Spare Room Be our guest…

by David Skipwith

Brooklyn based hip-hop beat/electro-rock twosome Ratatat are on to a good thing with Kiwi audiences, notching up a hat-trick of visits to our shores during the past two years. I moseyed down to the Auckland’s Monte Cristo Room, a venue growing in reputation, to see their sell out show last Wednesday…

HLAH, reforming for shows in March

By David Skipwith

After an eight year absence from the stage, New Zealand rock legends Head Like a Hole are about to reform for a quick-fire run of shows this week in Auckland and Wellington. David Skipwith spoke with frontman Nigel ‘Booga’ Beazley ahead of this week’s shows to get his thoughts on the band’s reformation, their disharmonious break-up, his take on the modern music scene and the years in between their time on the stage…

Dan Deacon, Friday 20 Feb, Cassette Number Nine

Last Friday Auckland venue Cassette Number Nine provided the altar from which American party-preacher Dan Deacon delivered his good-time sermon of crazy-cutesy humour and equally quirked electronic dance beats.

Supported by Brooklyn based experimental duo High Places and local electro-weirdo lovables Golden Axe, the night was invariably locked on the FUN setting…

No Age, playing shows in Wellington and Auckland this week

This week, Wellington’s San Francisco Bath House and Auckland’s Kings Arms will host a double bill of acclaimed American indie rock acts – Los Angeles based DIY oddballs (and recent Grammy Award nominees) No Age, and the prolific Memphis garage rock songwriter and vinyl enthusiast Jay Reatard….

Xavier Rudd – Dark Shades of Blue SaltX Records / Universal

By David Skipwith

Xavier Rudd’s fifth studio album may surprise listeners accustomed to the earthy, roots-based sounds of his previous records. While those components are still evident, the songwriter/guitarist/multi instrumentalist produces a darker overall tone and a more ambitious distortion soaked style to balance out the world-music feel to his songs…