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Posts Tagged Auckland

Archive

April 18, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Discovering Weld

My nephew has just turned 14. He flew down to see us – he’s been flying as an unaccompanied minor for around half of his life. He’s no longer a minor. Just a dude on a plane. This reminded me of my first time on a plane by myself. I’m not sure they had unaccompanied […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Auckland, Blog, Crazy Horse, Dire Straits, Discovering Weld, hockey, Neil Young, Story, Teenager, To follow me in all the right places check out the Linktree right here. And to subscribe to my Substack newsletter “Sounds Good” click here, Weld ·

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April 1, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Noelle McCarthy: Grand

Grand: Becoming My Mother’s Daughter Noelle McCarthy Penguin It’s quite possible that Grand by Noelle McCarthy is the best memoir of 2022. One of the best books. It is brand new. Out this week. There has been much hype. All of it justified. There will be more hype. And so there should.
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Alcohol, Alcoholism, Auckland, bFM, Book, Book Review, Featherston, Grand: Becoming My Mother’s Daughter, Ireland, Memoir, Noelle McCarthy, Noelle McCarthy: Grand, NZ, Radio, RNZ, To follow me in all the right places check out the Linktree right here. And to subscribe to my Substack newsletter “Sounds Good” click here ·

Archive

March 23, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

Tour Announcement: Lucy Dacus Returns to NZ (June 2022)

Well, it’s been a couple of years since I’ve done a post about a live show. For obvious reasons (COVID). Any time promoters or artists have shifted the show it’s felt like a wee prayer that then goes unanswered. It’s been hard to put a brave face on it, or draw any sort of smile. […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 2019 EP, 2022, Auckland, Banished Music, Blog, Coronavirus, Covid, Covid-19, Gig, Hollywood Avondale, Home Video, June, June 2022, Live Music, Lucy Dacus, Lucy Dacus Returns to NZ, Meow, NZ Tour, Strange News, To follow me in all the right places check out the Linktree right here. And to subscribe to my Substack newsletter “Sounds Good” click here, Tour, Tour Announcement: Lucy Dacus Returns to NZ (June 2022), Wellington ·

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March 22, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

It Was The Best Gig Ever # 26: Michael Jackson, Auckland 1996

I remember the announcement – tickets on sale the old-school way, you had to line-up; just pre-internet-booking. I thought about sleeping out overnight – but decided against it, I didn’t have a sleeping bag. Could have taken the car and slept in it but decided instead to just have an early night and set the […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 1996, Auckland, Auckland 1996, Best, Best Gig Ever, Gig, It Was The Best Gig Ever, It Was The Best Gig Ever # 26, It Was The Best Gig Ever # 26: Michael Jackson, King of Pop, Live Gig, Michael Jackson, MJ, Music, Pop, To follow me in all the right places check out the Linktree right here. And to subscribe to my Substack newsletter “Sounds Good” click here ·

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January 18, 2022 by Simon Sweetman

It Was The Best Gig Ever # 25: Gorillaz, Auckland 2010

After interviewing Damon Albarn I knew I had to go to the Gorillaz concert. Before that I wanted to, sure. But Albarn’s interest in music – his dedication to recreating so much of the Plastic Beach album – made it impossible not to get caught up in the need to be there. So it was off on the plane to Auckland, overnight, for Gorillaz. I […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 2010, Akld, Auckland, Auckland 2010, Best, Best Gig, Blog, Bobby Womack, Damon Albarn, De La Soul, Gig, Gorillaz, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, It Was The Best Gig Ever, It Was The Best Gig Ever # 25, It Was The Best Gig Ever # 25: Gorillaz, Little Dragon, Live Gig, Live Music, Plastic Beach, The Clash, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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December 30, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

It Was The Best Gig Ever # 24: U2, Auckland 1993

I’ve enjoyed a bit of anti-U2 sentiment over the last two decades or so…it was fun to rant about never listening to Joshua Tree again for example (and yet, of course I have listened to it again – once or twice).  Joshua Tree was possibly my favourite album by anyone for a time. And Unforgettable […]
Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 1993, 3Ds, Auckland, It Was The Best Gig Ever, It Was The Best Gig Ever # 24, New Zooland, Paul Oakenfold, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron, Zoo TV ·

Archive

November 11, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Sweetman Podcast # 273: Dai Henwood

Hi and welcome to episode 273 of Sweetman Podcast – finding my way back into podcasting after a nearly three-month break. As with last year’s lockdowns I paused the podcast. But we’re back now – at least through until the end of the year. Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual […]
Posted in Blog, Podcasts · Tagged Acast, Anchor, Anti-Vax, Auckland, Carolyn Henwood, Chat, Circa Theatre, Comedian, Comedy, Conversation, Coronavirus, Covid, Covid-19, Dai Henwood, ep.273, Game Show, Hip-Hop, Interview, iTunes, Lockdown, Now We Are Four: Sweetman Podcast’s 4th Birthday, Phone Interview, Phoner, Podcast, Protests, Rap, Ray Henwood, Reviews, Seven Days, Simon, Simon Sweetman, Soundcloud, Spotify, Sweetman, Sweetman Podcast, Sweetman Podcast # 273, Sweetman Podcast # 273: Dai Henwood, Theatre, TV, Twitter, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

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August 7, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Poem: What A Gig. Weird To Say? So Be It.

