Issue No39 — Remembering

Hello,

Roger Perry was a DJ. He was one of the first people to play House music in Auckland. He DJ’d at Russell Crowe’s all-ages club on Symonds St; he DJ’d at Siren, The Asylum and The Box. He helped establish Drum & Bass in Auckland (perhaps too well) when he was at Calibre and played a role in integrating clubs in town at a time when they would routinely refuse entry to Pasifika. He was generous.

Nathan/Nutana Andrews (Nay Nay) worked at SPQR. He was warm, and a big part of why the restaurant maintained such an outsized grip on the city’s imagination for so long. He made people feel welcome in a place that should have felt intimidating, with its white tablecloths and sceney tables out front. I can only imagine how much he buoyed SPQR’s cashflow during his years on their floor, making sure everyone always had a drink. He was kind.

Both died this week and both too young. We are bad at maintaining a local history in Auckland, especially around what happens after dark. There’s a sense that anything that occurs after the sun goes down doesn’t really matter. 

I think this is partly why, when things are a bit of a drag, our nightlife can seem fragile and thin. But there is a strong foundation here, and we’re building on generations of these and other DJs and Maitre Ds – as well as desperate landlords and unscrupulous promoters, musicians and charlatans, and everyone else. It’s good to remember who came before and what they did and because of them there’ll be more, and more after that, just like there was before.

Simon

PSA: There will be A MARCH protesting the Definitions of Woman and Man Bill this Saturday 13 June. It will start from Myers Park at 12pm and continue down Queen St.

By Jean

NEW OPENINGS

Dominion Rd’s beloved KIIN THAI is due to open in the old Bridgman next Thursday, which seems incredibly fast – although they presumably didn’t have to do much to the already-very-decent fit-out in there. It is officially soup weather and I would personally love a personal tom-yum tap. Thai hot!

A sister bar called 146 ACHOS, by Karangahape Rd’s beloved Tomoko and Noboru, has now opened in the old Celeste space. They’re doing lunch, too, with lunch trays featuring filled buns (e.g. egg salad), and tiny bowls of side snacks (bean sprouts, pickled radish et al).

PAN THAI NOODLES (Dominion Rd) has just opened a second branch in Epsom at the Greenwoods Corner – 583 Manukau Rd. It’s best known for boat noodles but you can get other types of noodles, too!

NEWS

Ano-ne (previously Mizu) WILL BE CLOSING ON JUNE 30. Get in for a curry pan while you can.

BANAADIR, the Somali restaurant in Mt Roskill, has closed – they are going to keep going with their catering though.

If you’re in the mood and of an age to reminisce following the news in the intro of Roger Perry and Nathan/Nutana Andrews (Nay Nay)’s passing, head to the LOST NIGHTLIFE page on Gen X obituaries website, Facebook.

Green shoots in print media! Here magazine has acquired Metro from Still (who ended up running it for 97 years less than they originally intended) and Home magazine has a new title launching, Architecture Aotearoa.

EVENTS

Bar Magda is celebrating five years with a four-course sharing style meal ($150pp) in collaboration with friend and chef Samir Allen from Gemmayze St. The dishes will be celebrating both Filipino and Lebanese culture – TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE for 22 June.

Also having a birthday is Tempero, which is celebrating turning three with a FIVE COURSE LUNCH on Saturday July 5th, with guest cookery by Paris Butter’s Zennon Wijlens.

Sfera is HOSTING A SEASONAL SUPPER on Monday 22 June to support a good cause, with 100% of the proceeds going to Mercy Hospice. This Aroha Supper is $130pp and includes a five-course set menu and drink on arrival.

Free feed! Next Thursday, Sienna, in the new Tribe hotel on Fort St is giving away 50 taco lunches (two tacos and a soda). Starts at midday, first come first served.

By Mike

New data out this week from ANZ shows that consumer spending is still lower in inflation-adjusted terms now than it was immediately after Covid, at the start of 2022. Hospitality spending, while increasing 3.5% in May, has been particularly anaemic over this time, with real spend at bars only now exiting a 3½ year recession to return to levels of early 2023. Any boost from rising wages has been offset by the inexorable climb of costs such as power and water, up a startling 50% in the same period.

All of which is to say that times remain tough and it’s depressingly unsurprising to learn that hospitality liquidations are up 49% in the last 12 months. Businesses will be less than thrilled to hear that, while the Government is “concerned in general”, it has no plans to help, taking the opportunity yet again to point back in time to criticise the stimulus response to Covid and its inflationary impact, a phenomenon inescapable globally. There’s no little irony that, while PROMOTING TĀMAKI’S ABILITY TO HOST MAJOR EVENTS, Government resists novel efforts to fund the underlying hospitality sector that supports them, such as the proposed bed night levy for visitors or returning some portion of GST on rates back to Council. A little more vision for how growth could be encouraged beyond slashing public expenditure and hoping for the best could go a long way.

Choice items from the liquidation sales of Auckland’s two-speed recovery.
By Simon

WEDDING DRESSES AND TIARAS
From $10, Tiaras close today, dresses on Monday
If the cost of your upcoming nuptials is getting you down, and you’re not too worried about looking a little insane on the big day, this is for you.

