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We will be playing as a four-piece for the first time on Friday the 10th of September at The Garden Club.
We have Fuyuko’s Fables opening for us.
We have been rehearsing with Louis Thompson-Munn on keys for a month now and it is sounding fantastic. We’re all really looking forward to playing you our new sound.
Come check it out!
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One week ago we got up early to start our journey to the South Island for two shows. We got little sleep last Thursday night and the following nights would only provide less sleep again. Let me take you through those three long days.
Christchurch
We’d gotten up at 6am to catch the early ferry and then drive to Lyttelton – the port town that sits on the inner slope of a dormant volcano’s crater. We rolled in at about 5pm (we didn’t really roll in, but read on for actual rolling). That was just about time for our radio interview at the local station Volcano Radio 88.5 FM. This looks a great little station and the interview was fun.
After talking shit about ourselves we went to set up and do sound check at Wunderbar. It’s a cool little venue with a tiny wee stage and a crazy lighting rack hanging from the ceiling. It’s made of hundreds of circuit boards and theres a giant mirror ball with a ring like Saturn.
We met our opening act Anthesiac and were shocked to discover most of them were over 27 years old. Talk about baby faces! But their experience shows in their playing. We were treated to a thoroughly impressive set that night. Dave got to drool over Anthesiac guitarist Josh’s pedal board as Josh had drooled over Dave’s during sound check.
Our set went well and included two songs that had never been gigged before. The first new track Something Better (which was partially described in this ridiculous blog) was a great opener and Runner-ups and Broken Keys was debuted in the middle of the set. It felt good to finally get them heard and we managed to pull them off successfully.
After the show we went to our friend Kate’s place in the city. Kate Radford was one of the dancers that did the contemporary dance/music production Lucid with Dave and I about 4 years ago. One of the pieces of music that was born in that show eventually became Tunnel Vision. Kate told us she got chills hearing that music again.
Dunedin
After four hours sleep we got up and drove to Dunedin. After a quick visit to my Mum in Waikouaiti, where we received an entire chocolate cake as greeting, we rolled into Dunedin about 4:30pm. This time when I say “rolled in” I mean it. We had decided to see if we could get into Dunedin without topping up on petrol again. We almost didn’t make it. After coasting down the last few hills into Dunedin we managed to make it to a petrol station with less than 5 litres of petrol left in the tank.
We filled up and went to Re:Fuel to set up. There we caught up with the Made In China guys again and met Ink Mathematics. After sound check and dinner I took charge of the door and met the locals as they walked in. There were a fair number who saw us in Dunedin the last time we were down and even one guy who had seen us at our infamous Invercargill show…
I heard Ink Mathematics play their stomping set while sitting at the door in a room separate from the stage. I could hear them but not see them – still, I liked what I heard. Then it was our turn to take the stage.
We started the set with new songs again and they went down great with the large crowd. The chorus of Runner-ups and Broken Keys was particularly well received. We played well and fed off the huge energy from the audience. It was a cool moment when they started clapping a beat for us in a low dynamic section of Tunnel Vision. At the end our set the new fans demanded an encore so we played Veils to finish off.
Then it was time for Made In China to rock out to their home crowd. This is the first time I’ve seen them play in Dunedin and damn, did it go off! A brilliant, heavy, powerful band with a world class front-man. I had a ball moshing to their set with the locals.
When I returned to the door I discovered we’d already sold a bunch of CDs and when I took over we sold a bunch more. It was cool to see completely new fans snap up both the EP and album. I had a chat with Lyle, the guy who saw us play in Invercargill 18 months ago. I reminisced about the “toasted sandwiches” with unmelted cheese and burnt bread…
Long snowy drive home.
Finally, at 4am we made it to bed only to get up 4 hours later and start driving back to Picton. We felt in a hurry to get to the ferry by 9pm. So when Stefan discovered he’d left his jacket and phone at a Burger King in Christchurch we almost didn’t do the 30 minute drive to go back and get it.
