In the indie-pop realm of the music world, Dunedin is something of a holy grail. From pioneering a specific sound, later called the “Dunedin Sound,” Dunedin has put itself on the music map. The Dunedin sound refers to a style of lo-fi music with jangle guitar playing and 60s influences. The best way to get a taste of the Dunedin sound is to go out and see one of the various bands playing in city-center bars or flat backyards. I saw my fair share of bands while abroad in Dunedin in a few of the different scenes that the city had to offer.
The flat scene A.K.A The student band scene A.K.A U-Bar
One of the many Dunedin student flats. Most student flats name themselves, this one is called “Art Gallery.”
Picture this—you’re in an unfinished basement with a couple couches strewn about. There’s a pool table in one corner and a cabinet with nothing on it or in it in the other. Your feet are sticking to the floor and it smells like a mix of body odor and dry wall filling. This picture is the University of Otago’s infamous U-Bar— a university sponsored bar beneath the student union. Even more infamous than the bar are the Wednesday night “Pint Nights” that the bar hosts. U-Bar is equipped with a back room that has a stage and a floor for dancing, making it the perfect spot for any student group to come and perform at. From DnB (drum and bass) to “soft boy” acoustic, the stage at U-Bar has seen a variety of acts. The bands are loose, prone to mistake making, and play at least one crowd-pleasing cover. Most of the groups who play at U-Bar also play at nearby flats during house parties.
My favorite performer seen at U-Bar: The first pint night I went to, which was also the first pint night of the semester, I saw what stood to be my favorite pint night performance. The band played covers, but the lead guitarist and the trumpeter were on a different level. They were transcending the covers they were playing, they just sounded good.
The Octagon scene A.K.A the bar scene
Some friends and I attending a backyard concert called “Courtchella,” a parody of Coachella.
Now this scene is similar but different to the U-Bar scene. Similar because sometimes the best student groups play at bars in the city center of Dunedin (formally referred to as The Octagon). Different because they are not student bars, and real people actually pay real money to see performances at these places. The Octagon is full of different clubs and bars, many of them bearing stages for people to perform. Each venue is different to the next, some draw younger crowds, others are jazz focused, whatever kind of music you want to see, crowd you want to be around, or overall vibe you want to experience you can experience it in The Octagon.
My favorite performer seen in The Octagon: Ha the Unclear at Dog with Two Tails. Dog with Two Tails is a coffee shop by day, music venue by night. It has an eclectic feel with industrial art on the walls, funky chairs filling the space, and a crowd with an undefinable age that wears the coolest clothing I’ve ever seen. The band performing that night was a new wave rock group that sounded like a mix between Young the Giant and Talking Heads. The group was ridiculously fun to watch and the crowd loved every minute of it.
The gig scene A.K.A Real places dedicated to just music and nothing else. A true and blue music venue.
When you’re driving down Great King Street in Dunedin it’s impossible not to notice the big white building on the corner of Great King and Albany. It sticks out like a sore thumb, begging for your attention amongst the gray buildings that surround it. That big white building is labeled “Captain Cook Hotel,” but it’s no longer a hotel. Instead this big white block is The Cook, a music venue accommodating domestic and international independent music (indie music) artists. The actual venue is on the top floor of the captain cook hotel building and is simple: a bar, a rooftop area for smokers, a stage, and the rest of the room is a dance floor. I’ve seen The Cook fully filled to the brim, but I’ve also seen it nearly empty. No matter what, The Cook always shows audience members a good time.
My favorite performer seen at The Cook: The lead singer of Hans Pucket wore a skin-tight light blue shirt with a hamster on it and carried a bright red guitar that looked like it was made for small children. Besides the strange clothing and small guitar, Hans Pucket was probably one of the best concerts I’ve seen to-date. The unachievable guitar solos were achieved countless times, by the third one I was brain-washed— finally, after years of claiming a person can never have a favorite band, had a favorite band. The two-piece band from Wellington captured the ears of every one of the ten audience members dancing in The Cook.
It’s important to note that my “guide” is based on a six month long stay in Dunedin. There’s a lot I don’t know about the music scene in Dunedin because I wasn’t able to see it or experience it. I can’t wait until I can return and add to this guide, because from what I saw, the live music in Dunedin is unlike anywhere else.