Opening up to the Strange Universe
Last week, Banished Music (Banished from the Universe) and Strange News brought Strange Universe to Tāmaki Makaurau’s Powerstation. We were lucky to head along to witness a fantastic lineup of some of Aotearoa’s finest musical exploits, and we sure were not disappointed! Headlined by Brooklyn, New York’s Parquet Courts, Strange Universe delivered a rich charcuterie of alternative music. In their first outing to Aotearoa since 2019’s Laneway Festival, Parquet Courts were fresh. Their diverse set was filled with well-known songs and explosive improvisations which were an excellent compliment to the New Zealand music that preceded it.
Constantly evolving Ōtepoti indie-rock powerhouse Marlin’s Dreaming showed off their six-piece live band in a mesmerising set which spanned all their releases. The expansion from a four-piece to a six-piece allowed them to uncover some of the beautiful textures that could previously only exist on their records. Their set displayed the band’s growth. Their sound will never be static. We heard earlier songs from their days in Dunedin’s iconic surf rock scene as well as the more worldly indie-rock of their latest album, “Hasten”. Marlin’s Dreaming’s constant march forward and refusal to be pinned to the past is slowly making sure they’ll be considered one of Aotearoa’s greatest, most enduring bands.
Ethereal rockers Mermaidens brought tracks from their three albums, as well as debuting some of their new music. As captivating as ever was the dance between Gussie Larkin’s guitar and Lily West’s exploratory bass, which are marched along by Abe Hollingsworth’s smooth and interpretive drumming. Perhaps what’s most impressive about Mermaidens is their ability to harness each members’ exciting individual part into dynamic, cohesive music that has more going on than could be expected from bands with even four or five members. Mermaidens are one of the most unique and interesting bands in Aotearoa, with songs that can feel like a chilling gust of wind on an otherwise warm, sunny day. Every song is a composition, every detail constructed. They’re three creatives with unique chemistry and balance, and it’s a joy to watch.
The first band of the evening to grace the Powerstation stage were Tāmaki Makaurau fuzz-pop group Na Noise. Unlike Mermaidens and Marlin’s Dreaming, neither of us had seen Na Noise live before, and their set captivated us right from the get-go. Their music is playful and fun, but what it plays with isn’t always happy. Their approach to songwriting is not traditional. It brings in a range of sonic elements that keep you on your toes. Their set couldn’t be pinned to a genre, ranging from quite traditional-sounding rock songs to instrumental-driven, percussive, synthy, backing-tracked innovations that were super unique and easy to move to. Their diversity of sounds and experimentation with alternative elements was refreshing.
The slow return of international acts has been a long time coming for Aotearoa’s music fans, who have had to wait patiently for the last couple of years. One of the country’s finest venues played host to some of the finest acts from up and down the country as well as an international act who haven’t been able to play here for years. You could feel the anticipation and excitement in the buzzing crowd that grew until the floor was packed and the mezzanine filled with groovers. Shows like this are a welcome treat and it was an absolute pleasure to attend.
Thank you to Kylie and Banished Music for inviting us <3
Photography by Rosa Nevison.
