Archive

Psychedelia Brings You: Earth Tongue

Posted 8:10pm Thursday 28th February 2019 by Nina Minogue

Wellington couple Gussie Larkin and Ezra Simons are heavy-psych band Earth Tongue. After touring much of Europe, shooting music videos in their Wellington living room and writing their album set for release this June, there is no sign of slowing down for the psychedelic fuzz duo. Critic sat down Read more...

A Chat with The Chats

Posted 8:17pm Thursday 21st February 2019 by Henessey Griffiths

Queensland shed-rock icons and smoko legends The Chats are coming to New Zealand for the first time. Playing seven dates around the country, The Chats are hitting Dunedin right before O-Week. With hits like “Smoko” and “Bus Money,” the band has taken the world by storm. I Read more...

Your One Stop Guide to Making a Ripper Playlist for Your Party

Posted 8:15pm Thursday 21st February 2019 by Henessey Griffiths

Let’s be real, there’s nothing worse than a bad party playlist. You see, the music you choose to play makes or breaks the atmosphere of your party. As a host, it’s your responsibility to serve the crowd some bangers ‘n’ mash. Making the perfect playlist for your party Read more...

How to Look Cool on a Lime

Posted 8:13pm Thursday 21st February 2019 by Henessey Griffiths

Limes. The sensation that has been taking Dunedin and the world by storm. The country’s latest mode of transport allows users the chance to unlock motorised, electric scooters that can hoon you around at a whopping 30kms an hour. Although they have caused some controversy regarding their Read more...

Alice Toomer: The Hyperrealistic Lolly Artist

Posted 8:11pm Thursday 21st February 2019 by Henessey Griffiths

Alice is a 21-year-old hyperrealistic artist based in Wellington, who specializes in painting some of New Zealand’s favourite lollies. Daughter of the renowned New Zealand artist John Toomer, Alice has been painting since she was 12 years old, and always had an eye for Read more...

Tōku haerenga ki te rohe o Catlins

Posted 2:19pm Monday 8th October 2018 by Tama Tū

I haere māua ko tōku hoa ki te rohe o Catlins. Ātaa- hua rawa te wāhi rā. Kīkī te whenua ki ngā oneroa, ngāhere, horowai hoki. E rua ngā rā e tipi haere ana māua ki reira. Ko tōku tūmanako, ka whāia te kaituhi e au. Read more...

Hold My Hand Lover It Is Weed Time

Posted 2:16pm Monday 8th October 2018 by Critic

Tonight we take gather here to partake Weed is our captain, its smoke is our guide Oh no, Erin is scared, she does not want to smoke the weed Please don’t listen to Erin A weed is a Good time, every time Everyone get Some weed Out of all the people on this Fair earth We who Read more...

The Top Five Dunedin Sounds of 2018

Posted 6:39pm Thursday 4th October 2018 by Henessey Griffiths

Ah yes, the Dunedin sound. A pivotal part of Dunedin’s brand identity, as we are a town that is inclusive to all new bands (so long as you’re a male and play surf rock). It’s been a great year for the Dunners music scene. Ed Sheeran came to visit, Coyote defaced The Chills mural, Read more...

The All-Girl Band Making Waves in the New Dunedin Sound

Posted 6:36pm Thursday 4th October 2018 by Jessica Thompson

Lacuna consisted of three (now two), musicians Mackenzie Hollebon, Bexy Shingleton, and Grace Cook, who has recently left. After a short hiatus from their previous band The Burps, the girls returned to each other, forming Lacuna. After countless gigs in Dunedin, they are ready to release an EP and a Read more...

Photos From the Intersectional Feminism Exhibition

Posted 10:05pm Sunday 30th September 2018 by Lydie Schmidt

This was a two week long traveling exhibition put together to commemorate the 125th anniversary of New Zealand suffrage. The project adopts intersectional feminism as its framework, taking into account how issues of class, race, disability and sexuality intersect with feminism and how this has been Read more...

Who is Mommas Boy?

Posted 12:34am Friday 28th September 2018 by Jessica Thompson

An anonymous tagger known only as Mommas Boy has been leaving his mark all over North and Central Dunedin. Jess Thompson tracked him down.      The moral of meeting Mommas Boy: Never talk to your heroes.  A close friend of mine managed to get me in contact with the Read more...

He Māori ahau. Me pēwhea tēnei e mōhio ai?

Posted 5:45pm Thursday 27th September 2018 by Rico Mita-Watene

Tēnei au ka noho i te tua o tōku manu. Ko wai atu i taku manu? He manu hoka ki ngārangiwhāwhātanga o tōku ao Māori, hei waha i tōna korepe roa. Ko wai atu i taku manu? He manu tirikohu ki te retōtanga o tōku ao Māori, hei tātari i tōna Read more...

