Role Model – Powerstation, 3 February 2025: Review & Photo Gallery

Role Model, a modern Pop maverick charms the sell-out Powerstation crowd.

Tonight’s all-ages event kicks off with a surprising treat, Medium Build, the musical alias of Nicholas Carpenter.

With five albums under his belt since 2016, he takes to the stage with confidence, despite looking like he just clocked out from a long day on the farm. Stubbies, an old T-shirt, and mismatched footwear being his signature look.

Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Carpenter’s journey has taken him through Georgia, where he honed his craft in church, to his current home base in Nashville.

Armed with just a guitar and a handful of songs, Medium Build delivers his set with conviction, passion, and true grit.

The songs are well-crafted, thoughtful, and engaging, resonating deeply with the crowd. He holds the audience in the palm of his hand, every lyric landing with weight as the crowd hangs off his every word.

At one point, Carpenter engages the crowd with an unexpected and fascinating question. Has anyone ever seen Tucker before? Is he real? He then muses, I’m so unsure if he’s real.

It’s an intriguing moment of interaction, playfully casting doubt on the very existence of the main act. A thought-provoking tease to set the stage for what’s to come later in the night.

I’d jump at the chance to see Carpenter perform again, and if he’s in town, you should too. He’s undoubtedly one to watch.

The lights dim, the crowd surges, and the air crackles with anticipation. Role Model, real name Tucker Harrington Pillsbury saunters onto the stage, exuding the kind of effortless charisma that makes teenage hearts flutter and seasoned gig-goers begrudgingly nod in approval.

He might be pop’s latest heartthrob, but there’s substance behind the style.

Tonight, the US singer-songwriter’s set is a masterclass in balancing confessional vulnerability with stadium-sized hooks.

Dressed in his trademark slacker-chic ensemble, he launches straight into his set and sends the front row into an emotional frenzy. His voice, as smooth live as it is on record, glides effortlessly over crisp production and punchy beats.

His brand of lightweight Country Pop is polished, but at times feels a little too smooth. The crowd, mostly twenty-something girls sing along with gusto, hanging onto every word of their idol’s biggest hits.

There’s no denying his ability to connect with his audience, but for me, the performance lacks conviction. A drop of angst here and there wouldn’t go amiss, though I’m sure a thousand other people in the room would call that take a little harsh.

At moments, Role Model teeters on sounding like a poor man’s Tom Petty. Melodic and well-crafted, yet missing that raw, rebellious edge.

His delivery is technically flawless, but almost to a fault. There are no vocal inflections, no deviations, no ad-libbed surprises. His set feels meticulously rehearsed to the point of being computer-like. Is he the first-ever real-life AGI?

The energy in the room is undeniable. Fans dance so hard the balcony floor shakes, creating an atmosphere of euphoric devotion.

Pillsbury might not be rewriting the rulebook, but he’s got an army of dedicated fans hanging onto his every move.

At one point, while interacting with the audience, Pillsbury gently reminds himself that he’s in Auckland, not Adelaide. A common slip-up for globe-trotting musicians who bounce from city-to-city night after night. The crowd takes it in stride, laughing along with him.

What’s striking is how fully Pillsbury inhabits his songs. Whether he’s crooning through the melancholic blind, or delivering the cheeky energy of neverletyougo, there’s an intimacy to his performance that makes the venue feel like a private confessional.

He’s got the kind of stage presence that feels genuine, never veering into over-rehearsed theatrics.

At moments, Pillsbury writhes and sways onstage like the awkward love child of Elvis and Magic Mike, but the audience, 90% screaming women, aren’t complaining.

Midway through the set, he slows things down for Compromise, and for a moment, you could hear a pin drop. Until the chorus swells and the crowd belts it back with the kind of devotion usually reserved for festival headliners. Its clear Role Model isn’t just another internet-fuelled pop star, he’s crafting a connection that runs deeper.

During his performance of blind, the atmosphere reaches fever pitch. The audience’s voices swell, completely drowning him out during the chorus.

Pillsbury, clearly caught in the moment, stops singing altogether, letting the crowd take over. It’s one of those rare, electrifying concert moments where artist and audience are in perfect sync, bound by an almost telepathic connection.

Pillsbury knows how to continually work a crowd, and during Forever & More, he coaxes the audience into an ever-louder singalong. At one point he shouts the cowgirls! pointing to a group of four young women on the balcony donning cowboy hats. They explode into euphoria as their pop idol acknowledges them directly. One of those magical moments they’ll be talking about for years.

During the final song, he reaches into the crowd where an ecstatic fan hands him a flag emblazoned with his image, the New Zealand flag, and the bold declaration New Zealand’s Sexiest Man Alive. He lifts it high, grinning from ear to ear as the crowd erupts, fully embracing his newfound Kiwi fandom.

Role Model obliges, wrapping up the night with a heartfelt thank you and a promise to return. Judging by the euphoric faces spilling out onto the street, that can’t come soon enough.

Paul Marshall

Photography by Chloe Tredgett

Role Model

Medium Build