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In the short time I’ve been here, I’ve found myself at the gem (or pearl) of a venue that is Pearl Diver enough times to be sure that I’d never see down-the-street queues native to Subs or the Bog -- until last Friday, when half of Dunedin showed up to witness two of our best indie acts go back to back: orchestrally-flecked alt-rockers IVY and noise-punk architects Pearly*.

As soon as IVY struck their first chord, I understood why the place was packed- you just can’t miss them. Lush acoustics of Pearl Diver wedded with IVY’s spacious, sprawling take on alt-rock to create a set so emotionally colourful I swore I saw feelings flowing through the gaps in the crowd… a beautiful moment made better by the fact that I shared it with so many people.

I admit I was close to tears.

Enter Pearly*. I could go on, but like IVY you just have to see it. The stage energy of this four-piece is so potent that it feels like each note grabs you. Their trademark style of patient build-ups into releases of wailing vocals and spacey guitar feedback pierced me and instantly finished IVY’s work- I bawled my eyes out to their heart breaking opener Not so Sweet.

Photo Credit: Eren Reburiano

Amongst the chaos of a Saturday night in Ōtepoti, Pearl Diver was the perfect place to escape the Hyde Street goers and chill out to some slow jams, and up first was Dunedin’s own ambient folk-pop duo Hidden Ocean. During the preamble they encouraged the audience to sit down on the floor and get comfy, which made the gig feel cozy and laid back. Hidden Ocean’s music is dreamy and ethereal, with powerful vocals and soulful keyboard accompaniments. The lyrics are raw and emotional, and by far the worst part of the night was finding out that their songs aren’t available on any streaming platforms yet.

Then it was time for sloer, hailing all the way from Wānaka, who picked up where Hidden Ocean left off with some slow acoustic tracks and built up the sound as their set went on. Their sound blurs the lines between genres - incorporating elements of folk, pop and indie rock for a unique listening experience that left me wishing the setlist was just a few songs longer. I cannot recommend both of these bands enough and I’m so excited to see what they get up to next.

You can check them out on Instagram at @hidden_ocean.wav and @sloer_band for info on upcoming shows and new releases.

“Electrifying” was the only word to describe Ani Saafa’s performance at Pearl Diver last Saturday. The atmosphere in Pearl Diver is chic, but alternative. Casual tables and couches linger throughout the back of the room, with all the lights and seating angling themselves towards the stage, where the real magic happens. But when Ani Saafa took the crowd by storm on Saturday night, the polished setting of Pearl Diver became overrun with headbanging and moshing.

The band's very own Logan Edwards had opened the night with his haunting voice and raw lyrics. Followed immediately by the ethereal Emily Esplin and her band, the lineup for the night just kept getting better. By the time Ani Saafa came on at 11pm, the crowd was screaming.

Once the indie-rock band struck their first note, the whole venue seemed to pause. Then, the music kicked into full gear. Fans were screaming every word of their iconic “Lay All Your Love On Me,” cover and dancing hard enough to shake the ground under my feet. Ani Saafa’s return to Ōtepoti and Pearl Diver was highly anticipated.

Follow them on Instagram @ani_saafa_ to see what they get up to next in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara.

Credit: Felix Borrowdale

Credit: Felix Borrowdale

We all know and love the Ōtepoti-based band Purple Dog.  Their whimsical vibes and powerful vocals have made their mark on indie bands in Dunedin. But have you wondered how they all balance their hard work with lectures, tutorials, and research projects? Are you wondering how to make your own band or music succeed? Well, I interviewed the lovely Imogen, lead singer of Purple Dog, last Monday to give you all the inside scoop.

First, I asked Imo how she manages to keep everything straight-the gigs, the tour planning, and classes on top of all of it. She said that her main tools in all of it were planning and organization. Delegation of tasks to the rest of the band was crucial in planning the band's New Zealand tour last year, especially since it coincided with the release of the band's EP, Dog Years. Most importantly, the band had to work together as a team to achieve their goals.

Most of you may be wondering, how have students impacted Purple Dogs' music and shows? Being a student band certainly presents its own set of challenges, and Imo agrees. One impact that presents itself quite often to the band is budget constraints and time. As students, we are all living on (relatively) the same type of income, so you can imagine how that presents a challenge to an aspiring band. However, there are certainly pros to being a student in a band, says Imo. The friendships that the band has made as well as events like Bring the Noise (OUSA), have been instrumental in the recording of their EP.

The Dunedin gig scene has lent much inspiration and personality to Purple Dog, specifically through its grassroots music scene and student population, who are eager to support their peers. With that, I asked Imo for any tips she had for aspiring student bands. Her first piece of advice: Just start doing it! Don’t wait for your music to get “better,” just start gigging. Pint Night at UBar is a great way to start, and Dunedin is full of friendly people who want to see you succeed.

So, Dunedin students, what are you waiting for? Get out into the student band scene, and as Imo would say, “embrace the chaos.”

The Beths are a beloved four-piece indie rock band formed in Auckland in 2014. Since their debut, they’ve achieved global success and performed shows in Australia, North America, the UK, and Europe. Now they’re back home in Aotearoa to celebrate their most recent album ‘Straight Line Was A Lie’.

I’ve been patiently waiting for The Beths to come back to the south island ever since I first saw a grainy video of them performing at The Church Pub in Christchurch on a friend’s instagram story, and finally getting to see them live was the best way to end to a long week of Uni.

The vibe at the Glenroy Auditorium was curated to a T, with soft colourful lighting and several fog machines (which rendered all of the videos I took almost unwatchable) creating a hazy dream-like atmosphere to accompany The Beths’ indie sound.

The opening act was another band hailing from Auckland by the name of BUB. I wasn't familiar with them going in, but as soon as I heard their first song I was enamoured with their slow guitar-heavy sound which had the whole crowd swaying along. It was the perfect intro for the main act of the night, who came out shortly after to kick off their setlist with the titular track ‘Straight Line Was A Lie’. This was a great choice to get the crowd hyped up, and Tristan Deck’s punchy drumming really stood out to me in this particular song. Towards the halfway point, the energy wound down with ‘mother, pray for me’, which places lead singer Elizabeth Stokes' gorgeous vocals front and centre. The night finished off with an encore consisting of some of my personal favourite tracks – ‘Take’, which features great backing vocals from the rest of the band and ‘Uptown girl’, which blends vulnerable lyricism with a catchy upbeat melody.

Both BUB and The Beths gave fantastic performances and I thoroughly recommend snagging some tickets next time they’re in town- or checking out what else the Glenroy Auditorium has got going on.