Music News

Weekly Roundup: Friday 29th January

Chris Cudby / Image: Anna Coddington / Friday 29th January, 2021 4:47PM

This week was marked by urgent calls from key figures in our community for significant change, following last weekend's revelations of sexual harassment and exploitation in Aotearoa's music industry — read Alison Mau's news feature here. We implore everyone to read the open letter written by Anna Coddington and signed by Bic Runga, Anika Moa, Lorde, Tami Neilson, Hollie Smith and Mel Parsons, and work together to take tangible action in ensuring safe, productive environments for artists, audiences, and those who work behind the scenes in organising the gigs and music releases we all love. If you are a music worker in Aotearoa and you need crisis or counselling support, the MusicHelps Wellbeing Service is available 24/7 online here, on the phone (toll free 0508MUSICHELPS) and in-person for free, fully funded by MusicHelps.

Auckland Anniversary weekend would usually mean rallying the UTR troops for a mega Laneway festival review, but we're still blessed to have a bunch of amazing shows lined up across the country to head along to. Announcement highlights for the week included Mermaidens revealed their Mermgrown Festival Tāmaki Makaurau is taking over Whammy Bar, Wine Cellar & Backroom in March, starring Kane Strang (with band), Leaping Tiger, Phoebe Rings, LEAO, K M T P + more, RVCFEST 2021 will feature two nights of brain-blasting punk, hardcore and post-punk bands at Kirikiriroa's Meteor Theatre in March, Church & AP and Vayne are hitting Pōneke for one night only at San Fran in mid-February, and Silicon and Purple Pilgrims were announced as special guests for The Veils' Nux Vomica concert tour of Aotearoa this autumn. That's all from us for the week, but Marlon Williams fans are advised to inspect this weekend's gig picks very closely...