LOCAL LISTENS: MAX PRESENTS JUNK

LOCAL LISTENS | MAHI

Written & photographed by MAX (they/them) | @theundeadllama | Contributing Writer

Three venues, thirteen artists, and one jam-packed night. With an unexpected ease, the crowd seamlessly flowed through the three venues of St Kevin's Arcade; Whammy, Backroom and Wine Cellar. Sets were perfectly timed so as one band finished, another was mid-set and a third was just about to start. There weren’t any dull moments, the constant sounds kept everyone on their feet, as people darted from venue to venue.

The excitement for each artist was contagious, and while I wish I could have caught every act, I'm thrilled I got to see at least a little bit of everyone. Stand-outs for me were Awning (@_awningband) who started the night out strong, providing the exhilarating feeling akin to that time when you dropped your ice cream when you were ten but a stranger bought you a new one. Later on, it was Salt Water Criminals (@saltwatercriminals) who gave me a kick of energy just when I thought I was running out. Simply put, they make you want to scream like you're explaining to your parent how to download a PDF for the millionth time - but in a good way. The JUNK line-up provided a wide range of genres that dutifully reflected and brought together the Tāmaki Makaurau music scene for one spectacular night. Shout out to the team who put it together, I can't wait for the next one.

The full line up was: Awning, Elliot & Vincent, K M T P, Feshh, Soft Bait, Cold Ceiling, Salt Water Criminals, Ringlets, Power Nap, Tooms, Dale Kerrigan, Grecco Romank and Caru.