Kraftwerk 1st December 2023 Spark Arena, Auckland, New Zealand Review by Bridget Herlihy with photography by Doug Peters. Kraftwerk and the terms such as ‘pioneers’ and ‘innovators’ have become synonymous over the last fifty years, with no doubt whatsoever that their place in annals of music history has well and truly been cemented. Formed in 1970 in Düsseldorf, Kraftwerk are now into their sixth decade, a stupendous feat in and of itself, but also the ultimate testimony to the fact that their music continues to resonate with fans old and new so long since their inception. Rolf Hutter is ..read more

JEONG HANBEE of HANBEE: Keeping Your Individuality An interview by Georgette Singer. Jeong Hanbee sits aside a big bay window, with lush greenery and the beautiful countryside of Korea behind her. The quiet and calm musician, far from our own shores, will return home soon, to play her first ever Laneway set in February next year. Known as hanbee – the sweetheart of New Zealand’s Indie music scene, the Korean-Kiwi hailing from Auckland, joined me to talk about her upcoming Laneway set. We talk about the growth of hanbee’s music career, the differences in overseas music industries and her own j ..read more

Limp Bizkit 26th November 2023 Spark Arena, Auckland, New Zealand. Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Doug Peters. Nostalgia is a powerful thing. So when it was announced that Limp Bizkit would be performing a headliner show at Spark Arena as a quick side trip from Good Things festival in Australia, those who were wise snapped up the tickets. Those who scoffed were soon left with serious fomo when the allocation was quickly exhausted, many scrabbling on trade me and Facebook, trying to secure their place at the show. Entering the arena, that nostalgia was clearly on display, parents with th ..read more

C.R. Avery & The Storm Collective 25th November 2023 Common Room, Hastings, New Zealand. Review by Rob Harbers, photography by Andrew Caldwell. Some say lightning doesn’t strike twice. But they don’t know fuck all, because tonight, for the second time within a few short months, Canadian powerhouse C.R. Avery raised a mighty storm in Hastings’ greatest venue, the Common Room! For what was all too short a spell, such is the temporal pressure that afflicts us all, the (criminally small) audience was as one with this troubadour and his pair of partners in time, the Storm Collective. Together ..read more

Behemoth 24th November 2023 Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand. Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Doug Peters. There can only be one thing sweeter than an international metal gig, and that is one that is held on a Friday night. For it is not often that New Zealand lucks out on the roulette wheel of dates to be able to let their hair down at a show and not have to suffer through the rest of the week. A swarm of black descended upon Powerstation last night in order to see the mighty Behemoth, supported by not one, but two very different but equally as divine New Zealand support acts. To beg ..read more

Troy Kingi & The Room Service 23rd November 2023 Powerstation, Auckland, New Zealand. Photography by Jennifer de Koning. Troy Kingi is now at album number seven of his (in)famous 10 10 10 project (Ten albums, Ten different genres over ten years). Breezing past previously explored genres of blues, roots, psychedelic funk and folk towards an “ambient instrumental vibe,” Troy’s latest album ‘Time Wasters: Soundtrack to Current Day Meanderings’ has just dropped – and a special gig at Auckland’s Powerstation was held to celebrate. Jennifer de Koning was there to check out the show and has file ..read more

Joji 22nd November 2023 Spark Arena, Auckland, New Zealand. Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Doug Peters. Whether it be Filthy Frank, Pink Guy or Joji, George Kusunoki Miller has certainly been a few different personas in his lifetime. Each and every one of them bringing a new dynamic, humour and talent to the dinner table. But for the thousands of fans that swarmed into Spark Arena last night, it was Joji, singer and songwriter of such hits as ‘Glimpse of Us’ that they had come to see. Those who were smart, got there early in order to take in the phenomenon that is SavageRealm; the Houst ..read more

Post Malone 21st November 2023 The Outer Fields, Auckland, New Zealand. Review by Charlotte Lightbody, photography by David Watson. The Western Springs’ Outerfields bore witness to a pulsating party of beats and melodies as Post Malone, with his signature easy, self-unserious charisma, took to the stage. Australian indie rocker, Angus Stone warmed up the crowd along with bluesy vocals and psychedelic rock style. The perfect kind of music to vibe with while we all wondered whether the blue-black sky was going to open up on us. The main act kicked off with pyro which is always a promising ..read more

Coldplay perform at Optus Stadium, November 2023. Photo by Duncan Barnes. Following the spectacular sellout success of this weekend’s Perth Optus Stadium shows – part of the November 2023 Asia leg of Coldplay’s record-breaking Music Of The Spheres World Tour which has also taken them to Tokyo, Kaohsiung and Jakarta – the band have today announced a run of Australia and New Zealand dates for October and November 2024. The shows will see Coldplay perform in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland for the first time since 2016. Live Nation presents COLDPLAY With support from PinkPantheress & Emmanuel ..read more

Great Sounds Great 18th November 2023 Cuba Street Precinct, Wellington, New Zealand. Review and photography by Tim Gruar. For the second year running Eyegum Collective brings us the coolest lil’ festival in the Coolest Little Capital. The lineup was a definite and diverse mix of acts from those that fly under the radar to them that win big awards and pack huge houses, spread out over seven stages across six venues. There was something for everyone. So, with notebook in one hand and camera in the other, I ventured out to the Cuba Street precinct to cover as many performances as I could before ..read more