Sons of Zion

Posted 7:29pm Thursday 20th September 2018 by Sophia Carter Peters

Tucked under Union Hall, music bleeds from the vents at around midnight, occasionally interrupted by screams of scarfies. The stage is filled by six band members, belting out reggae-rock-R&B fusion. The energy is electric, with booze flowing and everyone letting loose. Sons of Zion has been Read more...

Worlds Apart: Growing up Bi-Culturally in New Zealand

Posted 6:49pm Thursday 20th September 2018 by Jasmine Weaver

I was born in 1996 in Auckland to a Filipino mother and a Pakeha father. At the time, 68.69% of the population identified as Pakeha and 4.08% of the population were Asian. I grew up as a bi-cultural child, a person 50% of ‘colour’, in a European-dominated society, and this would affect Read more...

How Robbie Nicol Became White Man Behind a Desk

Posted 6:47pm Thursday 20th September 2018 by Esme Hall

Comedy isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think politics. Unless, of course, you’re Robbie Nicol. His webseries and live show White Man Behind a Desk satirises New Zealand politics while tackling some big topics like child poverty, immigration and racism. Robbie admits Read more...

East Coast Calipso

Posted 6:46pm Thursday 20th September 2018 by Zoe Taptiklis

Red macrocapa lamppost Cloth cupped breast Appease thy lord, hailing Mary to Matawheuka Guitar pangs at Marae piss ups Rewind dialogues, lolloping gramaphonics Yellowed lace legacies Church yard agapanthuses And the bell chime calls cows home Full cream colonialism Stuff Read more...

Jaggers X Lines

Posted 6:46pm Thursday 20th September 2018 by Jessica Thompson Carr

Jaggers X Lines are a couple of alt-pop weirdos from Dunedin who started making music together in early 2017. Made up of vocalist Eliana Gray and producer Morgan Smillie, they released their  first EP, Letters, after after just two weeks of jamming together. Following this,the band Read more...

Critic Interviews Devilskin

Posted 11:14pm Thursday 6th September 2018 by Victoria Ransom

Devilskin is a Kiwi metal band from Hamilton. They recently kicked of their New Zealand tour in Dunedin on the 31st of August. Just before their Dunedin gig, Victoria Ranson caught up with Paul Martin, the bassist and founding member of Devilskin.    Critic: You’re about to go Read more...

Not Innocent

Posted 9:52pm Thursday 6th September 2018 by Marlee Partridge

The chime of the clock rang – A broken call forth to arms All the same broken. He called Out to the great crowd by the overgrown lawn In the courtyard and shouted pleas to the chief. But her ears remained closed behind doors Corrupt with greed and callous Read more...

How Breakaway Is Reinventing Dunedin Party Culture

Posted 9:51pm Thursday 6th September 2018 by Jessica Thompson

Breakaway is a collective lovingly put together by four creative individuals who are dedicated to putting on festival-spec parties and shows in Dunedin backyards, clubs, and renegade venues.  Born from the ashes of their dissatisfaction with Dunedin's nightlife, at their last big party Read more...

Review: P!nk Rocks, Crowd Does Not

Posted 11:14am Thursday 6th September 2018 by Claudia Muldrew

This is not a P!nk review - she put on an amazing show, and if you don’t believe me you can read the ODT website and find the literal torrent of reviews. Rather, I couldn't help but take note of the goings on within the crowd. I don’t know if you’ve ever had to down a Scrumpy Read more...

How Musician Anthonie Tonnon Tells the Story of a Small Town Environmental Disaster Through Song

Posted 8:20pm Thursday 30th August 2018 by Waveney Russ

Anthonie Tonnon is a captivating, albeit contrived, musician and performer. Always dressed to the nines and sporting funky dance moves, every live performance sees Tonnon explain to his audience some vaguely recondite concept or story, of which he becomes the sole authoritarian figure for the Read more...

Subtle Cake Is Dunedin’s Coolest New Streetwear Label

Posted 8:18pm Thursday 30th August 2018 by Jessica Thompson Carr

Growing up as the only girl in a low-income family, Caitlin Carrollhad to rework a lot of hand-me-downs from her older brothers. She wouldcut up what they had and re-vamp it in her own style. She always wanted labels but couldn’t afford them, so she took to making them herself. Once, Read more...

OUSA Art Week Student Exhibition Winners

Posted 10:39pm Sunday 19th August 2018 by Critic

Art Zone Painting Winner: Kowhai/Yellow by Tom Normeier         This particular painting has thoughtful use of colour and extreme detail, from the soft focus in the background to the pollen on the bird’s beak. The eye of the bird draws the viewer in and Read more...

