AdrianParker.com
Mudhoney @ Meow Nui, Wellington
Seattle grunge dads Mudhoney rock out like it's their mate's garage, with Delaney Davidson's looping postmodern blues in support.
Back in the 90s I bought a stack of vinyl from Colin Morris Records on Lambton Quay before it shut down, and one of those records was Green River's Come On Down EP. I'd vaguely heard of them because of their Pearl Jam connection, but I played that record a lot. It was raw grunge - simple, angry, discordant - and you could feel the anti-establishment in it, the backlash against the overly produced radio rock of the late 80s. From there I found my way to Mother Love Bone, the Melvins, Mad Season, Temple of the Dog... it was an early milestone of a record. Mudhoney themselves I never really gave too much time to, but half of them - Mark Arm and Steve Turner - were in Green River, and that link was enough to get me along to this show. I was glad I did.
Read more...When Grandfather Met the Queen
It was going to be a busy day at the office. He was about to meet the Queen
A busy day at the office
My paternal grandfather, Walter Parker, woke up that morning, the 12th of January 1954, got his wig off the hatstand, said hi to my father Graeme, who was ten at the time, kissed his wife Gertrude goodbye, and caught the train into work.
It was going to be a busy day.
He was about to meet the Queen.
Read more...W.A.S.P. @ The Wiltern, Los Angeles
The most outrageous band in the world play a home town show
Read more...The Night Before (Great Sounds Great) 2026
Five fresh acts, two venues, one big night for The Night Before
We caught Elly Mae, Nameless and Brainless, Dale Kerrigan, re:ruby and girls factory play across two venues in Newtown as part of Great Sounds Great's "The Night Before" festival.
Read more...Can I Touch Your Feet?
The strangest pre-dive gear-up encounter
That was when it got weird
He looked up at me, crouching in the dirt, oddly calm, his hands plucking at my shoelaces, becoming more urgent, and as his eyes locked on mine he asked - "can I touch your feet?"
Read more...Teen Jesus & the Jean Teasers @ San Fran, Wellington
Teen Jesus glorify San Fran in first Wellington show
Aussie rockers Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers played their last Glory tour date at San Fran in Wellington.
Read more...Fat Freddy's Drop @ Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington
Fat Freddy's Drop play 21 years of Based On A True Story, front to back
Fat Freddy's Drop are like a old well worn pair of audio slippers you just slip on and while away the afternoon in.
They're named after a stronger than usual batch of LSD doing the rounds in Wellington around the time they formed. Nothing is more Wellington than an inside joke for a band name. The tunes though - no laughing matter indeed - you'd be tripping to not love this soul funk jam band spectacular. Wellington was ready to skank.
Read more...The Datsuns @ San Fran, Wellington
The Datsuns park up at San Fran with their ugly warm leather
I fancy a gig by The Datsuns. This was my seventh, and by now I know what I'm getting: it says rock and roll on the tin, there won't be any ballads, and they never disappoint. They were also back at San Fran, the venue I last saw them at in 2014, and the intimate setting suited them then. Had anything changed in the 12 years since I last saw them? Nope. That's just the way I like it.
Read more...Transvision Vamp @ Meow Nui, Wellington
Wendy James still has the attitude, but a thin mix left Transvision Vamp short of nasty
Baby I Don't Care and I Want Your Love were two huge songs as I was coming of age, and I have adored them both ever since. So this first ever chance to see Transvision Vamp had to be taken.
Read more...Last Ever Last Ever
My brief career as a bootleg kingpin, and Wellington's finest rock band's last ever show
Bootleg Empire
In the late 80s, my best friend and I ran a bootleg concert tape business from our bedrooms. Bootleg concert tapes are unofficial recordings of live concerts, traded without any revenue going to the band.
We told our parents it was a grey area of copyright law. (It really wasn't).
Read more...That's the ten most recent. There are 12 posts and 26 gigs in all.