Music

New venue, new song, new festival

Spring has sprung. I think. Daffodils have bloomed at the Watusi Country Club and fresh musical shoots are sprouting all over. It's a start. Let's begin at... Read More

Welcoming Creatures Of Comfort

It always good to welcome a new member to the family so this week I'm delighted to feature Creatures Of Comfort. The five-piece is the latest Tauranga recording... Read More

Filling the winter lull

This column generally focuses on local music. However, as I sit freezing my fingers off and spring blossoms prematurely attempt to brighten the overcast day, there... Read More

Jazz, boogie-woogie and Celtic-country

Apologies. This week's column is a bit bitty. Making preparatory notes I realise there are five things on the list, all of which would usually be introduced... Read More

Soaring collectively at Totara St

I must confess that on first listening, back in the day, ambient music left me somewhat bemused. Coming at the tail of the punk revolution, music with purpose... Read More

Burning Daylight to The Velvet Sundown…

It's been a while since we checked on the weird and increasingly worrying world of AI. However, things are moving so fast right now that what you're reading... Read More

The blues comes to town

Festivals are tricky; Tauranga's jazz one is well-established, but Rotorua has struggled with the blues. Having hosted two splendid Blues & BBQ events in... Read More

The best of the best – so far

It always comes as a jolt, realising half the year has passed. On the bright side it heralds the year's first arrival of lists. The ‘Best of' lists. I... Read More

A little seventies nostalgia

A couple of months back I wrote about legendary Kiwi prog-rock band Think. Their fabled 1976 album ‘We'll Give You A Buzz' has been issued on vinyl... Read More

Indie-Rock, Blues and Benjamin Britten...

Tauranga continues to surprise me with the amount and variety of music on offer. I've said this before and though I hate repeating myself, I know I'm doing... Read More

Loserpalooza and an open mic

It's back - time for Loserpalooza 2025. Totara St will come alive from midday for 12 hours on Saturday, June 21, with the sounds of 24 bands each playing... Read More

Hecklers, awards and competitions

Today, let's talk music competitions... Firstly, the AMA, the Aotearoa Music Awards 2025. I was outraged. Outraged I tell you. Not at the interruptions. No.... Read More