The Aranui Tavern at 317 Pages Road was a working-class pub in Christchurch’s eastern suburbs that became one of the city’s most significant live music rooms from the mid-1970s through the 1980s. Bon Marché and The Newz held a three-year residency from 1978 to 1981, nurturing emerging acts including Pop Mechanix and the Dance Exponents — whose own Aranui residency led directly to their Mushroom Records signing in 1982.
The Isaac Theatre Royal at 145 Gloucester Street is the only surviving operational Edwardian theatre in New Zealand. Opened in February 1908 to the designs of architects Alfred and Sidney Luttrell, it has hosted everyone from Anna Pavlova and Louis Armstrong to the Rolling Stones, Split Enz, Crowded House, and Lorde. Heavily damaged in the 2011 earthquake, it reopened in November 2014 after a $40 million restoration and holds Heritage New Zealand Category I status.
Biography member of split enz, the swingers, and just about every other high profile band of the 70s and early 80s (including a short stint in toy love!), phil judd finally released a solo album under his name after the… Read More »Phil Judd
Biography Attention grabbing flash-in-the-pan first-wave Auckland punkers, based around James Salter (Aka Jimmy Joy – Saxophone), Claire Elliot (Zero – Vocals), William Prendergast (Billy Planet – Bass), Trish Scott (Sissy Spunk – Guitar), Brian Nichols (Shaun Anfrayd – Guitar) and… Read More »Suburban Reptiles
Biography Phil Judd and Noel Crombie’s (along with Nigel Griggs and Michael Den Elzen) post Split Enz outfit. Discography The Sound Of Trees [1988 EMI Emc790929] Links BandCamp Page LastFM Photo’s on Flickr Members
Biography neil finn’s uber-successful post-split enz band, featuring brother tim and autralian paul hester. Discography picks in bold crowded house [1986 capitol ST240555] temple of low men [1988 capitol ST748763] woodface [1991 capitol 793559-1] together alone [1993 capitol 27048-2] pineapple… Read More »Crowded House