Entropy

Posted 5:37pm Thursday 16th August 2018 by Randall Parsons

Seagulls circle side the Lake How high how low how high They go Red beaks Red feet White Wings Cast shadows Cross open water Our slit eyes Shell pebbled shore line & squat beat bach Sentinel Set back, the scrappy bush Adrift us Shimmering through warm Read more...

Aussie Musician Harry Marshall Is Your New Crush

Posted 4:53pm Thursday 16th August 2018 by Jessica Thompson Carr

When I first met Indie-Rock artist Harry Marshall, he was a scruffy little blond Australian busking the streets of Paris outside the Shakespeare and Company bookshop. I kicked the Australian flag tag he had hooked to his guitar case, and we’ve been friends ever since. What drew me to him Read more...

The Ten Commandments of Fuck Buddies

Posted 4:52pm Thursday 16th August 2018 by Robin Scherbatzky

Friends with benefits can be the ultimate situation, if you do it right. The idea is tempting to most – you get to hang out with a mate and also have regular sex. What’s not to love? But the fear that one of you will catch feelings and it will all end in an awkward sort of breakup and Read more...

I Read All 54 Animorphs Books in Five Days and It Nearly Destroyed Me

Posted 5:45pm Thursday 9th August 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

Animorphs is a *children’s* book series by K. A. Applegate about a group of teenagers who learn about a parasitic alien race, the Yeerks, secretly taking over the earth and simultaneously gain the ability to ‘morph’ from a different alien race, the Andalites, who do not like the Read more...

Why I Swiped Left to Tinder

Posted 5:38pm Thursday 9th August 2018 by Phoebe Storr

We all know Tinder is a bit of fun, and that the likelihood of finding a cheeky bang after hitting town is far greater than finding your one true love (I’ve heard Heartbreak Island sign ups are out, so maybe there’s your chance).  Here’s a list as to why I ditched Tinder Read more...

It’s a Hoochie World, We’re Just Living In It

Posted 5:35pm Thursday 9th August 2018 by Paul Whiley

There are very few gigs as riveting as Hoochie World. A high energy, sometimes erratic experience that epitomises the Dunners Breatha experience, Hoochie World’s insane series of gigs are led by some of the front-runners of the new wave of “Dunedin Sound,” including Marlin’s Read more...

Cold

Posted 1:03am Monday 6th August 2018 by Eliza P.

Acclimatisation is a lie. He feels the chill through his jeans and wishes his jacket had one more layer of feathers. He wonders what idiot decided to build a university with nothing but an ocean between it and Antarctica’s wind. The icecap cold comes insidiously, creeping into his Read more...

Aloo Gobi – Cheap, Dirty & Delicious

Posted 7:03pm Thursday 2nd August 2018 by The Scarfie Chef

Aloo gobi is great because it is simple, delicious, and it sounds like a dirty joke. It’s also incredibly cheap because it’s based on potato, which is basically free, and it just uses all the standard spices from your drawer, no specialty pastes or anything.  The key is frying Read more...

The Mermaidens: Gritty, Hypnotic, Kickass.

Posted 7:15pm Thursday 19th July 2018 by Jessica Thompson Carr

Despite their absolutely adorable name, the Mermaidens epitomize the gritty, hypnotic, kickass sound you always knew you needed but never had the guts to try.  They've been around for a few years, and their style is just… so fricken cool. There’s no other way to describe Read more...

Rice Ball Reviews

Posted 7:11pm Thursday 19th July 2018 by Joel MacManus

Sushi Station The rice ball was warm. Weird. While abnormal for sushi, it was not altogether unpleasant. It’s also a sign that they were probably very freshly made and didn’t have time to cool down, so that’s a good thing.  The rice was a flavour explosion, and it was Read more...

Kendrick Lamar, Dunedin, 2018: An Incredibly Hungover Review

Posted 7:09pm Thursday 19th July 2018 by Jessica Thompson Carr

I have seen God.  I am now zen.  Kung Fu Kenny took Dunedin by STORM on Tuesday in his huge Damn tour concert at Forsyth Barr Stadium. At 16,000, it was the largest crowd for a Pulitzer Prize winner in New Zealand history (narrowly pipping Carl Bernstein of the Washington Read more...

Rākau

Posted 5:38pm Thursday 12th July 2018 by Taylor Terekia

My ancestor advised his descendants You were born with two hands to use Hold your rākau and maintain independence And use theirs to deflect the abuse    Racism, cultural appropriation... ‘don’t be sensitive, we’re joking around’ Words Read more...

