Miss June’s Bad Luck Party was recorded literally between hospital shifts, and their summer schedule includes both festival dates and their frontwoman’s graduation from medical school. We sat down with the band to ask just how, exactly, they’ve survived so far. The first years of life for Tāmaki Makaurau pop-punk quartet Miss June have been … Read more
To celebrate the launch of New Balance’s 997H – the sneaker built for independents – The Spinoff spoke to Auckland synth pop duo Imugi about their musical influences, independence, growing up, and giving voice to bicultural experiences. We all have those years that define us for the rest of our lives, and for Yery Cho … Read more
Music festivals are slowly making progress towards being accessible to disabled people – but is it happening fast enough? Alice Mander shares her experience at this year’s Laneway and offers some suggestions for improving accessibility. Sometimes I want to scream, “Disabled people like to party too!”. Or, maybe more accurately, “Disabled people want to join the … Read more
The Phoenix Foundation’s Samuel Flynn Scott checks out the food, music and wacky shirts of Laneway Festival 2019 in a review for Radio NZ. I’m pretty sure I used to be the target market for Laneway, but this year I barely know anyone on the lineup. As a joke, my good friend Lukasz sent our … Read more
Illustrator and writer Toby Morris spends a day in Albert Park for Laneway 2019. Who is that big sweaty bearded guy with his notebook out watching a band? Wait, is he… drawing? Why? (All fair questions.) First impression is always the styles. This year at least 1999 men dressed in prints. Second impression, at … Read more
It’s Auckland Anniversary Weekend, and you know that what means? St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, aka Laneway! Sam Brooks shares his guide to how to do your 2019 Laneway Festival right. So what the heck is Laneway? Laneway is a music festival that does the rounds across all of Australasia. It’s like the cooler, more alternative … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. This week he talks to Mark Kneebone, head of promotions at Live … Read more
The Spinoff and Spark proudly present Pod On The Couch, a weekly podcast exploring music and the people that make it. This episode: Henry Oliver talks to Kate Robertson and Madeleine Chapman about their summer music festival experiences. Spinoff Music editor Henry Oliver, prolific pop pundit Kate Robertson and Spinoff staff writer Madeleine Chapman talk Auckland … Read more
Thousands came to celebrate Auckland’s anniversary at Laneway Festival in a sun soaked Albert Park. Simon Day shares his favourite memories of a very good (and very hot) day. There are times when Auckland feels quaint, backwards even, far from its “world class” aspirations. It’s usually when you’re sitting in traffic, in the rain. Then … Read more
Welcome to Take Me Out, a semi-regular series wherein Kate Robertson, music critic and dating blogger, finally combines her expertise by going on a date with a musician and then sharing it with you. In this instalment, Kate goes trampolining with BAYNK, an unsigned New Zealand electronic artist who gets a million plays a month … Read more
Berlin-based Tongan-New Zealand musician Noah Slee talks to Martyn Pepperell ahead of his appearance at Laneway Festival next week. “It’s great when people pick up on certain lines in my songs,” says Noah Slee. The singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and electronic music producer is telling me how the relationship between his audience and his music has intensified … Read more
The Spinoff presents a roundup of Jacinda Ardern’s DJ appearances, plus the set list from her much-name-dropped appearance at the 2014 Laneway Festival, with our track-by-track commentary. Not only is Jacinda Ardern the new leader of the Labour Party (which, according to my social media feeds is going great – she’s already the next prime minister), every … Read more
The Spinoff tries to remember what happened at yesterday’s Laneway festival. A thumbs up I absolutely love a long, drawn out festival. The more days I can spend in a dusty, stagnant field the better. I like them because there’s no urgency. It’s for this reason that the thought of trying to spread myself across … Read more
Henry Oliver talks to Mick Jenkins, playing at this month’s Laneway Festival, about his new album and his capacity for love and optimism in the face of a Trump presidency. On his debut album, The Healing Component, Mick Jenkins investigates the meaning of love – romantic and otherwise – and places his optimism in its … Read more
The Spinoff and Spark proudly present Pod On The Couch, a weekly podcast exploring music and the people that make it. This episode: Host Henry Oliver and Mana editor Leonie Hayden talk to Laneway co-promoter Mark Kneebone. Henry Oliver and Leonie Hayden talk to Mark Kneebone about the ins and outs of the Laneway festival. Either download … Read more