awesome evening and a beautiful start to summer. Massive respect to all of the talent entertaining us Nicky Newman, Rotorua

  EVENT & TICKET INFORMATION  

 COMPETITION - DOUBLE PASS GIVEAWAY 

Hip-Hop Crew SWIDT Lead 2017 VNZMA Finalists

Auckland rap crew SWIDT lead the pack with six finalist nods for the 2017 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards which will be held at the Spark Arena on 16 November.

The Onehunga group is up for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year, Vodafone Single of the Year, Best Group, Best Hip Hop Artist, and Vodafone People’s Choice – as well as Massey University Best Producer at the Artisan Awards for band member SmokeyGotBeatz.

Two Kiwi songstresses who are making headlines across the world are finalists in multiple categories. Lorde is in the running for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year, Vodafone Single of the Year, Three Best Solo Artist, The Edge Best Pop Artist, and Vodafone People’s Choice while Aldous Harding has received nominations for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year, Three Best Solo Artist, Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Best Alternative Artist.

Kiwi dream-pop artist Fazerdaze is up for Best Alternative Artist and Breakthrough Artist of the Year, while indie-rock band Leisure will look to claim Best Group after their Breakthrough Artist of the Year finalist nod in 2016. On top of this, both are nominated for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year.

Local hip hop MC David Dallas is a finalist for Godfrey Hirst Album of the Year for his fourth album Hood Country Club. He’s also in the running for Best Hip Hop Artist and Vodafone Single of the Year for his 2017 track Fit In.

Dunedin-born singer songwriter Nadia Reid has seen her musical career grow significantly over the last few years. A finalist for 2016’s Best Folk Album, the release of her second album Preservation earlier this year has catapulted her into the VNZMA finalist list for Three Best Solo Artist, Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and Best Alternative Artist.

Another newcomer to the Music Awards is Teeks who debuted at number ten on the NZ Official Top 40 Chart for ‘The Grapefruit Skies EP’. He’s up for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Best Soul/RnB Artist, and Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist at this year’s show.

Kiwi music stalwart Ladi6 is a finalist for Best Soul/RnB Artistand Christchurch’s Theia has been nominated for The Edge Best Pop Artist and Vodafone People’s Choice. Both musicians are up for Vodafone Single of the Year for Royal Blue and Roam, respectively.

There are some strong finalists for Best Roots Artist with Israel Starr, Sons of Zion, and Tomorrow People all being recognised for their contributions to the genre in 2017.

The last 12 months have seen the release of excellent electronic music as well. Chaos In The CBD, K+Lab, and Truth are the three finalists for Best Electronic Artist.

Other finalists include Devilskin (Best Group, Best Rock Artist), Kings (Three Best Solo Artist, Best Hip Hop Artist, Vodafone People’s Choice), Shapeshifter (Best Group), Maala (Vodafone Single of the Year, Vodafone People’s Choice), Mitch James (The Edge Best Pop Artist), Clap Clap Riot (Best Rock Artist), Graham Brazier (Best Rock Artist), Tommy Nee (Best Soul/RnB Artist) and Alien Weaponry (Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist).

Curate Music, Josh & Amberley Klinkenberg, and Juliagrace are finalists for Best Worship Artist, while Jenny McLeod, NZ Trio, and Te Kōkī Trio have all been recognised as finalists for Best Classical Artist.

Full Article

NZ Music Hall of Fame to induct pop/rock icon Sharon O’Neill

Teased hair and rockstar flair defined a generation. But no-one pulled off the quintessentially 80’s look like Sharon O'Neill, who carved out a colourful and very successful musical career.

And now she can add the Legacy Award to her many accolades, with Sharon being inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame and presented with the Legacy Award at the 2017 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.

The Nelson-born songstress is no stranger to music awards and recognition. Throughout her career, she’s won Top Female Vocalist at the New Zealand Music Awards three times (1978, 1979, 1980) and is the only artist in awards history to have won a Tui in 3 consecutive years.

Her debut album also picked up awards for Best Producer and Best Engineer, and the album’s lead track won the 1979 APRA Silver Scroll. Her ground-breaking self-titled second album won Album of the Year in 1980, and in 1983, Sharon also won Best Soundtrack for Smash Palace. 

Her 1983 song Maxine won the hearts and minds of music lovers here and in Australia alike. It was the second single from her fourth album Foreign Affairs and chronicles the life of a Kings Cross prostitute. Such is the iconic nature of this song and video, the costume worn by the actress in the video was featured in the landmark music exhibition Volume: Making Music in Aotearoa (2016) at Auckland Museum.

Full Article

Four Tui winners celebrated at the Artisan Awards

Fundraiser for Matt Hyde from Beastwars

New Artists

The following new artist pages were created on muzic.net.nz during October:

Graeme James	Lizzie Cook
Manon Peak	Radio Coma
Teeks	Eli Globe & Richie Cattell
Hybrid Rose	Merk
Chores	CryptoKid
Razè	Shayne P Carter
Sky Canvas	Immi Paterson
LA Thompson	Geoff Horne
Liit	King Sam Keelty

It is 100% FREE to create a muzic.net.nz artist listing, and you'll get free access to update your page, as well as access to add mp3 and photo galleries: 

Add Artist Form
Info about filling out the add artist form

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New Reviews

All of our reviews can be read here.
All our interviews can be read here.
Email [email protected] if you would like us to review your music.

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New Photos

Our photographers have also had a busy October, with an incredible array of new photos to check out:

APRA Silver Scroll Awards 2017
Anika Moa
Mulholland
Devilskin
Sumo Cyco
Setting Fire To Stacey
Alice Cooper
Ace Frehley
Photos by Adam

Everclear
Hangar 18
Adam Ant
Diana Anaid
Roni Size
Cyrus
Tali and Chicorreli
Photos by Chris Z

Strikemaster
Merrin
Alison Moyet
Photos by Reef

Sons of Zion
Israel Starr
Photos by Neil

Hollie Smith
Mark Vanilau
Teeks
Modern Maori Quartet with Annie Crummer
Friday Jams
Photos by Nikita

The Eastern
The Bads
Stretch
Photos by Steve

Chainsmokers
Photos by Jamie

Sumo Cyco
Devilskin

Alice Cooper
Ace Frehley
Photos by David

Marlon Williams

Photos by Dani

The Carradines
Battlecat
Deathnir
Play Big
The Eternal Sea
Apollo SteamTrain
Remote
Coridian
Photos by Corinne

Drake

Photos by Matt H

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All of our photo galleries can all be viewed here.
Some of our photographers also take professional promo photos.
Email [email protected] if you would like us to photograph you.

Tour Features

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All muzic.net.nz tour features can be viewed here
Email team@muzic.net.nz if you would like us to create a tour feature for you.

Our last newsletter for 2017 is going out on Sunday 3 December!

If you are a NZ musician and you would like to promote your music,
we would love to feature you in our 2018 newsletters
- you can choose the date which best suits you -

We can also feature record labels, venues, music stores, music websites...
anything that has something to do with NZ music

Check out this forum and email [email protected] for more information about our newsletters

Muzic.net.nz newsletters are currently sent out to over 8490 members!
with this number growing every day, featuring in our newsletter is an excellent promotional tool

Access our newsletter archives here

- The muzic.net.nz team

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