The Beatniks

Known for their electrifying and engaging live performances, The Beatniks have quickly become a ‘must see’ in the Aotearoa New Zealand music scene and acknowledged for perpetuating whilst redefining the ‘Dunedin Sound’.

Formed in 2021, as university students, they first grabbed New Zealand’s attention after making headlines for infamously holding an underground gig at the abandoned Dunedin music venue Sammy’s, as a rebellion against a string of council-regulated venue closures. The band’s attempts at resurrecting NZ’s live music scene led to their role as protagonists in the documentary series ‘Tribal: Inside NZ’s underground music scene’. The Beatniks garnered further attention in 2022, being featured in the Abbey Road Studios World Music Photography Competition, as finalists in the “Undiscovered” category. This has seen The Beatniks acquire a loyal fan base and media attention before having any released material.

Their 2023 self produced, debut album Archetype spent multiple months on NZ student radio charts, and since its release the band have been continuing to build their fan base playing large scale festivals such as Rhythm & Alps and the Dunedin Craft Beer and Food Festival in 2024. They have a new single Another Day out now and an EP on the way.

Photo Credit: Lily Jane