Atomic: Women In Rock 2.0 – Auckland Town Hall, 9 May 2025: Review & Photo Gallery

Roger Bowie and Photos by Leonie Moreland

11th May 2025

Auckland Town Hall was ready for Atomic: Women in Rock 2.0. The probably 70% female audience jumped up in unison to the opening anthem, a paean to the classic love trap in the misogynist man years.

I won’t be specific, but this song arrives in 1988 courtesy of Joan Jett, and the years, alas, are wider than just that year.

And we’re off on a truly eclectic journey. 26 songs from 21 artists, a romp through 42 years of women in Rock.

Not all of them bangers, some obscure B sides and album cuts. It must have been quite an achievement to land on these specific songs, and no doubt the compromises will be mitigated the next time round. We don’t care, there’s too much here, and we’re in the mood to Rock.

With these shows now becoming welcomely regular (I include the Come Together series in this context) there’s a game the singers play to rev the audience up, (Auckland versus Wellington versus Christchurch). But tonight, there’s no contest. Auckland Rocks, hands down, simply the best (notable omission).

No egos, just great singers having fun, with the songs they grew up to, the songs which inspired them to become musicians, as Julia eloquently summarizes. And in this format, in the company of peers and idols alike.

Boh Runga, not often seen these days, resplendent and powerful centre stage, Julia Deans (Musical Director), full of cheek and funky pizzazz, Dianne Swann, the consummate Rock chic, forever young, Jazmine Mary, stealing the show (appears to be a backstage joke, or maybe she just insisted on her songs) and, new to this line-up, the amazing Vera Allen, bringing Rock star Taite award royalty to this already regal parade.

Having fun, it’s infectious, and the joy which emanates from the stage casts an energising spell over us all.

Oh, and there’s a band sitting behind the occasional guitar antics up front (Julia, Dianne and Vera) providing the real rhythm and power.

There’s Rebel Reid on guitar, she’s awesome and a Bowie fan. I wonder if her middle name is also Rebel? That would be epic (as well as an inside joke, sorry).

Ilayda Tunali plays keys for Ladyhawke but plays for us tonight. Louisa Nicklin on bass has Rock pedigree galore and Karen Hu is fearless on the skins.

And occasional cameos from Francesca Parrasuni on sax and Peau Halapua on violin. What’s the difference between the United Nations and this band? Not a lot, except for the music.

First Dianne, then Boh samples the amazing Pretenders debut from 1979. Tattooed Love Boys is not the most well-known cut, not nearly as well as Brass in Pocket, but how about the line you’re gonna make some plastic surgeon a rich man. The bitchiest line ever?

Jazmine leads on the two of three Eurythmics songs (Blondie is the only other to get three) but Boh perfects the Annie Lennox almost soprano antics on Sweet Dreams.

The rest are one song each, from Benatar to Breeders, Shona Laing to Sinead, from Marianne to Morissette, and two songs I didn’t know, one from PJ Harvey (the one album I don’t own) and a B-side from Garbage.

Down by the Water was a big hit for PJ in America, about a mother drowning her daughter with a haunting outro whispered by Jazmine which has the other singers falling down ring a rosy way. Theatre.

Julia takes on #1 Crush which is brooding and not my favourite Garbage, but Garbage it is.

Jazmine gets the most historic task of being Grace Slick wanting someone to love. Grace wanted a lot.

And Vera sends us into Rapture and then fronts the most amazing bass riff opener ever, namely the Breeders Cannonball. The ultimate spine shiverer.

Rebel runs away after dropping a Cherry Bomb.

The Women are in control. Men aren’t needed anymore. Julia celebrates that most Kiwi Courtney banger (Celebrity Skin) from Hole’s 1998 final album.

Dianne has the Motels under Total Control. Jazmine and the crowd take on the most played song in the pantheon of girl’s high school bands. Julia delivers the other feminist anthem You Oughta Know. Men are shit.

And then, last song, Dianne invokes the high priestess of Punk with that unique Patti Smith version of the Them classic. Glorious Gloria.

But we know the drill, If It Makes You Happy you need Sheryl Crow for the encore. And, just at the time we of the masculine gender need a bit of a boost, Boh tells us the Dog Days Are Over, and we can go happily and loyally home to our kennels.

Great show, great fun! Spoiler alert…there will be an Atomic 3.0!

Boh asked us and we gave permission!

Roger Bowie