Latest news with #TheBats
Scoop
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
The Bats Announce New Album Corner Coming Up Plus New Single/Video'Lucky Day'
New Zealand indie rock royals, The Bats, have recently had their heads down recording new music and have today announced their 11th full-length album, 'Corner Coming Up', out on October 17th via Flying Nun Records. The new album strikes a very distinctive and familiar chord that exists in the fuzzy-loving hearts of fans all round the world. Throughout their 40 plus years of existence, and now with 'Corner Coming Up' ready to share with the world, The Bats have stayed true to their roots, creating timeless music that continues to resonate with fans old and new. 'Corner Coming Up' was recorded at Chicks Studio in Port Chalmers by Flying Nun legend, Tex Houston, and is out digitally, and on peach or black vinyl LP and CD on 17th October 2025 via Flying Nun Records. The Bats are Robert Scott, Kaye Woodward, Paul Kean and Malcolm Grant. Since their inception in Christchurch in 1982, The Bats' music has earned a devoted following around the world, and they remain one of New Zealand's most cherished and enduring exports. The band has a phenomenal ability to create melodies that linger long after the record has stopped spinning. Today the band have also shared their brand new video single 'Lucky Day'. Shot out of a suitcase by Marc Swadel, Julian Reid and Kermath, while on work trips, the accompanying lo-fi psychedelic video was shot in Florence, London, Tokyo, Doha, Taipei, Liverpool, Zagreb, Manchester and Hong Kong with the band filming themselves in Christchurch. This is the fourth Bats video by director Marc Swadel (who has previously worked with Crowded House, Thurston Moore, The Datsuns, Jonathan Bree, Sparks, Liam Finn, Duran Duran, Head Like a Hole and The Chemical Brothers) "When I heard the name of the song, I thought - lucky cat! The Japanese name for this creature is Maneki-Neko - and in their folklore the Bat is a sign of good luck - the Bakeneko - so it felt like a random but fun idea, to take a cat along on work and shoot as we go." - Marc Swadel The Bats formed in Christchurch in 1982. The quartet — Robert Scott, Kaye Woodward, Paul Kean and Malcolm Grant — has held the same lineup for over four decades, perhaps making them the longeststanding unchanged band in Aotearoa history. They first emerged on the Flying Nun label in the early '80s, blending jangly guitars and rich melodies that would come to influence alternative rock in New Zealand and around the world. Their debut album, Daddy's Highway (1987), remains a masterpiece of the genre, paving the way for subsequent albums like The Law of Things (1990), Fear of God (1991), Silverbeet (1993) and Couchmaster (1995). After a decade-long break starting in 1995, they returned with the acclaimed At the National Grid (2005), infusing fresh energy without losing their trademark sound. Since then, they've released The Guilty Office (2008), Free All the Monsters (2011), The Deep Set (2017), and Foothills (2020), each offering new facets of their signature jangle-pop while preserving their melodic core. Critics and fans alike praise their consistency, but the band insists their sound has naturally evolved—even as it remains uniquely recognisable . In April 2025, after a fiveyear wait since 2020's Foothills, The Bats unveiled a new single 'Loline'. The single was accompanied by a warmly nostalgic video of the band cycling through Ōtautahi lovingly mixed in with live performance footage from the last couple of years. 'Loline' hinted at the first taste of their forthcoming album, serving up the signature high quality songwriting that fans have adored for over 40 years. 'Loline' blends bright-eyed romanticism, fuzzy guitar textures, soaring harmonies, and a sense of nostalgia. Still playing live and recording, The Bats remain a testament to loyal craftsmanship, melodic depth, and enduring friendship—their newest work a glowing chapter in an already remarkable story.
Scoop
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Great Sounds Great Festival 2025
July 10, 2025, Eyegum Music Collective presents GREAT SOUNDS GREAT, a multi-venue music and arts festival taking over Pōneke's Cuba Street precinct for one night only on Saturday 6 September 2025. Showcasing 40 of Aotearoa's best artists across 10 neighbouring venues, this is one big party you shouldn't miss. Eyegum has worked hard to curate a programme that is sure to offer something for everyone, from first time gig-goers to seasoned live music obsessives. The eclectic lineup includes perennial indie maestros The Bats, capital hometown heroes The Phoenix Foundation, hip hop superstar JessB, troubadour-turned-party starter Anthonie Tonnon, captivating genre-bender Reb Fountain, the incredible local-by-way-of-Naarm Jen Cloher, plus a selection of up-and-coming artists handpicked from Eyegum's Free Wednesday weekly showcase series, and everything in between. There will also be plenty more to be announced soon. Excitingly for 2025, we will be adding three new venues: St Peter's on Willis, Flying Nun Records and 13 Garrett Street, as well as a travelling electronic stage curated by Tonic Collective. This means more artists and music to experience in a variety of special and unique spaces throughout the night. Ticket holders will receive a wristband that will give them access to each of the participating venues throughout the event. Information on how to pick up wristbands will be provided to ticket holders closer to the time. Tickets are on sale now at When: from 4pm Saturday 6 September 2025 Where: San Fran, Meow, Valhalla, Rogue & Vagabond, Bedlam & Squalor, Hotel Bristol (2 stages), St Peter's on Willis, Flying Nun Records, 13 Garrett St Who: The lineup will include Anthonie Tonnon, Baby Zionov, Bad Taste, BADTAB, Baeoli, Bathysphere, The Bats, By A Damn Sight, Cindy, Eveline Breaker, Goya, Half/Angel, Hans Pucket, Iris Little, Jazmine Mary, Jen Cloher, JessB, JHL, Jim Nothing, Jordan Hamel, Leah Dodd, LEAO, Louisa Nicklin, The Phoenix Foundation, Reb Fountain, Rebecca Hawkes, Shayne Carter (solo), Sig Wilder & Friends, Sofia Machray, Space Bats, Attack!, The Spectre Collective: live-scored cinema, Star Time, plus more artists to be announced soon.
