Each year, the highlight of the annual Silver Scrolls aren’t the speeches, but the covers. In advance of tonight’s ceremony, Sam Brooks runs down his favourite performances since 2010. Tonight is the 2020 APRA Silver Scroll Awards, New Zealand’s most prestigious prize for songwriting (and you can stream them right here from 7:30pm). The nominees … Read more
For three days every March, New Plymouth’s Brooklands Park is transformed into a village of colour, energy and inclusion. Michelle Cruickshanks celebrates the WOMAD spirit. WOMAD is a bubble. It’s an eclectic retreat from day-to-day life, the chance to step outside your normal experiences and tastes, to be transported and transformed – if only for … 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
Teeks, Emily King, and Tank and the Bangas performed together in a three-part outdoor event for Auckland Arts Festival. Madeleine Chapman was there. Tank and the Bangas couldn’t hear themselves. It was a disappointing start to the much anticipated final act of an otherwise flawless three-part event. I had seriously considered not even going after … Read more
Miriama Aoake looks at the Taite Music Prize finalists and asks: Why are most of the finalists white? And why do they nearly all have guitars? The Taite Music Prize finalists for 2018 were announced today. Among them, the talent boasted by the finalists is unquestionable. The line-up is dominated by incredible women: Aldous Harding, … Read more
Yesterday, Henry Oliver risked it all by predicting the winners of last night’s New Zealand Music Awards. Today he updates that post with the actual results and slightly jaded commentary. Okay, last night actually went pretty well. By which I mean that, yes, it was a good show, I was sitting at a good table with nice people, … Read more
Our regular round-up of new songs and singles, this week featuring Carly Rae Jepsen, Future & Kendrick Lamar, Teeks and Drax Project. SONG OF THE WEEK Carly Rae Jepsen – ‘Cut to the Feeling’ Is Carly Rae Jepsen the new Robyn? This is the best straight-up pop song of the year so far. Combining Robyn-esque electro with Belinda … Read more