Corrupting with speed and pop
Corrupting with speed and pop
New Zealand's own version of the infamous Up in Smoke West Coast hip-hop tour rolls into Dunedin tonight.
Sam Valentine
Death and The Maiden makes its mark
Death and The Maiden makes its mark
Listening to the dark and shadowy debut album from Dunedin trio Death and The Maiden, the mind wanders to exaggerated images of songs constructed by hooded figures in candle-lit near darkness, drug-fuelled jams slowly turning hypnotic program loops into languorous, melancholic and explorative electro.
Satirists share their love
Satirists share their love
With a new album on the way, satirical Auckland five-piece the Eversons visit Dunedin next week on the back of a couple of shredding lead singles.
Top drum n' bass acts in Dunedin
Top drum n' bass acts in Dunedin
Bass-heads rejoice: it's the mid-2000s again! Well, no. Not quite ...
Existential questions of humanity
Existential questions of humanity
Ha the Unclear rounds off a series off gigs around the country promoting their single Kosmonavt with two homecoming shows in Dunedin this weekend.
Beautiful, frighteningly overwhelming
Beautiful, frighteningly overwhelming
The New Jersey-born, Brooklyn-based Sharon Van Etten writes and sings about the pain of love and heartbreak with an exactness and openness few can match.
Chick's kicks off huge month
Chick's kicks off huge month
An action-packed March for local venue Chick's Hotel starts this weekend, with the first of a slew of international headline acts set to hit the intimate stage over the next 31 days, beginning with two alternative rock guitar heroes, J Mascis, leader of Dinosaur Jr, and Mick Turner, of the Dirty Three.
And now for a little absurdity
And now for a little absurdity
New York art-rock absurdist King Missile is on its first tour of New Zealand this week, and next Thursday it makes a stop at Chick's Hotel.
Where they need to be
Where they need to be
Fourteen months ago, at the request of their label Far South Records, Dunedin indie pop band Two Cartoons made the move to London.
Charismatic crooner reappears
Charismatic crooner reappears
The so-called ''impossible love child of Elvis, Roy Orbison, and Townes Van Zandt'', Marlon Williams, brings a new band and a new single to Chick's Hotel next week.
Tongue firmly in cheek for Ori
Tongue firmly in cheek for Ori
This week the Otago University Students' Association announced the line-up for Orientation 2015.
Ones to watch and hear
Ones to watch and hear
Another year gone by, another year of undoubtedly great New Zealand music ahead.
Music to the ear
Music to the ear
In the final Suitable Alternative for 2014, music columnist Sam Valentine recounts his 24 most listened-to New Zealand releases of the past 12 months.
Familiar sounds beckon
Familiar sounds beckon
As the year draws to a close, Sam Valentine breaks with precedent somewhat and recounts his 25 most-loved international releases of the past 12 months.
Lost and found again
Lost and found again
In a rambling and comical essay recently posted online by guitarist and vocalist Louis Smith, Dunedin band Fat Children is named as ''the most disorganised entity ever been involved with or encountered''.
'Mufti Day' more of a solo effort
'Mufti Day' more of a solo effort
"I'm just sick of hearing, 'Oh y'know we got the band in the room, and we really wanted to get that live sound. That's what we're about, the live band, and really wanted to get that sound'. I've just heard it all before.''
Busy night at Taste Merchants
Busy night at Taste Merchants
Tonight, five Dunedin artists converge on Taste Merchants to celebrate the debut releases of singer-songwriters Ciaran McMeeken and Some Other Creature.
Risotto and rock 'n' roll
Risotto and rock 'n' roll
Next big thing Broods played Dunedin Town Hall last week. The following day, their photograph was in the paper again. Otago Daily Times music columnist and musician Sam Valentine reports on how the other band experienced the show, the support band, his band, Males.
'Sines' and wonders
'Sines' and wonders
Post-rockers Jakob play Chick's Hotel as part of their Sines album tour.
The career trajectory of New Zealand post-rock instrumental band Jakob at times feels uncannily close to the ebb and flow pattern of their musical soundscapes.
First, there's a swell. The volume and intensity builds, layering upon itself.
Bracing for Broods
Bracing for Broods
With the passing of our Lorde, Dunedin's pop market is readying itself for the next big show: the brother/sister duo Broods.