Clemintine is a Dunedin band of Grunge and noize merchants and they are in Auckland for a month to commune with like-minded souls.
The three-piece is led by Jamie Russell vocals and guitar, Liam Hardmin bass, Tom Rawstorn drums.
They recently supported C.O.F.F.I.N, semi-legendary thrash Rock’n’rollers on their recent inaugural New Zealand tour. It had only taken them 20 years to play in this country.
Russell has been playing in various incarnations of Clementine in Dunedin since at least 2013.
The current band has one Spotify single available, Oh Bless released on Christmas Eve 2024. Comes with a funny YouTube video about violent office meltdowns, as caught on CCTV footage apparently.
They open with the ringing guitars of Petals. Sounding like fey Indie folk on Bandcamp. Louder and heavier in person, the tone a little dark and ominous.
A couple of tunes have the same doomy air of vintage Black Sabbath from the guitar progression and turns up the heat as the singer gains in intensity.
Twenty-Two has the manic vocal style of John Lydon when PiL dropped the classic Metal Box.
Inter-action is the style of wild Garage band Rock’n’roll which would have appealed to the fans of cult underground pub rockers like the Aussie C.O.F.F.I.N.
Whakamana is an interesting space. It would he an ideal place for David Lynch, if he was still alive, to do a fourth series of Twin Peaks.
Each episode of the third series finished with a live concert performance in a nightclub. Trent Reznor performed in one.
What was the Hopetoun Alpha venue has been taken over by cannabis entrepreneurs who now do a thriving business supplying medicinal marijuana. They also supply the paraphernalia that goes with it. Along with historic artifacts displayed around the theatre, to make up the museum.
It is still a big cathedral church space with a mezzanine, and architecture which would date back close to the time of the Hollywood Theatre in Avondale.
The old stage is present. The bands perform on the floor in front. The owner tells me he has had a few shows here in the last 9 months and plans to do more.
This was used as a venue for some of the Elemental concerts, like the Daffodils and Nathan Haines.
All a very civilised and sybaritic affair. Enjoy some hazy and relax.
Vikae is current Alternative Indie-Pop darling Veronika Bell, and she delivers the closing set to a small but highly appreciative crowd. They can be some of her best performances as everyone listens, she tells me.
Born in Ukraine, brought up in New Zealand from an early age. It tells as she has a Kiwi accent.
Trained in classical voice and opera. Attended Jazz school at university for diploma in vocal performance.
Performs solo tonight with a keyboard, which is how I have seen her previously, but she has been paired with a DJ in recent shows.
A big cathedral space and a warm acoustic environment aided by wooden floors. It is perfect for the deep bass and drum drops of House style music.
What it does capture is her impressive vocal range, the effortless swoops to the high peaks.
Technically a better singer than Swift but she shares her penchant for scathing, edgy and fraught lyrics, whilst wrapping the package in great melody lines.
Welcome To the End of the World takes aim and throws a few punches to corporate culture.
Hyde and Seek, a ghostly trance dance.
A new album and/or mixtape are on the way, and she throws out a few tasters.
One Y One. Pop Rap around electronic House beats.
Their Way changes thing up as a nice ballad. The corporate world is likened to vultures. Guess it’s gonna be their way / Just to stroke your own ego.
You see she is an Angry Girl. I’m your biggest hater/ and I’m a see you later. There is a Soul connection to Womack and Womack (try Radio M.U.S.I.C Man) with her great high pipes.
Swipe Right. Sweet celestial singing which finishes in Eastern European (Ukranian or Russian). Her current single released in April this year.
Exit Sign are a dark and doomy Metal band and generally lay down agreeable cathartic music.
Jay Alexander, Ruairi Brunt and Kevin Khaleel.
Heavy artillery from the drums as the bass and guitar often mesh into a wall of noise. The actual walls may exude a meditative state of THC and CBD. The band blends into this and the whole performance is strangely relaxing.
The bass guitar is the lead singer, appropriately throaty and guttural but he also screeches and screams.
Standing gets closer to old school Rock guitar.
Switch atmospherics on final song The Fallen which is an incantatory Metal ballad. Bells tingle and ring, demon wailing and screeching. Curiously this reminds be of scratchy live bootleg recordings of Velvet Underground.
We welcome Dunedin Indie-Noize band Clemintine for the first time and applaud their choice of venue. Look forward to seeing them again and Exit Sign, and reacquainting with Vikae.
Rev. Orange Peel
