Mainstream media didn't attend The Others Way. Others did.
To find reviews for Auckland's excellently eclectic music festival, you have to go looking for them.
Punters ignored the drizzly rain clouds hovering overhead to dance in the streets in the dark.
They moshed in small, dimly lit bars to bands with amps turned all the way up.
They cheered everyone on, from livewire indie acts with just a handful of songs under their belts to DJs, whistlers, reclusive singer-songwriters, fiery hip-hop acts and two veteran roots collectives who sat on stools more than they stood.
This past Friday night, punters scattered across 10 Auckland venues as they scrambled to take in a dizzying line-up of acts.
If it was hectic, it was supposed to be.
The Others Way crams as many artists as possible onto as many stages as possible and asks punters some big, fundamental questions.
What have you got?
How much can you take?
If you set your mind to it, what can you really achieve in a single night?
To make the most of your $100 festival ticket, you need running shoes.
You need like-minded friends with a plan.
You need a timetable covered in pink highlighter.
You probably need to stretch, and carry a water bottle.
It’s worth the effort.
Champion whistler Molly Lewis opened proceedings in Pitt Street Church. From there, hyped newcomers Elliott & Vincent and Office Dog rocked out in Whammy Bar, while Jujulipps, Team Dynamite and Mā ran riot in Neck of the Woods.
At the other end of K’ Rd, Marlin’s Dreaming and The Veils pulled big crowds inside Galatos, while veterans Trinity Roots and Herbs entertained the parents (that’s me!) bobbing about in front of a stage set up on the street out in front.
That’s where you could find the headliners, the 90s rap crew Souls of Mischief, a rare international act on a line-up otherwise stacked with local talent.
I loved it. Everyone loved it.
You couldn’t not love it.
Hundreds and hundreds of people came out for The Others Way, proving it has become a beloved fixture on Auckland’s December music scene. It’s a great way to kickstart summer, especially one with 90 festivals ahead of us.
It made you feel like you were part of something special.
Yet, when I checked in on Monday morning, there wasn’t a single review of The Others Way published by any of our major mainstream media publications.
Not one solitary mention.
Sigh.
But – this is a big but! – The Others Way did receive ample media coverage.
There are photos and reviews published in multiple publications.
You just have to dig a little deeper.
You have to go looking for them.
You have to know where to look.
Which brings me to today’s topic.
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been covering the dire state of local music journalism. I don’t need to recap that, and I don’t want to. It’s too depressing, and it’s nearly Christmas. I’m about to put my tree up.
(You can go read about it here and here.)
Basically, there’s little, if any, music coverage happening at any of our major media publications. But there are plenty of smaller independent outlets often operating on the smell of an oily rag that are doing incredible work all of the time.
Some have reached out to me, wondering why I haven’t included them in my coverage, been more positive about them, and given them a shout out.
They’re right. I’m sorry. It’s true.
So today’s the day I’m going to change that.
The 13th Floor has reviewed The Others Way.
Muzic.net.nz has reviewed The Others Way.
Red Raven has reviewed The Others Way.
If you’re after local music coverage, it is there.
You just need to dig a little deeper.
So I’ve made a list.
Here are all of the local publications I could find that are covering local music.
For some, it’s all they do. For others, it’s in the mix.
Check them out. Bookmark them. If you like what you see, keep visiting them, tell them you enjoy what they’re doing, maybe throw them a few coins.
We could all use the support right about now.
Sniffers. I discover new music here all the time, especially local artists in the hip-hop, R&B and EDM space. Once a week Sniffers wraps up the best new singles of the week, and the team occasionally runs really good interviews, like this excellent chat with Sampha from a few weeks ago. Love the layout too.
The 13th Floor. Indie, alt and rock fans will find plenty to love on this site that’s updated with new content religiously. It has reviews for days: this past weekend, The 13th Floor published concert reviews of Kraftwerk, Dimmer, The War on Drugs & Spoon, and The Others Way. With photos too! Hallelujah.
Under the Radar. Their commitment to covering concert announcements is unwavering, surely the best in the business. If you’re trying to make sense of the live music landscape, you can do so here. You’ll also find music video debuts, reviews and plenty of cool photos and occasional interviews. One of my faves.
Ambient Light. Reviews. Reviews. And more reviews. Possibly the most in-depth live music coverage outside of Auckland comes from Ambient Light, where a Limp Bizkit reviews sits right next to one of C.R. Avery & The Storm Collective’s performance in Hastings. That kind of dedication is impressive.
NZ Musician. This free mag and website has one strict rule: if it’s local, they’ve probably covered it. Their dedication to covering the sprawling breadth of music made in Aotearoa is impressive, even more so when you realise just how long they’ve been doing it. If NZ Musician hasn’t covered it, it’s probably not worth your ears.
Coup de Main. Here you’ll find the coolest kids on the block, and the biggest Harry Styles fans down under. No one is more passionate about music than the team behind this magazine, especially when it comes to Paramore, Taylor Swift and The 1975. If they love it, they really fucking love it, and it’s hard not to get swept up in their enthusiasm.
Music 101. You’ll find New Zealand’s last remaining full-time music journalists up at RNZ, where Charlotte Ryan hosts Music 101 and award-winning reporter Tony Stamp runs The Sampler. My favourite feature is The Mixtape, a surprisingly deep dive into a guest star’s favourite songs that can be funny, emotional, nostalgic and misty-eyed, often in the same episode.
Elsewhere. Graham Reid’s personal website lives up to its name, supplying deep dives into music that’s out there and on the spectrum. If you’re interested in blues, jazz or reggae, you’ll find coverage here, along with some fine live reviews. His newsletter is worth a subscription too.
The Listener. Despite some hiccups during Covid, the local mag is going strong with several pages devoted to music every week. Just recently, it dedicated two impressive pages to rap crew Home Brew, and there’s a regular new music guide too. To read it all online, you’ll need to give NZ Herald $1 a week.
Rolling Stone NZ. Mostly based in Australia, Rolling Stone has one dedicated reporter here on the ground. That’s Conor Lochrie, who writes excellent local content. The mag occasionally finds room for us too: Poppy Reid’s Teeks story was very, very good. What they’re up to, long-term, remains a bit of a mystery.
Newzician. Someone started a magazine! In 2023! Created by three friends, the beautifully designed Newzician is two issues deep and full of big reads on acts like Dartz, Broods and Coast Arcade. The layout is lovely and the website’s well worth your time too. You can support them by buying the mag here.
(If I’ve forgotten anyone, I’m sorry! It’s not on purpose. Please let me know in the comments.)
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