Banished Music and Strange News Present Strange Universe Summer Edition
After another huge year promoting dozens of international and local shows, Banished Music and Strange News decided it was time to put their feet up and take a much needed break. Just kidding, they’ll sleep when they’re dead!
Introducing… Strange Universe: Summer Edition – with a gigantic thanks to the fine people of Karangahape Road Business Association!
Strange Universe is fast becoming Tāmaki Makaurau’s new favourite show series, and with this late November / early December line-up, they think they’ve cracked the code. Nine brilliant shows, eighteen incredible acts, six favourite venues, and they’re showing Banished, Strange News, and Hollywood Avondale’s favourite films across November and December!
Kicking off proceedings is the “Diva of the Diode” herself, Suzanne Ciani! A bona fide synthesizer hero, Ciani is playing Wednesday 25 November in full quadraphonic sound at the Hollywood Avondale with special guest Dream Chambers.
Fresh from dropping her debut album Andy on Mānuka Recordings, Aotearoa’s favourite soul singer Romi Wrights is bringing her all-star band to Kāhui St David’s on Friday 27 November. With label-mate Eo in support, it’ll be a show to remember.
Making a welcome return to Aotearoa, Courtney Marie Andrews is set to play a headline show alongside the wonderful Hina at Double Whammy on Tuesday 1 December. Courtney’s ninth album Valentine arrived this year, with Mojo praising it as “moving, beautiful and uplifting”.
Here for the first time, it’s New York City songwriter Allegra Krieger, playing Whammy Bar on Wednesday 2 December with local luminary Mali Mali playing songs from his upcoming album Psychic Acorns. Allegra makes sparse, gorgeous music, and dabbles in noise and electronics too.
After tinkering away in their secret rock’n’roll laboratory, Dictaphone Blues are back, baby, and ready to party. Don’t call it a comeback, come down and have a killer time with the good times gang and check out their new jams at Public Bar with Beth Torrance & The Garden Party on Thursday 3 December!
The fearsome trio that is Die! Die! Die! return from the wilderness to throw down at Double Whammy on Friday 4 December. Set to remind us why they’re the sharpest knives in the drawer, Die! Die! Die! will be joined by Flying Nun faves Office Dog. Woof! Woof! Woof!
With Flying Nun and now AD93 announcing their breathlessly anticipated new album Given To The Night, out November 27, ethereal sister duo Purple Pilgrims will be entrancing us all with their new work at Kāhui St David’s on Khyber Pass, Saturday 5 December.
With Pitchfork calling their latest batch of songs “a riot of invention”, celebrated UK experimental group Tara Clerkin Trio are headed our way for a Strange Universe exclusive, playing Double Whammy with the sensational Greatsouth on Tuesday 8 December.
Closing out our final 2026 season, Nadia Reid returns from Manchester to share her magic with us once again alongside longtime collaborator Sam Taylor. Saturday 12 December at the gorgeous Pitt St Methodist Church, Nadia will be joined by Californian songwriter and honorary Antipodean Mimi Gilbert.
“It’s like… a whole bunch of amazing gigs happening over the space of a few weeks, y’know?” – Matthew Crawley, Chief Financial Officer of Strange News Touring
STRANGE UNIVERSE
SUMMER EDITION
SUZANNE CIANI (USA) + DREAM CHAMBERS
Wednesday 25 November @ Hollywood Avondale
ROMI WRIGHTS + EO
Friday 27 November @ Kāhui St David’s
COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS (USA) + HINA
Tuesday 1 December @ Double Whammy
ALLEGRA KRIEGER (USA) + MALI MALI
Wednesday 2 December @ Whammy Bar
DICTAPHONE BLUES + BETH TORRANCE & THE GARDEN PARTY
Thursday 3 December @ Public Bar
DIE! DIE! DIE! + OFFICE DOG
Friday 4 December @ Double Whammy
PURPLE PILGRIMS + SCHOFIELD STRANGELOVE
Saturday 5 December @ Kāhui St David’s
TARA CLERKIN TRIO (UK) + GREATSOUTH
Tuesday 8 December @ Double Whammy
NADIA REID + MIMI GILBERT (USA)
Saturday 12 December @ Pitt St Methodist
THE STRANGE UNIVERSE TINY FILM FESTIVAL
Thursdays 12 November – 10 December @ Hollywood Avondale
Tickets on sale now from www.banishedmusic.com
