Good things come in threes

A LOW HUM – The third A Low Hum tour of 2006

BANDS – The Reduction Agents, The Undercurrents and Over the Atlantic
HOMETOWNS – The Reduction Agents from Auckland, The Undercurrents from Christchurch and Over the Atlantic from Wellington
DEBUT ALBUMS – Each band is releasing their debut album, through three of the finest New Zealand indie labels.
ACE SPONSORS – Good ol’ Jack Daniels, CreativeNZ and the Interislander making it all happen.

You know what they say, third time’s a charm, and well, I’ve cooked up something very special this month. A tour celebrating the release of three brilliant debut albums by three vastly different, yet all fantastic bands from three different cities. Yes indeed, don’t even ask me about the organisational nightmare it is taking bands from three different cities in two different islands on tour over three weekends, just trust me, its mad.

I have been literally banging down The Reduction Agents door, begging them, on my knees to come away on tour with me. In the end they couldn’t deny my charm anymore and caved in. The Reduction Agents from Auckland have something special, maybe you heard it in one of their mega chart smash hits; “80s celebration” or “Urban Yard”, maybe you heard it on the track on A LOW HUM last year “The Pool” or maybe you’ve seen them live and don’t need anymore convincing. They kidnapped Brian Wilson when he played here and they haven’t given him back yet. Don’t be a tattle tale. The Reduction Agents are choice.

Two years ago this month, a track from The Undercurrents from Christchurch featured on the very first A LOW HUM compliation CD. It’s been a long time coming, but they’re finally loading up in my dunger of a van and taking their shoegazing indie rock around NZ with me. Sounding like a band that Flying Nun (circa 1988) would have shat their pants over, The Undercurrents are as smooth as they are jarring. It’s taken many a long year for The Undercurrents to get their lazy asses on the road, but now you’re in for a treat. The Undercurrents are choice.

Where The Undercurrents have been together for a good long time, Over the Atlantic have only ever played two shows. The lineup on this tour, they haven’t even played live together once. The Hamilton show on this tour sees the debut live performance of this sci-fi pop two piece. Normally I’m ridiculously anal about a live band being seasoned live masters before I take them on tour, but with the album from Over The Atlantic being so spectacular, I don’t care if their live performance consists of pressing play on a CD player and dancing around in tutus. Sounding like the epic lushness of Kevin Sheilds meeting with the pop sensibilities of Peter Gabriel without sounding like either of them, Over the Atlantic are choice.

Jack Daniels, CreativeNZ and The Interislander presents:
The April 2006 A LOW HUM tour featuring
THE REDUCTION AGENTS
THE UNDERCURRENTS
OVER THE ATLANTIC

April 14th – Sohl Bar, Hamilton
April 15th – Kings Arms, Auckland (EARLY SHOW! Closing at midnight because of Easter! First band at 8:30pm)
April 21st – Indigo Bar, Wellington
April 22nd – The Stomach, Palmerston North. (Doors open at 8pm)
April 28th – Creation, Christchurch. (2 shows. All Ages show from 6-9. R18 from 10pm)
April 29th – Arc Café, Dunedin (2 shows. All Ages show from 6-9. R18 from 10pm)

Entry to the shows is just $10. Or $15 will get you entry to the show, the April issue of A LOW HUM and two CDs!

Wanna hear some of the bands?
www.myspace.com/thereductionagents
www.myspace.com/overtheatlanticband
www.myspace.com/theundercurrentsnz
www.myspace.com/alowhum

CD1 is the April A LOW HUM compilation which features tracks from: Grayson Gilmour, Sun Kil Moon, The Reduction Agents, Punches, Ghostplane, Moggs, Alps, Lawrence Arabia, Over the Atlantic, F in Math, Linedotstar and The Undercurrents.

CD2: Oh boy! I have been absolutely itching to get these songs heard in so long. During the final days of the band called Dana Éclair and during their first recording sessions as Ghostplane they recorded some songs which never made it to the acclaimed (and one of my fav NZ records) “Panther Valley Country Club”. The track “Vinegar Hill” is one of the most beautiful New Zealand recordings I’ve ever heard, seriously. These songs, never before made available are finally on CD are accompanying a re-release of the gorgeous “National Velvet” EP from Dana Éclair. All in all, a collection of 12 songs that are gonna knock your socks off.

Thanks so much to Jack Daniels, CreativeNZ and Interislander and for keeping my ears happy, R1, Active89FM, 95BFM, RDU, Control, Contact and FleetFM.

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