DarkWater Play Before The Wrecking Ball Part 4 This Friday

New Plymouth alternative rock trio DarkWater are playing Before the Wrecking Ball Part 4 this Friday September 4th. It’s (sadly) one of Nivara Lounge’s countdown shows before the much-loved Kirikiriroa Hamilton venue closes for good.

Curated by radio host and local music lover Mockers Rocks, also on the bill of The Antarctic Edition of Before the Wrecking Ball are Grave Doll, DolphinDrive and Stone Clones.

For those who may not have heard the sad news, the building which houses Nivara Lounge is set for demolition in April 2027. Owned and operated by Ivan Muir through two separate stints, the venue originally opened as the JBC in the 1990’s, before taking on a second life and name in the 2010’s.
*You can read more about Nivara Lounge in this story on AudioCulture, by Danica Bryant.

The Nivara Lounge show on Friday is DarkWater’s first show outside of New Plymouth for some time.

Longtime drummer Rossco recently left DarkWater, so It’s also their first show with their new drummer Ash Rolston, who is also the drummer for progressive instrumental metal band Afterlight.

DarkWater bassist Merran Holden says, “We met Ash at a show we did with Afterlight, and when Rossco left, he put his hand up to play drums for the gigs we had booked. Ash is Waikato-based, so our practices together in the same room will be less frequent, but thanks to modern technology there’s easy ways of overcoming the problems of distance”.

DarkWater are looking forward to heading back into the studio this October/November to complete their third album, which follows 2017’s You’re Only As Addicted As You’re Willing To Be, and 2024’s Turning Point.

Also featuring at Before The Wrecking Ball Part 4 are Grave Doll, DolphinDrive and Stone Clones.

Grave Doll is a two-piece band from New Plymouth, New Zealand. Originally starting out as a solo project, Grave Doll evolved into a full two-piece following its first live performances in 2026.

While two-piece bands are often built around a bass-heavy foundation, Grave Doll puts the guitar front and centre. Their music walks the line between grunge, punk, metal and hardcore, creating something that feels both fresh and strangely familiar.

Dolphin Drive are a Hamilton-based rock band made up of Brogan King on guitar and vocals and Cullen Douch on drums. Drawing influence from the best of Kiwi rock, grunge and punk, the duo have built a sound far bigger than their two-piece lineup would suggest.

Since forming, Dolphin Drive have set their sights on taking their music beyond the Waikato, combining powerful songwriting with a no-nonsense approach to live rock music. With original material in the works and a growing presence on the local scene, the band are focused on one thing – making music that hits hard and leaves a lasting impression.

Emerging from the desolate wastes of Hamilton, New Zealand, the Stone Clones have stepped out of the shadows to make their offering to the world, whether they want it or not.

The Stone Clones repertoire is the result of countless careful, painstaking hours of ritualistic song writing from the chronic frequency addict Cal (Calum Ray) on guitar and the ominous Seeg (Seager Ray) on vocals/guitar, who spend most of their waking hours with music on the brain. Cal and Seeg are joined by two other fellow Stone Clones – the notorious fugitive and thumb thumper, Juan Los B (Juan Los B) on bass/backing vocals, and the master of the dice and the thud, Dylan Byrne.

Stone Clones aim to spread their music to as many people who are willing to hear the call as possible, like a door-to-door insurance salesman who won’t take no for an answer.