But in the end we arrived in Picton 4 hours early – even after driving through a thin layer of snow outside Ashburton. We used the extra time to enjoy the local atmosphere. Sitting in a quiet bar with few patrons on a Sunday night we watched the All Blacks destroy Ireland for the 17th time in a row. We were all delirious from lack of sleep and our behaviour was…humourous….
We used the ferry as a floating bed and crashed out for the journey. It wasn’t until 3am that we managed to get into our own beds at home and rest up in comfort.
Thanks to everyone who came to see us and all the bands and everyone who helped us out – we are already planning the next trip down there.
See you soon!
We’re heading down south for two shows in June.
On Friday 11th June we’ll be playing in Christchurch at Wunderbar with local ambient rock trio Anthesiac and a yet to be confirmed guest.
On Saturday 12th June we’ll be playing in Dunedin at Refuel with local legends Made In China and Ink Mathematics.
Come along to hear brand new songs and tracks off the album Hour Of The Wolf. We’re looking forward to hitting the South Island again, we had a ball last time and both Dave and I have family in Dunedin. Actually, that brings up an interesting tidbit for those into strange coincidences. Dave and I recently discovered that both his mum and mine were born on exactly the same day.
See you soon!
Hello 2010!
Oh we’re almost a quarter of the way through the year already?! WTF? Time for a gig!
See you at Bar Bodega, March 25th.
RIVERBLIND will be playing new stuff with new bits and old stuff with old bits and old stuff with new bits and new stuff with old bits.
The WETLOOK is the new band of Matt Swain from OdESSA. It’s fuzzy 60′s pop and futuristic DIY country juggled over dusty duct taped drums.
EVERYTHING REVS is made up of another bassist called Dan, another dude called Dave and Marty Nicholas (Stefan’s cuter cousin). I could rattle off a bunch more coincidences, but I’m sure you already get that it’s guaranteed awesomeness.
The show starts with The WETLOOK at 9pm sharp so don’t be late.
$5 on the door.
The gig at Happy last week went so well (thanks especially to MASC and you) that we are doing it again – only bigger!
Friday 13th November at Happy Bar we are putting on a prog* night of truly epic proportions. The original line up of Riverblind, Moonlight Flit and The Novelist returns and in addition to this is Big Flip The Massive. This will be one intense night of progressive music played by the best the scene has to offer.
If you do facebook invites click here.
Moonlight Flit were brilliant on Wednesday with their new 4-piece set up. They have recently released a beautiful album called Road to the Outside which I’ve been enjoying regularly. While I missed The Novelist when they started the show last week, I won’t dare miss them again on Friday 13th. I love their carefully crafted songs with exciting hits and… dammit, I can’t wait to see them again. As for Big Flip The Massive – where does all that energy come from? They blow me away.
So, as you can see, I’m really excited about this gig – it’s probably no surprise this show was my suggestion 
I thought: What’s the easiest way to see three of my favourite acts in one night without paying an entry fee? Oh, I know – I’ll invite them to play a show with Riverblind!
But seriously, this show is for you who loves creative music with intelligence, passion and intensity. Come on down to Happy Bar on the corner of Tory St and Vivian St next Friday the 13th of November. Just give us a fiver and we’ll play our hearts out for ya.
*Prog is a dirty word – as pointed out by Oran (spelling?), a goodly fellow who enjoyed our set last week. I am well aware of the word’s awful connotations, so I prefer the term Pretentious Rock which is clearly more honest. But here’s a question:
If you could slap a genre label on Riverblind, what would it be?
We are returning to the Tugboat, this time to open for friends Phantom Tollbooth on 26th September. This is the band of Jaap Badlands, the genius behind our website and album design. He also created the awesome new website loudthought.co.nz (which you will be hearing a lot more about soon). Come down and see him hit stuff (you might like to see him drum too). And see us play support along with The Botanics.