Nadia Reid : I Just Became Obsessed And Never Stopped

Posted 5:36pm Thursday 12th July 2018 by Jamie Green

Dunedin’s own folk singer/songwriter Nadia Reid has been described as the saviour of folk music. Dave Dobbyn called her “spellbinding,” “transporting,” and “inspiring”. Her second album, Preservation, was ranked No. 2 on Mojo Magazine’s list Read more...

Being Māori at Otago University

Posted 5:33pm Thursday 12th July 2018 by Taylor Terekia

Being a fresh Māori navigating through University, I had a tough time dealing with identity when I arrived at Otago. In first year I was so overwhelmed by whitenon-Māori people I thought I was going to lose my reo, my culture and tikanga. I mean, I was already losing my tan and Read more...

Tap X to Cum

Posted 5:31pm Thursday 12th July 2018 by Lisa Blakie

Hey buds, you know what’s weird? Sex. You know what’s weirder? Sex in video games. Sex is a reward mechanic. Traditionally, there has not been a history of discussion of consent prior to sex rewards in games. Players assume that sexual rewards will always be given after Read more...

I Fucked You With My Pussy Not My Heart

Posted 9:49pm Thursday 5th July 2018 by Critic

Two months ago I started casually seeing this very eccentric guy (he wrote erotic fiction and submitted naked photos of his dick to tumblr blogs so you make the judgement on just howeccentric). I made it very clear from the get-go that I didn’t want anything more than the physical, but Read more...

NZIFF: The New Zealand International Film Festival

Posted 9:47pm Thursday 5th July 2018 by George Hellriegel

The New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) is coming to town from the 9thto the 26thof August. Time to put on those big puffers to hide your snacks because you’ll want to go see the stunning line-up in store for Dunedin. To get everyone amped for what’s to come, here are a few Read more...

Cartoons Courtesy of Mark Winter

Posted 2:25am Sunday 27th May 2018 by Critic

Former Fairfax daily cartoonist, Mark Winter, now with the Morning Star in the UK, reached out to Critic after hearing the international hullabaloo over the Menstruation Isuue. "Many moons ago, more specifically in the late '70s, I roamed the hallowed halls of Otago Uni... well even more Read more...

Kawita Vatanajyankur: Performance art has no boundaries

Posted 10:59pm Thursday 24th May 2018 by Waveney Russ

Kawita Vatanajyankur is a striking and transportive artist who has taken the world by storm – she’s about to exhibit at the prestigious Bangkok Biennale with over 75 other artists from around the world, but before that she’s exhibiting at the Public Art Gallery right here in Read more...

Check Out Before Midnight

Posted 10:56pm Thursday 24th May 2018 by Zoe Taptiklis

I’ve built a hotel for the rest of the world For the rest of the world to stay in I’m going to tuck my day dreamer into bed Make toast, butter with jam, on the veneer wooded Bench top A bench top to make love on Like dusting it in flour Rising and rolling out the dough On pizza Read more...

Advertorial : Nandos Review

Posted 7:47pm Thursday 24th May 2018 by Chelle Fitzgerald

Ah, Nando’s – cemented firmly in the halls of Dunedin’s upper echelons of fast food, this bad boi is most certainly a cut above. Last week I was keen for a squawkin’ good hangover feed, and I was not disappointed at all by the offerings. I ordered meself a classic chicken Read more...

The Shitz Live From Ellis (SOLD OUT): A Gig Review

Posted 5:53pm Thursday 17th May 2018 by Zoe Taptiklis-Haymes and Kelly Davenport

On one fated Saturday evening (last Saturday) (12thMay), (2018), The Shitz held their debut gig. Oh jeeze. The Shitz consist of Dave Borrie (guitar-ish), Jono Everts (guitar), Ryan Jones (not-guitar) and ex-head boy Sam Flannery (guitar).  It was a sharp career change from admins of the meme Read more...

Pania

Posted 5:50pm Thursday 17th May 2018 by Jessica Thompson Carr

We are robbed by dead people We used to be fish Now we are mermaids And I wouldn’t mind so much If they hadn’t hoisted me out  of the ocean onto dry sand And left me to flop and gasp With the hook still in my neck.   My favourite story was Pania of Read more...

Isle of Dogs Is Even More Problematic Than the Critics Are Saying

Posted 5:49pm Thursday 17th May 2018 by Esme Hall

I was excited to see Wes Anderson’s new film Isle of Dogs. I am a fan of Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fantastic Mr. Foxand Rushmore. I love dogs and thought the film’s premise about how far we’ll go to protect our dog companions sounded cute. Read more...

