Transvision Vamp – Powerstation, 28 February 2026: Review & Photo Galleries

Transvision Vamp and their iconic singer Wendy James bring their original firepower to the final show in New Zealand tonight.

They were pop sensations in their heyday back in the latter 80’s, and their final year as a working band in 1991 was when they made their only New Zealand concert appearance.

She asks from the stage if anyone remembers that show. A few murmurings around me and someone was adamant it was at the St James Theatre. Now sadly in refurbishment limbo.

Wendy James is admittedly older now in her fifties, but she is aging gracefully and reminds me of her American counterpart Debbie Harry. A figure-hugging black outfit with skinny black-stockinged legs and blonde hair pulled into a tight top bun, she looks quite fabulous.

On stage with her are original bass player from 1986 Dave Parsons, along with the ace band that she got together when she decided to put the Vamp back on the road last year. Alex James (Thurston Moore band) guitar, James Sclavunos (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) drums, Matt Millership keyboards.

Support act this evening is Dropper, an alternative Rock quartet from Wellington. They have stated in interviews that they draw inspiration from the early Husker Du where meshed guitars sounds were a feature and they just want to play loud.

Your Face Says It All is their opening salvo, and from there they build the momentum. Reasonable noise merchants on the first time hearing them.

Their brand-new song Just Figure it Out, possibly the best of their brace of songs, where the guitars tumble and build great momentum whilst the bass underpins it all. The older audience tonight warm to this and give them an enthusiastic cheer at the end.

Transvision Vamp start with a great one-two knockout combination.

Trash City with its electronica vocoder voiced intro, from Easy Rider to Star Wars/ Che Guevara to Laurie Anderson/ LSD to MTV, and James strides on to a warm and enthusiastic cheer as she picks up the high and bright Pop tones.

Followed by their racy cover of Holly and the Italians Tell That Girl to Shut Up. Essentially a perfect blend of snarling attitude Punk melded to bright Pop melodies.

Pressure Times is one of my personal faves. Parsons lays down a solid bass groove for this one which includes some of the elements of Clash style white Reggae, whilst also managing to weave in the riff echoes of bubblegum classic Sugar,Sugar.

The sound of the band draws heavily from the classic Girl Group sound of the Sixties on songs like Sister Moon, I Just Wanna Be With You, Baby I Don’t Care.

James gets to do one from her catalogue of solo albums with You’re a Dirtbomb Lester (from Price of a Ticket 2016). Striking lyrical imagery. Love was there/ When the foundations of Rome were laid/ When Christ was crucified/ When the Conqueror created the British Isles.

James articulates this clearly and it contrasts to the bright perky tones of what has come before.

But then there is Born To Be Sold which has some spoken rap where the lyrics pay homage to Elvis, JFK, Marilyn Monroe, Little Richard, Billie Holiday and how they all played their role towards Rock’n’roll. All wrapped in a melodic blanket of Bubble gum Pop.

Revolution Baby has the most overt references to the band’s Glam roots. Borrows a lot from T-Rex and more than passing nod to Sonny and Cher (The Revolution Kind).

Landslide Of Love is maybe the first time we hear some definite R’n’B licks from the guitar.

The band has worked up a high level of Pop to Punk energy and many of the generally older audience have been moved to dance and cut loose.

Encores are demanded and they come back with the easy swing of Bad Valentine.

James announces her last song will be a ten-minute version of Velveteen. They proceed to make it into a pop magnum opus with some rocking metal guitar flash underpinned by thundering drums.

Transvision Vamp and Wendy James are back with power and poise undiminished, and it is a wholly gratifying experience.

Rev. Orange Peel

Transvision Vamp

Dropper