Now they’re coming back, at least as far as Dunedin, on their first major tour of the country.
"It is our first time doing anything like that, seven shows in the span of just about four weeks," bassist and singer Ryan Connaghan said this week. "So we are very excited, a little bit nervous, but mostly excited for it. It has been a really cool opportunity for us, we are a bit stoked still. I still can’t really believe it until we set foot on the plane."
Connaghan, drummer Harrison Maguire and guitarist Jack Wilson took Haven to two podium placings in the national Rockquest competition during their school years — second both years — while Maguire picked up a prize for "outstanding musicianship" for his playing in the final year they competed.
Then, they all moved to Wellington where Connaghan has been studying at Victoria and Maguire has been working in a music shop.
"So he gets to just talk drums all day, which is pretty much his dream job," Connaghan says.
Wilson is no longer with the band, now living in the music hub of Lyttelton doing sound engineering, and has been replaced on guitar by Tyrone Henderson. He’s another Wakatipu High alum and Rockquest high achiever, having pipped Haven in a regional final for top place in 2018, playing in a competing line-up. He’s just completed a commercial music degree at Massey.
So, line-up tweak aside, Haven has endured.
"Pretty much all of us have been having that as our main outlet alongside university and full-time work ... so it’s been something that we have stuck to for a long while and don’t really intend on throwing in the towel just yet, " Connaghan says.
The trio’s been gigging hard during their time in the capital, playing the likes of San Fran, Valhalla and Meow.
"There is a really welcoming scene here and pretty much in the first couple of months after moving up we were welcomed in with some gigs. It just hasn’t stopped from there — we just love it here."
More recently, they’ve been landing more shows in Auckland.
"Which is really cool, because that’s as far from Queenstown as you can get."
Displaying typically southern modesty, Connaghan demures when asked if the band now has its own Wellington following.
"Yeah, I hope so. It feels like, at least in terms of headlining shows up here, we are going bigger and bigger, which is great."
Since leaving school their music has become a lot more lyrical," he says.
"Which probably has something to do with experiencing what life is like outside of school. It has definitely, if anything, got more energetic since we have left school. We have really figured out our style of performance, which has been great and exactly what we want to bring to the table — usually something pretty high energy."
The band’s music remains guitar-based, with a twist.
"I think the point of difference is I sing and play bass in the band so there are a lot of funkier, almost lead-like bass lines that we bring to the table — which is kind of cool. Especially for a three-piece band it definitely keeps it interesting."
It’s looking like a particularly big year for Haven, as they also have an EP coming out this year.
Their set list for the tour will include those songs, some even newer stuff, as well as songs already out in the world on various streaming services.
On the back of the EP release, the band hopes to land some music festival gigs later in the year, Connaghan says.
But first, there’s the tour, supporting Auckland band Beachware. The summery funksters are promoting a new album.
Connaghan says a NZ Music Commission touring grant has been important for them.
"Which made the whole thing super feasible for us, especially given we are, like, uni students and do things on a budget."
The tour was due to kick off in Auckland last night, then head to Napier before swooping south for the Dunedin gig.
"I am really excited about the Dunedin show because most of the students from Wanaka go down to Otago uni, so there are a lot of people down there who I haven’t seen in a long time. Hopefully, we’ll be able to see some familiar faces at the show."
The gig
- Haven plays Dive, Dunedin, Friday, February 10, supporting Beachware