Eilish & Co

Posted 5:48pm Thursday 17th May 2018 by Eilish Lie-Olesen

Eilish & Co started as a creative outlet for myself. My brain was going a little stir-crazy and wasn’t coping with the confines of working retail after the whirlwind of design exploration that was my degree. I’d been toying with the idea of starting something up for some time but it Read more...

Frequently Asked Questions About Improv

Posted 9:44pm Friday 11th May 2018 by Joel MacManus

Dunedin improv troupe “Improsaurus” – the professional arm of the Otago University Improvised Theatre Club – has just launched their ‘All-Stars’ season of fortnightly shows. While the closure of Fortune Theatre was a blow, their next show is at Allen Hall, and Read more...

Girls Behind the Games

Posted 9:38pm Friday 11th May 2018 by Lisa Blakie

Lisa Blakie is a Community Manager and AWARD WINNING Narrative Designer in the video game industry. She work at Runaway Play, a mobile games studio located right here in Dunedin. Together with colleagues Caroline, Zoe, Emma and Leanne, she started a global viral campaign, called Read more...

If I’m Anxious

Posted 9:33pm Friday 11th May 2018 by Eliana Gray

I’ve been wishing hard On every seed catch wooden railing first star For those moments I’m afraid of For the moments that I love It’s like dust The way the terror settles on everything The way you forget that it’s there Until you run your fingertips and come up Read more...

Game Review: Dad of War

Posted 9:29pm Friday 11th May 2018 by Lisa Blakie

The last time I played God of War was when I was a small high school bean. I was really into Greek mythology because I was a fucking loser nerd and was PUMPED to play a video game surrounding the myths and legends I had come to love. Mainly due to the silly quicktime sex scenes (hello, remember I Read more...

Boy Beat Makeup: How to Look Good and Do Other Shit Good Too

Posted 5:59pm Saturday 5th May 2018 by Zoe Taptiklis

What’s going ONNN bitches? Not much? That’s cool. The Boy Beat is a look coined by Beyoncé’s make-up artist in her Formation video. The premise of this look is to look like shit. But in a hot way. You know how dudes have that ‘I didn’t even try’ rugged Read more...

Eliana Gray: Dust & Thread

Posted 5:37pm Saturday 5th May 2018 by Jessica Thompson Carr

The story of Dust & Thread starts last year when I did my first illustrated chapbook, A Certain Knowledge. I’d already been writing poetry since I was old enough to write creatively, but when I was about 17 some really difficult things in my life were happening and my mental illness was Read more...

Go Get Your Bits Wet

Posted 5:33pm Saturday 5th May 2018 by Alex Halifax

I’ve masturbated for as long as I can remember. I honestly cannot think of a start date. I used to lie in bed at night and think I had an addiction. I would swear to myself, every time I slept with my soft toys, I wouldn’t do it. Because there was no way I could possibly subject them to Read more...

Poem

Posted 4:17pm Saturday 5th May 2018 by A.M.

Wednesday’s child grew from the earth fully formed and raw, tiny fingers curled into palms until perfect nails tore away ribbons of skin. she was a beer-drinker’s daughter and another father’s burden and then, layered in sunscreen, he named the mountains and rivers for Read more...

A Close Look at Annemieke Ytsma and Underground Sundae

Posted 2:18am Monday 30th April 2018 by Paul Whiley

DIY jewellery brand, Underground Sundae, which originated right here in Dunedin, produces alternative and stylish pendants, rings, necklaces and earrings. The brand has been developing a cult following over the past few years, and making waves around the world. Transcending beyond mere trinkets, the Read more...

Charlotte Goodyear, Dunedin's ID Fashion Week's first openly trans model

Posted 2:14am Monday 30th April 2018 by Victoria Ransom

Upon first glance, Charlotte Goodyear appears to be your typical model. She’s a tall blonde with big brown eyes who walks with self-confidence. It’s hard to believe that there was once a time when she was very unsure of herself. Charlotte has had to face many obstacles to become the Read more...

Where Does Stew End and Curry Begin?

Posted 8:11pm Thursday 19th April 2018 by Gordon Oliver

When you reach a certain age you begin to ponder the deeper, more meaningful questions in life. If you have some semblance of intelligence you will be able to work out what question I will be discussing from the title.   Encyclopedia Britannica defines stew as a “dish of meat, poultry, Read more...

Sexy Garfield: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Posted 11:36pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Critic

Hi Critic, in light of the recent light shined on the Sexy Garfield piece, I think it's time to come clean. Last year my friends and I nabbed 140 Critics from around Uni and covered my friend’s (now flatmate’s) room with them. He was out at football, and came back to a sexy pink Read more...

