FEATURE | NOSTALGIA
Written by Hirimaia Eketone (they/them) | @hiri_music | Contributing Writer
Aotearoa has the luxury of being one of the smallest countries with a thriving artistic population. Our nation is built on small uplifting communities, leading the world in our creative production and output. Are we well recognised for these acts? Absolutely not- ask any struggling artist around and they’ll tell you that our market is hard to get into.
I had the pleasure earlier this year of working over in the United States over summer. I was based in California, the nation's thriving hub of small DIY venues and massive stages. Los Angeles has everything the world could want; legalized weed, bars on every corner, massive event stadiums, and a population bigger than our entire country shoved into one city. It is so easy to see why this place, brimming with talent and population, would be one of the most famous music hubs in the world. Being present in the scene and talking to some local musicians gave me a small insight into what happens day to day. So while we reminisce on music, art, fashion and important events that have shaped Aotearoa, I’d like to delve deep into the common NZ vs LA debate that has, in recent years, gripped our industry by its throat. Bear with me, this is a hefty one.
LA- SCENE, ALL AGES, VENUES
LA is a well-known, well-loved crockpot of aspiring musicians and established wizards. Nestled amongst the million-mile-wide city are bars full of practical nobodies, while the streets are full of promotion for worldwide artists. LA has earned itself this reputation after years and years of movements of music growing and strengthening the overall community. From the early days of jazz to rock, rap and pop, it is foolish to argue that any other place has that much of an impact on music creation and reputation. That being said, it’s difficult to fully grasp the scene until you are in its midst.You would expect there to be tight-knit communities full of creatives in such a big city, paving the way for the next generation with accessibility - so what do we as artists have to gain from such a historical place?
I spoke with musicians and gig attendees alike from a multitude of different backgrounds while in the States. For starters, the all-ages scene in LA is less established than the overall music scene and therefore is much harder to navigate. Drummer Chase Perry has found that "Most shows I go to have been a predominantly high school-aged crowd, so usually very young, and the drug use is rampant.
While it’s true that these same problems can be found in Aotearoa, all ages spaces in LA are sparse and when found can be dangerous. Venues themselves range from DIY garage spaces and quiet bars on no-name streets - arguably some of the best vibes, but misplaced and misused by the public.
Team USA pulls in on a few core fronts - their people, enthusiasm and ingenuity. The smaller DIY venues as mentioned before have taken not only LA, but the wider US by storm, with the transformation of many garages into hubs of music. These venues are not licensed, nor heavily regulated, but we can overlook this for the space provided to budding new artists. Upcoming artist Aidann (Gruel) speaks to the creativity of the scene, stating, “With social media and access to digital audio workspaces (DAWs) and distribution sites, it’s easier to be DIY than ever. Thanks to the internet, scenes are a lot less defined by geographical location than in the past.” Due to the vast size of the scene, many budding artists have turned to the internet to make their mark, much like the rest of the world after the COVID-19 pandemic. Musicians in the States are resourceful, fighting to keep different genres and scenes alive all over the place. Stepping into a country with so much musical history is sure to influence and encourage other artists like myself - that historical strength and community cannot be overlooked.
NZ- SCENE, ALL AGES, VENUES
Aotearoa is our beloved melting pot of music, dance and everything in between. From inclusive student radios to competitive music funding, we are definitely privileged in our unique position of support and accessibility. The arts are important to us, and despite consistent government decisions threatening the continuation of resources we desperately need, I can say for certain we can strive through and make the most where we can. We have strong talent coming from all over the motu, consistently growing more and more day by day - so what is so tantalizing to our artists about what lies beyond our borders? What do we need to change in our ao to make Aotearoa the place to be or stay?
Lead Sound Engineer at Depot Sound and musician, Noah Page, sat down with me to address some thoughts on the most pressing issues in Tāmaki Makaurau and beyond. With our all-ages scene being almost non-existent, Page shares his experience from drumming in his high school band Universal Authors, speaking to the difficulty for younger artists to grow above their all ages roots - “That sort of audience is not really dedicated to the music, they're dedicated to the culture of it.” Our all-ages scene can get quite rough, and with consistent venue changes and closures, it’s slowly dwindling out of existence. In 2024, we saw the loss of The Underground, a common venue for all-ages gigs that could not survive the lack of demand and the rising safety hazard caused by lack of regulation. Bands in smaller towns like Kirikiriroa and Raglan struggle to stay afloat, while historic R18 venues such as the Wine Cellar and Whammy Backroom are gone too. Venues like the Tuning Fork, Neck of the Woods and now Double Whammy have fees that are now too high for emerging artists to book, causing an inaccessible space for newer or developing musicians to gain an audience. Were it not for Kiwi ingenuity and our refusal to let the arts die out, the future for us creative folk would look quite bleak. In the words of many of my friends and a certain non-binary editor, “the scene will survive.”
Venue and all ages issues aside, what more can we do and look forward to while in the depths of change? Page delves into the benefits of our community while stating, “There's a lot of potential in the scene, and I would say that there are a lot of hardworking, dedicated people working to make Aotearoa strong.” The size of our industry is a double edged sword - it’s hard to make waves amongst so much widespread talent, but the strength and openness of our community makes it easier to build each other up. There is something special hidden in the whenua we stand on, separating our art from anything found abroad. It is this drive and talent that I implore us to nurture, as ultimately it will be that drive that puts us on the world map and encourages the community to stay, tend to the growing seeds and roots of heritage and continue to make such ataahua art.
As I even out the playing field and compare both LA and NZ side by side, you may be starting to lose hope. Fear not, dear reader, there is hope yet. He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. Our people are what separate our music hub from the rest of the world- our strength, our mana, our God-given talent. The gold standard that comes from our ngakau can keep us moving, if we allow space for growth and in the words of a certain engineer, “stop cutting corners.” While you sit in your nostalgia for what has been, get excited for what comes next. I cannot wait to traverse this new era of development alongside our community.
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