Helmet – Powerstation: April 12, 2026 (13th Floor Concert Review)
The return of the indomitable Helmet to Auckland saw them releasing their muscular, dense and fierce set on an adrenaline filled and highly appreciative Powerstation crowd.
John Hastings
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Write Notes – The Button Factory: April 2, 2026 (13th Floor Arts Review)
There is something quietly, almost old-school radical about an event that trusts stillness. Write Notes, presented as part of the Keep Curious Salon Series, highlighted the art of storytelling across written /spoken word and song. In the comfy surrounds of The Button Factory, words and music unfolded as an act of shared focus.
Electric Six – Tuning Fork: March 27, 2026 (13th Floor Concert Review)
If there is one band that understands the very fine line between precision and chaos, it’s those crazy dudes of Electric Six. Twenty-plus years and thirteen albums on from the 2003 breakout Fire, the Detroit disco-techno-punk-rockers remain gloriously committed to the cause: sharp suits, sharper riffs, knowingly tongue in cheek lyrics, and a live show […]
Deva Mahal – Future Classic Vol II: Future (13th Floor EP Review)
Aoetearoa’s soul singing globe trotter Deva Mahal has built her reputation on vocal power and emotional depth, and her new EP, Future Classic Vol II: Future, shows an artist expanding her creative universe with confidence.
Princess Chelsea & The Dream Warriors – Whammy Bar: March 12, 2026 (13th Floor Concert Review)
There are few better ways to feed the soul than an intimate night with Princess Chelsea and her all‑star Dream Warriors, as they road‑test fresh music born out of their recent “band‑camp” creative retreat. What unfolded at Whammy Bar was both a warm preview of new material, and a reminder of why Chelsea commands such […]
The Bats – Hollywood Avondale: March 7, 2026 (13th Floor Concert Review)
The warmth of a late summer evening in Tāmaki Makaurau set the stage for a long-awaited return: The Bats, one of Aotearoa’s most enduring musical institutions, stepping back into an Auckland spotlight. Inside Hollywood Avondale, the anticipation felt almost familial — the sort of atmosphere you get when a beloved band hasn’t graced a local […]
Tahini Bikini & Sig Wilder – Big Fan: March 6, 2026 (13th Floor Concert Review)
The Country’s “danciest “ band Tahini Bikini is in town again with their genre-splicing funk, musical chops and biting lyrics. Hand in hand with fellow Wellingtonians, Sig Wilder and Friends on their Funk Up the Country Tour and delivering a night of combustible energy.
Leftfield – Powerstation, March 1, 2026 (13th Floor Concert Review)
Leftfield arrive onstage to a sold out PowerStation pulsing with anticipation. Celebrating their 36th Anniversary Tour, Neil Barnes’ hybrid of dub, house, breaks, and post rave hasn’t softened or politely aged but rather continues to throb, grind, and pressure-test sound systems. This wasn’t a retrospective It was a reminder of how forward-thinking Leftfield were–and remain!!
Princess Chelsea — Live at Studio Two (Lil’ Chief Records) (13th Floor Album Review)
Princess Chelsea records at Abbey Road! The results are due out on vinyl tomorrow…John Hastings has the 13th Floor Floor Album Review today.
Amble – Hollywood Avondale: February 22, 2026 (13th Floor Concert Review)
Amble, the Irish folk trio whose three‑part harmonies and acoustic intimacy have quietly swept venues around the world in recent months, arrived back in Auckland tonight as part of their Reverie Tour, supporting their debut album Reverie (2025), which debuted at #1 in Ireland and has garnered them immediate massive global support.