Having a good time

Hockey Dad (from left) Zach Stephenson and Billy Fleming. Photo: Tom Healey

There are some fantastic gigs on this weekend, showcasing Dunedin’s status as a hub for great live music.

One of these gigs is at the Captain Cook Hotel tonight, but unfortunately you probably can’t go: it’s sold out.

"Yeah, I just found that out today as well," Hockey Dad guitarist and vocalist Zach Stephenson said with a laugh.

"We get to travel around and do this for a living. It’s the best, eh. I don’t know how it happened, I still don’t know."

Stephenson and Billy Fleming are childhood friends who formed Hockey Dad a few years ago. Their music feels exactly like a leisurely skate through a small beachside suburb in New South Wales, such as Windang, Wollongong where the duo grew up.

"We make stuff up on the fly, me and Billy. We’re pretty much just trying to have a good time most of all, that’s our main goal. I guess our music revolves around that, and just fun songs about having fun, and fun ..."

Hockey Dad is currently touring Australia and New Zealand celebrating the release of its second album, Blend Inn, which diverts thematically a little from debut Boronia, which was mainly about surfing and pining after women, and explores the more "mature" themes of anxiety and homesickness. The former is especially clear in the latest single I Wanna Be Everybody.

"When you’re out, there’s a lot of people around you with a lot more confidence than you in sort of social scenarios, so I guess it sort of stems from that," Zach explained.

"We all have a little trouble having some confidence and just want to be somebody else for a little bit."

Musically they take inspiration from ’90s grunge acts, as well as the environment they grew up in. The surf and skate culture influence is very apparent. Their heavy guitar-driven surf rock is lead by Zach’s distinctive raspy vocal melodies.

Despite being a duo they have no issues with making their live sound big.

"I’ll just play the guitar and sing, Billy just plays drums and sings a little bit and that’s pretty much it. Yeah, just making as much noise as we can.

"We’re just super-keen to come to NZ really, We’ve been there once before, but really only ever played in the North Island, so now we’re, like, super-excited to come down to the South Island and do some shows.

"New Zealand is, like, the nicest place I’ve been. It’s, like, the nicer Australia, really. We’re super-keen to come hang out."

In other gig related news, you’d be a fool not to come on down to the Crown tonight. Wolfskull will be making an extremely rare appearance, joined by Kraus and Negative Nancies. And it’s only a fiver.

Also, tomorrow there’ll be a gig featuring captivating Christchurch-based experimental violinist Motte, and local experimenters Motoko Kikkawa/Gem and Birdation at The Anteroom in Port Chalmers.

Later, the wonderful Nadia Reid will play a sold out gig at Carey’s Bay Hotel.

Should be a very busy weekend for fans of music.

- For more from Fraser Thompson go to dunedinsound.com.