The Golden Awesome
Wellington band The Golden Awesome have played
internationally, and have been around for a couple of years.
Band spokesman Johannes Contag, formerly of Dunedin bands
Mink and Cloudboy, explains where the band's name came from:
"It's a descriptor we like to aspire to, and it also
indicates to us that playing big loud slow rock music can be
playful rather than serious."
Contag left Dunedin many years ago to see the world and is
proud of his achievements since.
"Writing an orchestral piece that was performed in Wellington
last year and getting into classical composition/arrangement
again; touring Europe with Cloudboy in 2003 doing live
soundtracks to old NZ films; touring the US with the Golden
Awesome this year and playing at the CMJ Music Marathon;
recording an album with Jay Clarkson; recording three albums
with Bad Statistics (one was released on vinyl in Belgium);
and much more along those lines."
He says the band's sound is influenced by "'80s/'90s shoegaze
stuff" but they have their own voice.
"Most strikingly, it's the contrast between singer Stef
Animal's dreamy, otherworldly vocal harmonies and the band's
mighty wall-of-distortion sound.
At the heart of it, it all boils down to pop songs, which I
guess is ultimately a Dunedin affinity."
The band has just had its debut album Autumn released
by M'Lady's Records in Brooklyn. It is set for release here
in January.
The Golden Awesome and Heka play at Chick's Hotel, Port
Chalmers, tonight.
Heka
•
Heka history
Dunedin band Heka began as a duo several years ago, and
morphed into a trio when bass player Tenzin Mullen returned
from a six-year stint working in China.
Mullen and Heka's drummer Heath Te Au go way back and Mullen
says it seemed like fun to play with Heka when he returned to
the city two years ago.
"I ... had a few jam sessions with them ... I fit right in as
I played in several bands with Heath over the years, but
mostly in Suka. I also knew Killers [Stephen Kilroy] ... So
it seemed to be a natural fit."
He says the band has been playing gigs "whenever the three of
us can free up time."
Anna Coddington
•
On the road again
Semi-regular visitor to Dunedin Anna Coddington has announced
another national tour of New Zealand in January and February.
She is bringing her regular bandmates along for the ride: Ned
Ngatae on guitar, Mike Hall (Nightchoir, ex-Pluto) on bass,
and multi-instrumentalist Riki Gooch (Eru Dangerspiel,
ex-Trinity Roots) on drums.
Former Dunedin singer songwriter Anji Sami is among the
larger touring party, playing in a recently formed band with
Opensouls guitarist Jeremy Toy called She's So Rad.
Also on the bill is daughter of New Zealand country royalty
John Grenell, Amiria Grenell.
• Nominations open
Nominations are now open for the Taite Music Prize 2012.
Named after the late Dylan Taite, one of the country's most
respected music journalists, this will be the third year of
the award. The Taite Music Prize's purpose is to recognise
outstanding creativity for an entire collection of music
contained in one album. The winner will receive a cash prize
of $10,000, to be spent as they wish.
Previous winners have been Lawrence Arabia for his album
Chant Darling and Ladi 6 for The Liberation Of
...
The winner will be announced at a presentation in Auckland on
April 20, 2012.
Any New Zealand album released during 2011 is eligible for
nomination for the Taite Music Prize 2012. Nominations close
on January 23, 2012. For more detail on eligibility and
nomination forms visit www.indies.co.nz.
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