Here's Five: The Schizophonics - Top Moments of 2024

San Diego's dynamite rockers The Schizophonics will be back in Aotearoa New Zealand this summer to burn up stages (and curbsides?) nationwide. Drummer Lety Beers took a fond look back at some of their top tour moments of 2024 before their big return in January. Consider this to be a bit of a teaser for this week's monumental UTR 2024 Favourite Music Moments feature and go catch them at the following dates...

UnderTheRadar proudly presents...

The Schizophonics

Thursday 9th January - Double Whammy, Tamaki Makaurau
Friday 10th January - Leigh Saw Mill Cafe, Leigh
Saturday 11th January - Harbour View Hotel, Whaingaroa / Raglan
Sunday 12th January - The Monkey House Lounge & Cabaret, Whitianga
Wednesday 15th January - Space Academy, Ōtautahi (early all ages show + evening show)
Sunday 19th January - Under The Bridge, Tauranga

Tickets on sale HERE via UTR

1. This year we got to go on tour with Me First and the Gimme Gimmies. That was a top five because not only are they a fun band to see every night, but they’re amazing humans off stage. They’re a bit of a punk rock super group with members from Black Flag, Rocket from the Crypt, the Ramones among other killer bands. Dez Cadena, the original singer of Black Flag, was on a few of the shows and he kept coming into our green room so I finally told him, “you’re always hanging out with us, you’re in our band now!” We started ending our set with Dez joining us, calling us the Dez-o-phonics, doing a 'Search And Destroy' cover.

2. We played in Tromsø, Norway in January. That was special because it’s a city within the arctic circle. It’s a gorgeous city that looks like something out a movie! It’s at the base of a snowy mountain along a strait that feeds off the Norwegian Sea. The streets were under about six inches of ice and people were walking around with spikes on their shoes. We love traveling and getting to play uncharted territory. Never thought I would get to visit such a place let alone go to play a show and have such a fun rocking crowd. Tromsø rips!

3. A few months ago L7 started following the band on Instagram. I DM’d the page and it turns out they wanted us to play a festival they curated in downtown Los Angeles. They took over this grand old theater with multiple stages with killer bands like Redd Kross, Olivia Jean and Surfbort. We jumped at the chance to be a part of the action! L7 is such an inspiration and one of the first all girl bands I ever heard when I was kid. So surreal being on their radar and playing an event with them.

4. We did a short Midwest tour this fall that revolved around some sacred rock and roll history. We started off in Memphis so hit Graceland and Sun Studios, hit Detroit so went to the Motown museum and ended in Minneapolis and was able to go to Paisley Park. Prince’s house was especially neat because he was such a workaholic. You really saw how his life revolved around his music. We’re slowly absorbing all the good mojo we can to put into our next album we’ve been working on.

5. Getting invited to come back to New Zealand! We love coming here! It hasn’t happened yet, but the fact that we get to come back is a top five thing. Our great friend John Baker is the person who brought us here in the first place and he’s one of our favourite friends on the planet. I don’t take these trips for granted and every chance we get to come down here is very special. Not only do we get to play shows, but we get to spend time with all these amazing friends we’ve made here through the music community. We love the people here.