Music

New approaches from an old identity

Luke Hurley was once a fixture in Dunedin, busking in its streets and playing its halls, but after leaving in 1992, he’s hardly been back. That’s about to change.

Brass band 'immensely pleased' with second win

Brass band 'immensely pleased' with second win

Winning the top prize for its grade at the Brass Band National Championships for the second year running was a happy surprise for the Roxburgh Pioneer Energy Brass Band.

The language of hip-hop is politically charged

Kendrick Lamar on stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California in...

The language of hip-hop is politically charged

Should white fans rap along to the n-word at a Kendrick Lamar concert, asks Tara Colley. US rapper Lamar's Australasian tour began last week and he performs in Dunedin tomorrow night.

Flying Nun gifts master tapes to National Library

Many of the already-fragile tapes will be digitised, and the masters preserved. Photo: NZ Herald

Flying Nun gifts master tapes to National Library

Flying Nun is gifting hundreds of master tapes to the National Library, news that will strike a chord with Kiwi music fans.

Songs from the heart

Tami Neilson is bringing her take on a classic soul sound to Dunedin. Photo: Supplied

Songs from the heart

With her new album Sassafrass!, Tami Neilson has hit the mother lode. Tony Neilson discovers the complex back-story to the album's sound.

The classics: July 16

This is a very entertaining and spirited performance by Affetto, the group named after the Italian word for affection or affecting.

Music review: Bodega

This five-piece wed ramshackle rant-punk to deadpan, slackerish tunes to nail the absurdity of contemporary life.

Music review: Teyana Taylor

It's the turn of nu-soul siren-cum-reality TV star (and Kanye West video muse) Teyana Taylor to take centre-stage

Music review: Kamasi Washington

Robert Johnson, John Coltrane, Jimi Hendrix. You can now add another name to this list of pivotal music pioneers.

Playing good songs

Wurld Series (left to right) Luke Towart, Brian Feary, Ben Woods, Abi Macilquham. Photo: Supplied

Playing good songs

Most bands, when asked to describe their music, will respond with a long period of silence and then a genre made up by Pitchfork such as "Foamcore" or "Bath House".

Expressing the meaning of Matariki

Mixing science and dance are (from left) Simon Kaan, Metiria Turei, Louise Potiki-Bryant and Rhys...

Expressing the meaning of Matariki

For the first time in Dunedin’s Science Festival, science and dance will collaborate in an exploration of the Matariki constellation.

Open-entry virtuosity

Elizabeth Sneyd and Craig Utting had one goal - to make a music education accessible to everyone. Five years on, Liz tells Rebecca Fox about the programme’s success.

'Disgusted': Kiwis slam use of 'Poi E' in US show

Kiwis have hit out at a US TV show after they “inappropriately” used Pātea Māori Club’s song 'Poi E' in their series promotion.

Moana the star in great show

Moana the star in great show

The Dunedin Town Hall was buzzing with children — some dressed as Moana — all of them keen to hear their favourite songs from the movie of the same name, writes Mike Crowl.

Kendrick Lamar: The top 10

Kendrick Lamar: The top 10

ODT music reviewer John Hayden (chronologically) and local rapper Christian Tucker (from 10th place down to No.1) give their top-10 Kendrick Lamar tracks ahead of his July 17 Dunedin concert.

The classics: July 9

Boston-based composer Stefan Prock is a film music scholar and freelance composer of contemporary music for soloists, chamber ensembles, orchestra and film.

Music review: Gorillaz

Just as 2010's sprawling Plastic Beach had its introverted companion album The Fall, The Now Now is a breezy calm after the storm of 2017's overstuffed Humanz.