Introducing Paul Williams: Guy Williams’ Young, Better Brother

Posted 10:52pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Joel MacManus

“I wrote this song on some software that I stole when I was 17 I thought that it might get me somewhere I'm still nowhere and I'm 23”   Paul Williams isn’t a household name yet. Maybe he will be soon, but for now all you need to know is that he’s Guy Read more...

Indi: Life After Doprah

Posted 10:42pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Jessica Thompson

Stumbling into the bathroom of the Cook a few weeks ago, I encountered a small woman dressed artistically in shreds of white material, holding a crown. It was like a scene from a dream, and I was prepared for her to say something incredibly prophetic to me, when I realised it was Indi, the performer Read more...

Fuck Little Dicky

Posted 10:15pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Callum Doyle

That is all. But seriously, Lil Dicky is one of the worst things to happen to hip hop since Vanilla Ice, and at least Vanilla Ice got hung out of a balcony by his ankles, which, let’s be honest, he absolutely deserved. If you’re lucky, right now you’ll be thinking, who is Lil Read more...

Dick and Jane Get Busy

Posted 10:13pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Lyndon

Editor’s Note: This poem was originally published in Critic in the year of the Lord AD 2002. The notable thing about 2002 (apart from the release of The Wild Thornberrys Movie) is that the Critic Editor that year was Patrick Crewdson, who is now the Editor-in-Chief of Stuff. He is a real Read more...

Report: Most Snapchat Groups Are Just Hungover Dudes Talking About How Hungover They Are

Posted 5:39pm Saturday 7th April 2018 by A Scarfie

According to figures released by Snap Inc, upwards of 80% of male Snapchat group conversations are just dudes lying in bed dying of alcohol poisoning the night after they all got drunk together. Among the most common captions were “one massive pile of dust,” “fuck that was a big Read more...

The Man Behind the Mural

Posted 10:26pm Thursday 5th April 2018 by Waveney Russ

Artist Tyler Kennedy Stent had the privilege of becoming the ODT flavour of the week, as criticism regarding the appropriate distribution of taxpayer funds to pay for an Ed Sheeran memorial absorbed front page headlines. The mural, immortalising the pop star’s visit to the city during the Read more...

The Shambles: Our Energy Is Not Manufactured

Posted 10:24pm Thursday 5th April 2018 by Esme Hall

Ask The Shambles “how was your summer?” and whatever you did will be put to shame. From December to February the Dunedin-grown band road-tripped the length of the country, rocking the socks off audiences and accepting gifts of corn as they went. Critic caught up with front man Max Gunn a Read more...

Video Game Review: Tinder

Posted 10:23pm Thursday 5th April 2018 by Lisa Blakie

I don’t like Tinder very much because I’m a sensitive baby. I’ve dabbled, but mostly found it an uncomfortable experience. Something about the instant chatting making you reveal more about yourself to hold the other person’s attention, mixed with putting the best version of Read more...

Critic interviews Dizzee Rascal

Posted 9:32pm Thursday 22nd March 2018 by Jamie Green

UK Hip Hop superstar Dizzee Rascal arrived on New Zealand’s shores in February for Splore festial in Tapapakane Park, Orere Point. Jamie Green caught up with him before the show.   What are your greatest memories of NZ? Just really positive people that really know the music Read more...

Video Game Review: Getting Over It, With Bennett Foddy

Posted 9:28pm Thursday 22nd March 2018 by Campbell Calverley

Rating: 🤔 / 5 “Why are you bothering to play this game?” Geoffrey the gaming gorilla said to me. “Isn’t it obvious that – especially for a game that has exclusively stolen assets – you’re not supposed to want to play this? Is irony completely Read more...

Sitting with Christian Tucker - Dunedin’s answer to Chance the Rapper

Posted 9:12pm Thursday 22nd March 2018 by Zoe Taptiklis

Christian Tucker is Dunedin’s answer to Chance the Rapper. That may seem like a radical claim, but the production quality, the lyrics and the performance on Tucker’s new album “Intro to Orange” leaves little to be asked for. The local poet performs weekly at the Dog With Two Read more...

Women You Should Know | Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz

Posted 10:46pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by Jessica Thompson

So a few months ago my flatmate started watching this mini-series on Netflix called “Juana Inés,” about a badass babe from San Miguel Nepantia, New Spain, with a serious flair for poetry and a habit for calling misogynistic men OUT. Imagine my glee when I turned to Google and Read more...

Top Ten Tinder Tips for Tenacious Titillation

Posted 10:37pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by

As a certified Tinder veteran, you better believe I have some stories. What’s better than some unwarranted advice? Take it from me, because I certainly wish someone had given me this list when I was a Tinder novice. Follow these tried and tested tips and soon you may hit the jackpot and get Read more...

