Horsing Around At House Of Rounds: A Gig Review

 Words by Beth Mountford (she/her)

Significant contributions by Alice Brown (she/her) 

We arrived at the gig. Meow was ablaze with Jameson insignia. It was projected on the walls, imprinted on the chests of employees, and in many people’s hands. The bouncers, ever committed to their jobs, were asking people “how many have you had tonight?” I said “none” and I was rewarded with a token for a free Jameson. 

Inside I asked the Jameson brand ambassador what she thought about the connection between alcohol and music in New Zealand. She said, “I think drink responsibly and you’ll have a hell of a good time.”

Aunty El was already playing when we got inside. Her set covered a range of genres from grime to Justin Timberlake remixes. A few dedicated fans were thoroughly captivated at the front while people filed in behind them. By the time Rhys Rich got on stage, the crowd was dense and sweaty.  The stage was lit up with alty, film-hazy visuals of New York street scenes, seagulls, and pretty girls in sunglasses. Rhys Rich’s set was a blended lo-fi hip-hop adorned with his dreamy Yellow Days alt-pop voice. I was impressed by the noisy fans singing his lyrics back to him. In an exclusive interview after the show Rich told Salient, “everytime I hear someone else's voice [when I’m on stage] I’m winning.” 

During the break we went to explore the sights of Meow. One woman in the bathroom line was making the men wait as long as the women in the name of “tearing down the patriarchy.” Inside the bathroom there was one person advertising a job at a law firm, a conversation was being had about the highs and lows of working in retail, and a security guard was investigating the pervading smell of marijuana. 

lilbubblegum picked up the pace with four people on stage and delivered a high-energy set. He credited the Wellington crowd for being better than Auckland, where they had been last night. The crowd repaid the compliment by repeating every demand of “hell yeah” back to him. Mid-way through the set lilbubblegum split the crowd in two, instructing “left side say ‘fuck right side,’” and vice-versa. Eventually we couldn’t stand the tension and ran at each other, relieving our agitation in the humble sway of the mosh.
Finally, it was time to see the act we had all been waiting for. JessB, who had been described by fans outside as “fucking lit”, “phenomenal” and “friends with my tattoo artist”, donned the stage with her hype-girl and DJ, Half Queen . They were respectably drinking water. The set showcased JessB’s raw, honest vocals and moved towards an almost house-y vibe at the end. When she tried to leave the stage, she was called back by the incessant chanting of “one more song!” She rejected calls from the crowd to play “Best Friend” again as the encore, insisting that the crowd suggest one of her songs. A power move to say the least. In the end, we got “Best Friend” and “Take it Down” to close the show. JessB and Half Queenare not only contributing to the New Zealand music scene, they are challenging its boys-club nature too. Overall review: phenomenal.