12 July 2022 - 0 Comments

With Covid turmoil slowing down, Taranaki band Skank Bandit shift gears and return to touring with a live-to-air recording and gig in Palmerston North.

Like many bands and performers, Skank Bandit have slowly been rebuilding their national profile after Covid crushed the live music and touring scene.

The band’s latest song, Suck On That, represents all those frustrations and challenges that everyone has faced during these unprecedented times. The song has a laid back reggae vibe with a reflective and somewhat melancholic overtone.

On Friday July 15th Skank Bandit are set to hit Palmerston North, to record a live studio session at The Stomach. The band is excited for this opportunity which is organized by local alternative radio station, Radio Control 99.4 FM. Radio Control have been running these live to air sessions since 2013 stacking 1000's of views and listens online and on the airwaves. The “live to air” is a 30 minute set of music recorded live, in one take.

The performance audio is then broadcast on the radio station that evening. As well as having the audio recorded, the performance is videoed, edited and released on YouTube and social media. The Stomach have continuously leveled up their skills and continuing to produce high quality professional recordings.

On Saturday July 16th, Skank Bandit will perform at local venue, Snails. Snails is a venue and gallery run by a collective of artists.They feature and host exhibitions, gigs, concerts and more. Snails is a unique venue which promotes all forms of art from contemporary to alternative, to quirky and weird. It is a fun space where artists, guests and performers are encouraged to be themselves and do what they do best - create! Snails is a must do for locals and tourists.

On the night, Skank Bandit will be performing new tracks from their upcoming second album. “We describe our sound as a genre bending smorgasbord of energetic grooves, skanky riffs and soulful melody” say’s guitarist, Tecwyn King. The band delivers a reggae heavy set stylized with rock, metal and funk, effortlessly guiding audiences from hip shaking to head banging and everything in between.

Hooper explains how the band’s sound has evolved during the creation of the second album, “our sound has matured a lot, we have focused a lot more on capturing grooves as opposed to creating technical arrangements”. King adds “the first album, Wes wrote himself, this second album has been a collaborative group effort from the beginning, everyone has added their own vibe and collectively it has created something very special that we are all really proud of”.

Joining the line up are local Palmerston North band, Skitz Hydro. Sarah, Snails’ manager and director, affectionately describes Skitz Hydro as one of their “house bands”. “We’ve had the Skitz Hydro boys perform here regularly from a young age and really watched them blossom over the years, they always deliver a unique and entertaining show. They are a Snails crowd favorite!”.

Kicking off the evening will be a performance from Taranaki soloist Bittercup. Bittercup is intense, dark and unpleasant. Like a good coffee. It is the personal catharsis machine of Callum Wagstaff. He hates himself and has found people enjoy the fruits of his shameful confessions, related in sweet serenades, fervid outbursts and rarely anything in between.

Skank Bandit’s live-to-air will be broadcast on Radio Control’s drive show at 5:00 PM on Friday the 15th.

Tickets for Saturday's gig can be purchased at EventFinda. But get in quick! Snails has a max capacity of approximately 100 punters, and this event will sell out! It is highly recommended to book ahead to secure your spot on the dance floor!.

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