Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, there appeared to be two distinct music scenes in Hamilton. One, the ‘alternative’ scene, centred around Contact 89FM at the University of Waikato. The other, more mainstream scene, was centred on the clubs in town. The ‘Waikato Rockers Reunion’ at the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival takes place on the Rhododendron Lawn on 28 February, organised by Phil Walsh of Doublebass Promotions, and focuses on this latter scene. Bands and musicians appearing on the night had their heydays in the times of The Lady Hamilton (later Shakes) on Alexandra St and Zaks in Te Rapa. We talked to Phil about who he has organised to play, how he has managed to get them back together, and the limited re-release of Hamiltune – Rockin’ the Tron.

Read the interview -> HERE <-

Arpie caught up with brilliant Hamilton-based indie-folk duo Lhasa ahead of their show with Manchester's Good Habits at Nivara Lounge next Wednesday, January 22nd. Read the interview -> HERE <-

Die! Die! Die! make a welcome return to Kirikiriroa this coming Friday (Dec 13th) with a show at Nivara Lounge with Coolies, OKSUN OX and Sora Shima. Hayden Pyke caught up with band's guitarist and vocalist Andrew Wilson ahead of the show. Head over to FEATURES to read more!

​Failsafe Records’ Rob Mayes has been on a mission to “tie up the loose ends”, releasing remastered versions of material from the label that “hasn’t yet had that treatment”. The latest cab off the rank is Auckland band Malchicks, who are releasing the 23-track ‘Everything’. We talked to Malchicks guitarist/vocalist Matt Dalzell about the release; does it really, really contain “everything”? Have the songs stood the test of time? And if Malchicks weren’t shoegaze, what were they? Read the full interview -> HERE <-

​This Saturday, in an evening of post-rock, heavy shoegaze and psych-rock, Sora Shima are playing with Auckland’s ROPE, and Hamilton’s Landlords and Qualms at Nivara Lounge. The following day, Sora Shima and ROPE play again under the Tauranga Harbour Bridge. Sora Shima’s latest addition, the pedal-obsessed Gareth Schott, questioned Brian Purington of ROPE about their pedals, sound, their upcoming album, and their pedals. Read the interview -> HERE <-

The wonderful 'Hp writing in Capital Letters' has allowed us to reblog his latest musings, where he laments his loss of ability to access the 'Wizz Kids' EP online, and goes on to question the legitimacy of ownership of music in the modern digital age. Read the article -> HERE <-

What if Inchworm, Hamilton’s premiere indie pop group of the mid- to late-‘90s, never went their separate ways? What might have their follow-up album to 1997s ‘You Are Only Here’ have sounded like?

We’ve answered the question that no-one thought to ask, by examining releases by members of the band post-2000, to curate an album that Inchworm might have released if they had stayed together; 'Ruined Redbirds for Fugitives'.

Read about, and see the track-listing, to the album -> HERE <-