Pole Dancing: Like Dancing, but on a Pole

Posted 9:49pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by Joel MacManus

“You guys are sissies. I guess that’s why guys don’t give birth.” Valerie from “Pole With Val” pole dancing studio has no pity for our complaints of skin burn. “Sometimes it burns, but that’s life.” Val is a postgraduate student who has been Read more...

L.A.B – The New Kings of Kiwi Reggae

Posted 9:46pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by Joel MacManus

L.A.B. is a supergroup with about as much pedigree as it’s possible to have in the New Zealand music scene. Combining the legendary Kora brothers Brad (drums) and Stu (guitar, keyboard), with Ara Adams-Tamatea of Katchafire on bass, and young talent Joel Shadbolt on lead vocals and guitar, Read more...

Library Lust

Posted 9:39pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by Emma Lindblom

I could feel his eyes on me. Glancing over, again and again, thinking that I wouldn’t notice. Or, thinking that I would. “Look, neither of us are getting any study done if you keep staring at me like that.” He huffed, and lay his head down on the table, staring up at me. His Read more...

Arcade Theatre hits all the right buttons

Posted 9:37pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by Kate Skinner

Arcade Theatre, a new theatre company focused on student and youth productions, is already striking a chord in the Dunedin theatre scene. Artistic Director Alex Wilson, who is completing his Masters in political theatre (yes, that’s a real thing), said, “We want to enable these Read more...

Millie Lovelock on Her New Single, 'Beneath the Visible Surface'

Posted 8:58pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Jessica Thompson

She’s been gigging since she was 16. She’s an academic and a writer. She did her dissertation on One Direction and her thesis on Djuna Barnes. And some might say she’s one of the ultimate queens of the Dunedin music scene. Millie Lovelock won’t stop making music. With 11 Read more...

The Studylink Hold Music Playlist Is Fire

Posted 5:59pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Joel MacManus

As is tradition for students every February, I recently spent a good 10 minutes on hold with Studylink. Normally, that would infuriate me, but this time something was different. The hold music. It started out with Brooke Fraser – Arithmetic, a soothingly powerful tune I haven’t heard in Read more...

Big Ass Burgers for Big Ass Bois (and Gurls)

Posted 5:55pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Lachie Robertson

Saturday of O-Week was a big one, and the flatties and me were back at the flat after a beer or 20 craving a feed. Obviously, a kebab would’ve been ideal but the old wallet had taken a pounding over the past couple of weeks, so I had to improvise. I opened up the fridge to a pack of mince Read more...

Baynk: Just a Kid Trying to Escape Chemical Engineering

Posted 5:49pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Emma Lindblom

Fresh out of playing Down the Rabbit Hole in O-Week, Baynk is an act that you don’t want to miss. With hits like “What You Need” reaching over 15 million streams on Spotify, Baynk (civilian name Jock Nowell-Usticke) is sure to please. From humble beginnings as a chemical Read more...

Night in the Woods Is the Best Game of 2017 (Non-Negotiable)

Posted 5:43pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Lisa Blakie

It’s 2018, but I am still living in the past so get ready for the iconic Game of the Year 2017 article. 2017 was a damn good time for games. Major releases like Horizon Zero Dawn, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey saw critical acclaim, and we saw stunning indie Read more...

Eno x Dirty

Posted 5:41pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Anastasia Manza

New Zealand music talent Eno x Dirty have come together again recently to drop their new album Evil Adventures & Happy Endings, the work of Eden Jouavel (Eno) and Manu Walters (Dirty). Eno and Dirty have been collaborating musically for over eight years. These guys were previously a part of Read more...

Chase & Status

Posted 4:50pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Chelle Fitzgerald

Saul Milton (Chase) and Will Kennard (Status) met at uni in London in the early 2000s. Fifteen years, four full albums, their own record label and multiple headlines later, they find themselves sitting happily as one of the biggest DnB acts in the world. OUSA managed to snag Chase & Status Read more...

Jonathan Waters: Graffiti on the Fringe of Society

Posted 4:48pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Jessica Thompson

Jonathan Waters began drawing in early childhood. With a love for basketball cards and Pokémon (he used to create his own original Pokémon), he kept at his passion and polished his craft in the cultural wasteland of Ashburton, where he lived until he was 18. After an extensive Read more...

FOLD: Nauseatingly dark but shockingly good theatre

Posted 5:33pm Thursday 1st March 2018 by Kate Skinner

If you’re a fan of Netflix’s Black Mirror, look no further. Jo Randerson's FOLD mixes nauseating unease, with unexpected bursts of satirical humour.   This dark kiwi comedy is exceptional. FOLD is the type of theatre which leaves you still entrances two hours after the Read more...

