Gigs
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...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...Pixies @ St James Theatre, Wellington
Playing their records Bossanova and Trompe le Monde in full, back to back.
There's a big soft spot in my heart for Pixies. My first Pixies CD was Bossanova and I played that thing to death. I was in bands that played lots of Pixies covers. I've seen them before and they did not disappoint, so, this was a show I didn't want to miss.
Read more...Beastwars @ Meow Nui, Wellington
Beastwars get the crowd purring at Meow Nui, with Soft Bait and Pull Down The Sun.
Wellington's elderly statesmen doom merchants Beastwars are a favourite live act. Mostly because they're the reigning kings of local metal, also because I chatted to the singer once at a gig, and he was super nice - so I feel a connection that way too.
And I must admit, I do like a band that have an average age older than my own.
Read more...Commodores @ St James Theatre, Wellington
Sequins, slow grooves and a Komodo dive trip theme song, live at the St James.
The reason I went to see the Commodores was one song: Easy. It became the theme song of our Komodo dive trip. We had a rough dive at Police Corner in Batu Balong, a well known difficult spot, and for all the dives after that people were a little more nervous. To calm down we'd sing Easy while queuing up to stride in from the boat. Funny how a song can come to resonate.
Read more...Shihad @ Meow Nui, Wellington
Shihad's last ever show
Shihad's last ever show, in front of an adoring hometown crowd.
Read more...Throwing Needles @ Punk, London
A friend's band let me play gig photographer for a night
Up and coming rockers Throwing Needles play an intimate London show
Read more...The Datsuns @ Underworld, London
New Zealand's finest garage rockers tear apart a London basement
The Datsuns have always been a band that sounds better loud.
Read more...Mark Knopfler @ Royal Albert Hall, London
Dire Straits king delivers a royal performance
The maestro delivers an intimate masterclass in a world class iconic venue.
Read more...The Breeders @ Koko, London
The Breeders fertilise Koko
Featuring the same lineup as iconic album Last Splash.
Read more...Hollie Smith @ 12 Acklam Rd, London
Small venue, sultry soul, truly special show
Seeing Hollie Smith in a tiny venue not long after Long Player was released was truly special.
Read more...Jose Gonzalez @ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London
Stripped back Swedish strummer special
Unassuming, almost shy and retiring, Swedish sensation Jose Gonzalez delivered a special show.
Read more...Portishead @ Hammersmith Apollo, London
A rare chance to see a favourite act, who did not disappoint
A rare chance to see one of my favourite acts, Portishead.
Read more...The Black Crowes @ Brixton Academy, London
Blues rock jam night at Brixton
Southern drawl, rock and roll, and the sweet sweet smell of weed.
Read more...Prince @ O2 Arena, London
The legend in his prime
I've got so many hits London, I could play all night!
Read more...BBC Proms 36 @ Royal Albert Hall, London
A world premiere, a Walton viola concerto and Rachmaninov at the Proms
Not our usual gig, but a world premiere at the Royal Albert Hall was too good to miss.
Read more...Scorpions @ Hammersmith Apollo, London
Teutonic metallers rocked us like a hurricane
German rock legends Scorpions whistled up a treat of a show.
Read more...Frank Black @ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London
A solo Pixies frontman who needed a better band
Frank Black went solo, and the gig only really came alive when he stopped being loud.
Read more...Bert Jansch @ Somerset House, London
We paid to see the support acts and got a master class from the headliner
We'd never heard of the headliner. We paid to get in for the support, and left bowing to the master.
Read more...Metallica @ Wembley Stadium, London
Just in case there was any doubt, Metallica know how to rock
OMFG. Just in case there was any doubt, Metallica know how to rock!
Read more...Live Earth @ Wembley Stadium, London
A day of sun, VIP leather seats, Madonna and a lecture on light bulbs
Al Gore's global concert for the climate, with the best seats we'd ever had at Wembley.
Read more...