Once again we’ll be playing downstairs in the Engine Room of the Tugboat on the Bay. It was awesome last time and we look forward to playing there again. You should check out Phantom Tollbooth and The Botanics too. It’s Phantom Tollbooth’s second gig and they are about to be on a roll I tell ya. Maybe they are already on a roll – can you be on a roll after one great show? Worth it either way.
On August 15th venture below the water-line to the Engine Room of The Tugboat on The Bay and join us in celebrating our release of our first full-length album Hour Of The Wolf.
You will be given a copy of the album on CD at the door, making you the first to receive it in any form.
The show will begin with local singer/songwriter Louis Baker followed by a special duet between Matthew “Pixie” Pickering and Hollie of Tiny Ruins.
We will then play a set consisting of songs from the new album as well as some material so new it has never been heard live before.
The Show:
Louis Baker
Pix & Hollie
RIVERBLIND
MC and after party DJ: Captain D.S. Beck
Entry fee is $15 – receive your CD as you pay at the door.
Doors open at 8pm on Saturday night, 15th of August.
Make a comment below with any questions or messages. Or for a private message send an email to riverblind@riverblind.com – we love hearing from you and we look forward to seeing you at the show!
Kerry Gray – guitarist for Nibiru Passing and the greatest local hippy muso we know – is “escaping Wellington before it claims his soul”.
To celebrate he is throwing an epic going away party at Adelaide Bar next Friday night.
The line up is eclectic:
JMC and Mr Smith – DnB
Money & The Impressionists – Dirty sexy stoner blues rock
Mental Note – Grunge Rock
The Pleasure Desert – Melodic rock one man band
Riverblind
and YOU!
Also, yet to be confirmed, Tony Wilson may be playing.
On the costume theme, this from Kerry:
“The THEME is……. SCI FI !!!
Yes, get out your laser blasters, stiffen those antennae and set the controls to the heart of the Sun!
If you do not dress up you will have to donate $5 to the musicians if you want to enter and suffer abuse from a shit load of extra terrestrial drunks…oooooh yeeeeah
May the force be with you!
K”
We are going to dress up – are you? What do you think you’ll wear?
I can’t wait, it’s going to be such a fun night.
Album Recording
A week ago Dave directed the choir as they were recorded by Rich at the Airforce band room and it is sounding glorious. Then on Saturday he made the final touches to his vocal parts at Rich’s place followed by Stefan and I adding some back up. Next Tuesday Dave will be directing the string players when they get recorded in the Adam Concert Room. The choir parts and strings parts were all arranged by Dave and he has done a superb job.
Song Writing
While we finish recording the album we are still feverishly interested in creating something new. We are currently focusing on one such beast that is of a far gentler nature than most of our previous efforts. Haunting and beautiful I would say. Wednesday evening’s band practice saw it blossom into a fairly certain structure. These things have been known to change without warning, however and with the lyrics not having been placed yet, anything is possible.
Gig – 2nd of May
Just one gig to mention at this point. We are still concentrating our efforts on recording and organising an album release party so this next gig is an opening slot for a touring band. Made In China are actually made in Dunedin and will be at Hole in The Wall on May 2nd, right after us. If you haven’t been down to Hole in the Wall yet then it is well worth checking out – it looks a lot different from the Valve days. The gig is $10 on the door.
We had been concentrating so hard on recording that gigging was not a first priority and opportunities had to be turned down. But when Kerry Gray called to ask us to support his band Nibiru Passing for their final show (until next summer), the timing was good and we jumped at the chance. After recording our songs in intricate detail, day after day, we can’t wait to get back on stage. And to support our friends in their final show for ages it seems all the more fitting.
So, on Wednesday 25th Feb come down to the Adelaide to see us, Nibiru Passing and Charioteer. The show runs from 9pm until midnight, so can you handle the jandal on a Wednesday night?