How to make a Spag Bol that isn’t shit.

Posted 4:14pm Saturday 24th February 2018 by Lachie Robertson

A spag bol is a lot like a hand job – it can be a good old-fashioned time, or it can be uncomfortable, boring and leave you wanting something more exciting. In other words, a lot of flat spag bols taste like Bill English’s personality. Using this recipe you can ditch the Bill-flavoured Read more...

Jeeves and Wooster

Posted 4:09pm Saturday 24th February 2018 by Jessica Thompson

If you're after a show to drag an uncultured mate to, look no further. Jeeves and Wooster is the perfectly polished show for you! I’m relieved and delighted to say this show was actually funny (my expectations were low due to high school productions and Read more...

The Meteoric Rise of Drax Project

Posted 4:05pm Saturday 24th February 2018 by Jessica Thompson

With over two million streams of their single “Woke Up Late,” two EPs, and a gig opening for Ed Sheeran this year, Drax Project are certainly doing well for themselves. It’s a long way from where they began, busking on the streets of Wellington. Drax (an amalgamation of the Read more...

Albion Place

Posted 3:59pm Saturday 24th February 2018 by Joel MacManus

Over the last seven years Dunedin student band Albion Place has gone from a group of high school kids busking on the street they named themselves after, to tearing up Spotify, playing major festivals and performing a successful international tour. Their chill, Read more...

The New OUSA Sunglasses Have Bottle Openers Built Into Them and it’s the Coolest Shit Ever

Posted 2:09pm Monday 19th February 2018 by Joel MacManus

OK, everyone stop because this is super important. OUSA is giving away free sunglasses at Tent City and they’ve got bottle openers built into the arms! That’s fucking sick. They're not actually that good at opening bottles because it's made of plastic rather than metal, but Read more...

Quality of free OUSA snags up slightly, still underperforming market standards.

Posted 1:04pm Wednesday 24th January 2018 by Joel MacManus

OUSA’s free sausage sizzle, which runs every Wednesday during summer school, saw a slight uptick in snag quality after a disappointing opening week. The first week saw undercooked snags with a microwavey consistency, well below expectation for many critics. “I'm not angry, Read more...

The Road By Cormac McCarthy

Posted 1:09pm Sunday 8th October 2017 by Jessica Thompson Carr

This book will take you a day or two days tops to plough through. At times it’s thrilling, but the format is simple and McCarthy has dropped all quotation marks and “he said” / “she said” to make the writing have a smooth feel. A father and his son (unnamed) push Read more...

The Great Gaming Experiences of 2017

Posted 1:02pm Sunday 8th October 2017 by Lisa Blakie

For the last issue of 2017, I really wanted to highlight the magical parts of gaming. Those experiences that stick with you forever, that make for awesome stories at parties, that you remember with fond nostalgia, and that can bring you to tears. These parts of gaming are what make me keep playing. Read more...

Chocolate Tart

Posted 12:58pm Sunday 8th October 2017 by Liani Baylis

Do you remember a few weeks ago when I (hopefully) changed your life and told you about aquafaba? That amazing shit inside the chickpea can? Well I’ve finally got my ass into gear to bring you something to make using it. Guess what, team? It’s your lucky day because this delectable tart Read more...

Loveless

Posted 12:52pm Sunday 8th October 2017 by Diana Tran

Rating: 4.5/5 A Russian couple, Zhenya and Boris, are getting a divorce, and unfortunately there are no court battles for custody in Russia. The son hears his parents arguing over who should have to take care of him, and runs away from home. The film follows the parents’ search for their Read more...

Wind River

Posted 12:49pm Sunday 8th October 2017 by Callum Post

Rating: 4/5 Wind River is directed by Taylor Sheridan, who wrote the screenplay for Oscar nominated movies Sicario and Hell or High Water. This is only his second outing as a director, and the first with a budget bigger than my student loan. Wind River is a grim crime-thriller that centres on Read more...

Letter from the Music Editor | Issue 26

Posted 12:39pm Sunday 8th October 2017 by Bianca Prujean

A few weeks ago I tuned into Radio One 91FM on a Tuesday night and listened to a mysterious new show called ‘Negative Space’. The ‘Negative Space’ bio on Facebook informs the listener that the show’s DJ, Brackets, “cares about representing female producers,” Read more...

Shoot Me

Posted 12:33pm Sunday 8th October 2017 by Waveney Russ

Give Lync Aronson a medium to advertise his cause and he will. A library bookcase, an unfortunately timed fire drill, an instant camera sitting on the bank of the Leith; he’ll sniff out advertising opportunities before you’ve even noticed that free food Friday poster taped to a tree. The Read more...