I Heart Live Music
You know that most gig promoters live in Auckland, eh? And that Aucklanders don't know we exist, right?
As a response to the Aucklocentricism (it's a word, ok) of the touring scene, a bunch of local promoters have sprung up, banded together and generally defied the odds to bring some amazing internationals to intimate Wellington venues over the last few years. Which means we don't have to travel to see our favourite band, and taking a punt on an unknown quantity is a lot easier and way less expensive than trekking up the island. Plus the likelihood of having a quiet beer next to the main act after a show is ramped up several notches when it's at SFBH or Bodega.
Which brings me to I Heart Hiroshima. They came over from Australia in April to support Ratatat in Auckland, but they couldn't make it down here. Ratatat, however, played to a sold-out crowd at Bodega and knocked our socks off. They told IHH about it, and the band begged indie Wellington promoter Palomino Agency to bring them down to see us. They're playing at Bodega next week - Friday 18th - so do us all a favour and go see them! Their songs have been all over tv and radio recently, but if you haven't heard them, and you liked Ratatat - or you like the fab local supports Thought Creature or Little Pictures - take a punt. Tickets are only $20+bf right now from Slowboat on Cuba St so why wouldn't you?
Without knowing what Mitch actually meant, i think she being sarcastic (in the first para).
And I don't think anyone is going to disagree with you: Hamiltonians totally suck.
Yeah seriously, if anyone knows the realities of music promotion, it's Mitch. We understand that venues and crowds in Wellington are smaller and that sometimes it's not a financial viability for bands to come here. That's why it's awesome that Welly crowds can get a good reputation and that there are promoters willing to go out on the line to bring bands here.
Wow awesome overreaction Mr Island Bay!
I kinda don't understand your point either because we seem to agree - lots of internationals don't come to Wellington for the very reasons you mentioned, AND for the reasons I mentioned - the big promoters are Auckland based and to bring a band down to Wellington - to a smaller crowd - is financial suicide. The Wellington promoters that bring bands down here often lose money on gigs but they still do them. Why? Cos they're crazy in a good way. They also work in conjunction with AK promoters to bring the bands to NZ in the first place - which I suspect you know, Simon. Yes I was being sarcastic, and yes I was over-simplifying because I want people to support shows like this one. I don't get any money or tickets in exchange for pimping the gig on the Wellingtonista, just a warm glow and a sense of purpose, and the likelihood of more shows coming to our fair city. Palomino are bringing Stereo Total over soon too, which excites the hell out of me. How about you?
I have lived in Auckland (and Hamilton!) and worked with big promoters up there. For the record they (the biggies, I'm talking Chugg-affiliates etc not Mystery Girl and the like) often don't know how Wellington works - it's a wildly different scene in terms of promotion down here - and to generalise wildly, they don't give a shit... if one show bombs they don't bring the next one. It's our job as responsible music enthusiasts to quietly take the piss and loudly buy tickets to shows to encourage more of the same.
As a new zealander from auckland now living in wellington AND as a promoter i take issue with your insular comments and your inaccuracy re why shows don't come to wgn.
generalisations only lead to misinformation.
the main reason most shows don't come to wellington is either (1) only one date is available in NZ (and wgn having a smaller audience and no 1000 seater venue means t will always miss out)and to a lesser extent(2)Its expensive to do another show in wgn, traveling cost etc, etc (which impact on the smaller acts dispropotionately)
your regionalistic PR release is just a stunt to sell tickets anyway, its just sad you have to belittle people to do oit.
Personally i fuckin' hate people from Hamilton, buncha no neck redneck wankers.