22 Nov 2024

Members Are:
Leo Horgan- Gat/Vocals
Joe Keating- Bass
Chris Varnham- Keys
Berin 'B-Dog' Hunter- Drums
(with guests)

Based in Auckland, New Zealand The Midnights represent live reggae at its raw and exciting best!
The Midnights original reggae sound is infused with a hypnotic blend of psychedelic soul, jazz and rhythm & blues and distinctively always combines a gritty rhythmic basis with a sweet melodic top end.
The Midnights specialty is their live show, which is renowned for tightness, danceability and improvisation. The group intersperse their more direct soul reggae songs with adventurous fusions that flex and reinterpret the genre with wild dashes of horns, improvised harmonies and raw rhythmic workouts that leave every crowd bathed in a satisfied glow.
The Midnights have built a strong following around New Zealand and shared the stage with the best of the country's Roots groups including Fat Freddies Drop, Kora, Salmonella Dub, Katchafire, Cornerstone Roots, House of Shem, Rhombus, Batucada Sound Machine, Unity Pacific, The Kingites and many more. The Midnights have also supported International artists from South Africa (Tidal Waves), Australia (Dubdoubt) and Jamaica (opening for reggae originators the legendary Skatalites). The Midnights have played events such as the Parihaka Peace Festival, Alpine Unity Festival, Raglan Reggae Soundsplash, The Cuba St Carnival, Grey Lynn Park Festival, George Fm Groove in the Park, Fleet FM Soundclash, The Way Out West Fest, The Turnaround and many university orientation events around the country. On top of this The Midnights regularly slay the crowds with renegade shows around Auckland and the North Island.
The Midnights Music has appeared on the Grey Lynn Park Compilation, Conscious Roots 2 and 3, Maori Television (where the group has played live 4 times) and the Bfm Live to Air Cd. The Midnights have enjoyed heaps of airtime on radio stations around the country and in Australia and have been interviewed on the Coast Show (Maori TV), NZ Musician, Bfm, Base FM, Fleet FM, George FM and Radioactive to name a few.
The Midnights have also released a limited edition ep 'Hot Country' through Motherland Records (www.motherlandcollective.co.nz.)
In 2006 The Midnights returned to the Raglan Reggae Soundsplash for the third time, playing alongside their heroes Third World and Big Youth and supported the Legendary Skatalites in Auckland. The group completed their first music video for 'Sweet Togetherness' which was aired on TV3's Nightline and got airplay on all the main music channels. The Midnights recorded a song for 'Conscious Roots 3' called 'Outside Looking In' at York St, Auckland and an interview and live version of the groups song 'The Shapeshifter' featured on the Soundsplash DVD package. The Midnights went on an extensive North Island Tour through Sept and Oct and ended the year with a huge show at Galatos in Auckland with The Kingites and House Of Shem.
The Midnights highlight show for 2006 would have to be the awesome Orientation gig they played with Kora at AUT in September- The Midnights fourth big Orientation show at AUT- and it was TOTALLY crazy!
The Midnights have already started 2007 with a bang- returning to share their distinctive sound at the Parihaka Peace Festival, Raglan Reggae Soundsplash and the Cuba St Carnival as well as supporting Brisbane funk/reggae group Dubdoubt(AUS) on their New Zealand tour. The Midnights intend to spend 2007 working on their first album and crafting some hot new songs at home in sunny Grey Lynn- to be continued!

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