I saw Michael Jackson in concert. Incredible. It was the mid-90s, you still had to line-up to buy concert tickets on the day they went on sale. That seems weird enough now – right? I woke up at 5am and got in the queue – it was already way down the street. When the first […]
Posted in Blog, Mixtapes · Tagged 1996, Auckland, Concert, Jacko, Michael Jackson, Poem, Poem: What A Gig. Weird To Say? So Be It., What A Gig. Weird To Say? So Be It. ·

Archive

August 6, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Sweetman Podcast # 269: Andrew Gladstone (Garageland)

Hi and welcome to episode 269 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T and Yeastie Boys  and thanks to you readers and listeners. Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify – follow it […]
Posted in Blog, Podcasts · Tagged Acast, Anchor FM, Andrew Gladstone, Apple, Auckland, Debut Album, Drum Collection, Drummer, Drumming, Drums, Garageland, Hawke's Bay, Interview, iTunes, John Cale, Last Exit To Garageland, Napier, Podcast, Reunion, Simon Sweetman, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Sweetman Podcast, Sweetman Podcast # 269:, Sweetman Podcast # 269: Andrew Gladstone (Garageland), Sweetman Podcast: Andrew Gladstone, T Leaf T, Tour, Yeastie Boys ·

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May 19, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Sweetman Podcast # 258: Caitlin Smith

Hello, welcome to episode 258 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T and Yeastie Boys  and thanks to you readers and listeners. Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify – follow it there […]
Posted in Blog, Podcasts · Tagged "Singer", Acast, Auckland, Band, blind, Brave Caitlin Smith and Her Imaginary Band, Covers, ep.258, Imaginary Band, Jazz, Joan As Police Woman, Joni Mitchell, Kiwi, Legally, Legally Blind, Leonard Cohen, NZ, Pianist, Piano, Pip Adam, Poem, Poet, Poetry, Pop Stars, Simon Sweetman, Songs, Songwriter, Soundcloud, Spotify, Sweetman Podcast, Sweetman Podcast # 258, Sweetman Podcast # 258: Caitlin Smith, Sweetman Podcast: Caitlin Smith, T Leaf T, The Fondue Set, True Bliss, Vision, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron, Yeastie Boys, You Have Reached Your Destination ·

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May 14, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Sweetman Podcast # 257: Florian Habicht

Hey there, this is episode 257 of Sweetman Podcast with support from our sponsors – T Leaf T and Yeastie Boys  and thanks to you readers and listeners. Now – as you probably know, as well as the usual platforms (this site, soundcloud, iTunes/Apple) you can get to Sweetman Podcast on Spotify – follow it […]
Posted in Blog, Podcasts · Tagged Acast, Ads, America, Apple, Auckland, Chat, Cinema, Conversation, Director, Doc, Doco, Documentary, Film, Filmmaker, Florian Habicht, Germany, Instant Kiwi, Interview, Isey, James, James & Isey, James and Isey, Jarvis Cocker, Kaikohe Demolition, Love Story, Movie, NZ, Off The Tracks, Photography, Pulp, Sheffield, Simon Sweetman, Soundcloud, Spotify, Sweetman Podcast, Sweetman Podcast # 257, Sweetman Podcast # 257: Florian Habicht, T Leaf T, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron, Wedding Photography, Yeastie Boys ·

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April 30, 2021 by Simon Sweetman

Mali Mali: Kill and Throw (ep)

Mali Mali Kill and Throw (ep) Home Alone Records Ben Tolich has been recording (and touring) as Mali Mali for the last decade. A handful of albums, each its own insular world, each almost impossibly perfect as finite statement – a set of songs that could have been imagined up in isolation without ever hearing […]
Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Album Review, Auckland, Ben Tolich, Bob Dylan, Cassette, Changing Of The Guards, Coronavirus, Cover, Covid-19, EP, Home Alone Records, Kill and Throw, Kill and Throw (ep), Kiwi, Lockdown, Mali Mali, Mali Mali: Kill and Throw (ep), New Zealander, NZ, Pandemic, Solo, Tape, Want more? Check out my Substack You can also support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·
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