RTÉ News
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Something For The Weekend: Dave Flynn's cultural picks
Guitarist and composer Dave Flynn offers a fresh perspective on the Celtic guitar genre with his new album Celtic Guitar Master, released this month. Founder and artistic director of the Irish Memory Orchestra, Flynn has recently returned from a 27-date New Zealand tour, and will perform this August with Irish fiddle legend Martin Hayes at the Masters Of Tradition festival in Bantry. We asked Dave for his choice cultural picks... FILM The most recent film I've seen is Conclave. Ironically, the day before my wife and I had planned to watch it, Pope Francis passed away. So, the timing was very apt and it was fascinating to see the wonderful cast delve into the backroom dealings of Pope-making. The scenes between John Lithgow and Ralph Fiennes are gripping. One of my favourite films is This is Spinal Tap, so I'm really looking forward to the upcoming, brilliantly titled sequel Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues! MUSIC My music tastes are so wide-ranging it's hard to select anything specific, so as a curveball, here's a cross-genre A to Z of some living music artists I listen to. Animal Collective, The Bats, Cindy Lee, Dervish, Electric Youth, Femi Kuti, Giorgio Moroder, Hugh Buckley, Iron Maiden, Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, Laura Snowden, Michael Torke, Niwel Tsumbu, Orchestra Baobab, Phoenix, Q-Tip, Real Estate, Steve Reich, Thomas Mapfumo, Uros Baric, Vienna Philharmonic, The War on Drugs, XTC, Yes and Žibuoklė Martinaitytė. BOOK My reading habits are mainly focused on music. The last novel that really grabbed me was Cormac McCarthy's The Road. I was so moved and enthralled by it that I thought it best not to see the Hollywood adaption. McCarthy's prose is so vivid and original that it really drew me in emotionally. THEATRE The most memorable recent theatre experience was Straight Line Crazy by David Hare, which I saw in London's Bridge Theatre a few years ago. Ralph Fiennes put in an incredible performance, it was fantastic watching his stagecraft and he was brilliantly supported by Irish actor Siobhán Cullen. I'd love to catch Stephen Rea in Beckett's Krapp's Last Tape in my hometown of Dun Laoghaire this July, but unfortunately, I won't be around to see it. I'd also love to see Glengarry Glen Ross on Broadway, but can't get to NYC for it. It's got an amazing cast including Bob Odenkirk and Michael McKean. TV Speaking of which, Odenkirk and McKean starred in my favourite TV show of modern times, Better Call Saul. The prequel/sequel to Breaking Bad is so masterfully written and acted, juxtaposing darkness with light, quirky humour with deepfelt emotion. I was really sad when it ended. It left me with a sense of longing for the characters, which really doesn't happen me, ever! I actually prefer it to Breaking Bad. I also loved Succession which was incredible. I don't miss the characters of that so much though, because they're all horrible people! I watch The Daily Show whenever Jon Stewart is hosting. He's the best of the US late night hosts, very witty and more balanced than anyone else. Fun TV fact; I was Bronson Pinochet's body double for a scene in Netflix series Our Flag Means Death where his character is plucking a Chinese lute! I met him on set and he's a really nice and funny guy. He's best known for his hilarious role as Serge in the Beverly Hills Cop movies. ART Whenever my wife and I travel, we make a point of going to galleries. She's helped me really appreciate visual art. We visited Bulgaria in 2023 and were really impressed by galleries in the old town of Plovdiv. Plovdiv is Bulgaria's 'City of Artists' and they have beautiful old houses that are now galleries dedicated to some of their best artists, including Zlatyu Boyadzhiev and Encho Pironkov. A word also for Ireland's National Gallery, it's something to be very proud of, a world class permanent collection alongside an always excellent programme of temporary exhibitions. GIG The best gig I've seen so far in 2025 was on a trip to Bali, were I saw several gamelan ensembles, but the best was Tirta Sari. They do an incredible weekly music and dance show in the Peliatan area. In 2024 there were two standout gigs in different genres. French band Phoenix gave a euphoric set at Iveagh Gardens, they're a fantastic band to see live. They seem so genuinely happy to be doing what they do and they're effortlessly cool. Completely different, but equally uplifting, was the Vienna Philharmonic performing Bruckner's 1st Symphony in Bruckner's home city of Linz, during the 2024 Bruckner Festival. It was very special indeed. They were conducted by Christian Thielemann, who really knows how to get the best out of the distinctive Vienna Philharmonic sound. There really is no orchestra like them! TECH Noise-cancelling headphones, they make life as a touring musician so much better, especially when flying. They are also great at blocking out construction noise, which is one of my pet peeves. I have Sony ones which are great quality sound and durable. THE NEXT BIG THING... The Next Big Thing for Irish music could be one of the wonderful young musicians who have played with my ensemble the Irish Memory Orchestra. One in particular who I'd love to see making an album is Róisín Donohoe, a stunning sean-nós singer and versatile multi-instrumentalist. Another is fiddle/viola player Ciara Ní Bhriain, who first performed professionally with my orchestra aged 15. Her father Mick O'Brien and sister Aoife are very renowned and Ciara is well on her way to becoming just as acclaimed. Eimear Coughlan was a standout from the orchestra's first Apprentice Scheme in 2013 and she's developed into one of Ireland's best harpists, as well as an excellent fiddle player. I'm delighted she'll be joining Martin Hayes and I, among others, at a concert of my compositions and arrangements at the Masters of Tradition Festival in August.