RESISTANCE BANDS AND SKIPPING ROPES WITH RACK
Current bid $600, Closes Tuesday
I used to always get this really sharp sore neck thing where it felt like some thin ligament had snapped in the side and it sucked and I’m sure it was related to posture and sleeping in a stink way and using a computer. But I started doing this thing with one of these bands where I hold it out in front of me and stretch it out either side of my chest with straight arms 100 times and it has never happened since and my life is much better for it. Also, if you think this sounds dumb, I saw one of the Warriors doing exactly this in the halftime changing room one time. So it’s real.

200 REFEREE WHISTLES
Current bid $60, Closes Tuesday
If you and 199 friends each went to a game with a whistle and all blew them whenever you thought a foul had been committed, you would have an amazing time. It’s potentially too many people for any local stadium to remove at once so you might be able to get away with doing it for ages.

BEATS STUDIO PRO HEADPHONES
Current bid $80, Closes Monday
These are quite nice in chocolate brown, IMO. Lots of other headphones in this auction if you’re in the market.

4X OFFICE CHAIRS
Current bid $0, Closes Wednesday
These Eames replicas are a little dinged up but at $0, great buying.

By Simon

FRIDAY 12TH

HANNAH IRELAND
Puku Gallery, Free
Promising young(ish) painter!

OBJECT BOOK FAIR
Till Sunday, Objectspace, Free
The second edition of the Objectspace book fair is here! Opening drinks on Friday and then a weekend of talks, displays and workshops from local independent publishers. Free sodas for the first hundred people through on Saturday!

AMONG KINABUHI SA AOTEAROA LAUNCH PARTY
Ellen Melville, Free
A new book from Auckland Libraries publishing department about the lives of 14 Filipinos in Aotearoa, launching on Philippines Independence Day. I don’t think it’s insane to expect quite good snacks at this.

CIRCLING SUN
Pitt St Methodist, $50
The city’s best jazz ensemble. Support from Yolanda F Fagan from Half Hexagon playing her first ever solo show!

THE SEVEN MOMENTS OF MESH MAPS
Audio Foundation, $16
Another Audio Foundation show to test the limits of what you will accept as music. A series of compositions from Paul Smith using the Arachnophone (an instrument of his own invention, possibly involving spiders?) alongside a bass trombone and a bass clarinet. The players are given the option to read the precise 45 minutes score, a graphical score or just follow some time-based instructions. To be followed by short sets by invited guests. If you go, please let us know what the Arachnophone looks like.

SATURDAY 13TH

FAM MARKET
Beresford St, Free
The ever-growing FAM market brought to new life this weekend by a bird impersonation contest. 12-2pm in Beresford Square. Tom Sainsbury is judging and costumes are encouraged. There’s a Crushes clothes swap at Pitt St Methodist if you need a wardrobe refresh – bring $10 and ten out-of-rotation items of clothing and swap them for ten of someone else’s.

CROCHET WORKSHOP
Moana Fresh, Free
A workshop with Lizzie Luamanu who is responsible for the very cool, very big crocheted Samoan flag in their window. All material supplied. DM them to secure a spot!

BLUES WOMEN v HURRICANES POUA
Eden Park, $20
As this nightmare men’s season rolls to a dull-thudding end, the women are just getting started with this season opener for the defending champs, the Blues Women! (who could definitely use a better name).

BUTTON FACTORY 2ND BIRTHDAY
Button Factory, $15
Kooky variety show for the Button Factory birthday, with world music ensembles and DJs plus hoop, fire and contemporary dancers as well as light artists and god knows what else.

BIG HOUSE SWAPPAZ
The Big House, $20
Improbably conceived event shared between communal hellholes the Big House in Parnell and 13 Garrett Street in Wellington with a gig in each house over 2 weekends. With Community Treatment Order and Super Highway from here with Weka and Ollie Bunny from Wellington. DJs TBC. Honestly worth going along if you have never been there just to take a squizz and so you can nod knowingly in all the interminable conversations the Big House comes up in.

SUNDAY 14TH

CLARA LA SAN
Tuning Fork, $50
Enigmatic UK soundcloud R&B/bedroom-pop singer with enjoyably sharp production. Very popular online.

TUESDAY 16TH

MEI SEMONES
Tuning Fork, $70
Bi-lingual, jazz inflected indie rock/J-pop from Michigan. QUICK FACT: she was named by Paste magazine as ‘The Best of What’s Next’ in 2024! Support from Phoebe Rings.

WEDNESDAY 17TH

KELLY MORAN
Kāhui St David’s, $65
EDM/John Cage curious moody pianist from New York, dropping in here on her way to playing a couple of sold out shows at Dark Mofo. Support from Motte.

SOMEDAY MY PRINCE WILL COME
Coastal Signs, Free
Spooky photographer Timothy Webby is quickly back up on the walls at Coastal Signs for a solo show of images captured at Disneyland after his two-hander with Emma McIntyre there six months ago. Up till July 25.

THURSDAY 18TH

WAIWHAI
Central Library, Free
ANOTHER great free show at the Library, this time from one of Chris Cudby’s Top 5 best live performers (from the Cringe Index) and previous winner of our musical act name of the week award, Waiwhai! Starts at 12:10, doors open at 12.