Warners Hotel at 50 Cathedral Square was one of Christchurch’s most storied establishments, tracing its history from 1863 through to the February 2011 earthquake that led to its demolition. In the 1990s, its live music bar drew crowds of up to 800, hosting performances by Shihad, The Chills, Straitjacket Fits, Radiohead, and many of New Zealand’s leading indie and rock acts.
Biography England-based trio of well-known ex-pats Dave Mitchell, Liz Matthews and Rod McLellan (aka Roddy Pain). Members Discography
Apoplexy was a Christchurch-based experimental and ambient record label founded in 1998 by Peter Wright, who had previously co-founded the kRkRkRk label. Active from 1998 to 2003, the label released 18 experimental and ambient productions before Wright relocated to London, with highlights including his debut LP, Distant Bombs (2002), and Pariahs Sing Om (2003).
Volcano Radio 88.5FM was a volunteer-run community radio station based at Shadbolt House in Lyttelton, broadcasting from February 2008 until October 2012 when its home was demolished following the Canterbury earthquakes. Founded by musician Carmel Courtney, it ran eighty shows commercial-free and was a vital part of Lyttelton’s tight-knit arts community.
FLASHBACK to May 2022 — Guitar Wolf, the Transistors at new Dux Live!.
Solo project of Tony Doe, former vocalist and drummer of Auckland new wave band The Wait. After releasing a solo LP on Ode Records, Doe travelled to Japan and the UK before returning to New Zealand and forming The Reactions.
Dux Live was a purpose-built live music venue at 363 Lincoln Road in Addington, Christchurch, opened in December 2011 as the post-earthquake successor to the original Dux de Lux. Founded by Richard Sinke, the converted warehouse was fitted with a state-of-the-art KV2 sound system and operated as a dedicated live music space until 2016.
FLASHBACK to May 2022 — Borderline Ballroom: September 2011.
FLASHBACK to May 2022 — Dan Deacon, Golden-Axe at Dux Live.
Players and Hustlers was a pool bar and live music venue at 96 Oxford Terrace on Christchurch’s The Strip, hosting DJ nights, rock, and metal acts through the late 1990s — including a Judgement Day dance party in 1997, a Brutal Truth show in 1998, and performances by The Civilians and Gaia. The building previously housed the Player Tenpin Bowling Centre, largest in New Zealand in 1995. The venue was demolished following the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes; the site is now the Riverside Market.
FLASHBACK TO 15 November 2006 with Shaft and The Situations at Dux De Lux. A memorable night of pop and rock showcasing the established project of Bob Cardy alongside the evolving Situations.
Wellington garage punk duo Andrew Tolley and Brendan Moran, active 1997–2002 on Flying Nun Records.
Wellington psychedelic rock trio formed in 2005 by Will Rattray (guitar, vocals) and Danny Brady (bass, synth), with drummer Peter Copeland. Released four records across 2005–2018 including debut LP Teleport Palace (2008) and Ocean Dream (2018, Fantasy Fiction Records), recorded in the hull of Wellington’s iconic Tug Boat.
