Gig Review: The Veils @ Powerstation, Auckland – 27/06/2026
With the winter solstice a mere week past, the Auckland air outside The Powerstation had a crisp bite to it. This freshness felt like Auckland’s best attempt to match the London climate that co-birthed headliner act The Veils over their 20-plus year career. The timing seemed appropriate for an act well versed in the realms of cinematic, southern gothic rock. After a brisk entry into the venue, the feeling inside was fitting given the band’s history and the direction of the current album. This tour is centered around the latest album Fragile World and the sense of shelter and community inside felt appropriate for an album written to find the humanity “in the face of an increasingly maddening world”.
An X-Z of generations chatted fluidly, scattered around the dark nooks and crannies of the venue in the lead-up to opener Jazmine Mary gracing the stage. Similar to The Veils, Jazmine Mary forged their way into the music scene through a prolific catalogue that seems to be as much for themselves as it is for the listener. After informal musical escapades as a teenager they began releasing under the moniker Him in 2017 before adorning their current title, and winning the Auckland Live Best Independent Debut award in 2022.
The success of these tracks, particularly within the Aotearoa scene didn’t seem to faze them tonight. As the audience flocked towards the venue’s central area Jazmine, and their white turtleneck adorned band quickly kicked off with the track Memphis off their latest album I Want To Rock And Roll. Despite their songs having a slower, poetic nature, rock and roll is what they did. Visually the band felt like a nod to the 70’s, turtlenecks, fluffy ‘fros, and fringes made up a solid backing band consisting of the energetic Joshua on grand piano, the stoic Louisa on bass and the calm Tom on drums. Jazmine themselves wielded a classic hollow body guitar in a vibrant shade of blue and a can of what likely contained an alcoholic beverage.
As the show went on Jazmine increasingly grew into the position they were in. While these songs were clearly felt deeply within the artist, regardless of the crowd they began to realise the hold they had on the community that had formed at the venue. Gestures that were at first personal, pointing at self, became orchestral waves to a crowd that was starting to find its own rhythm. Facial expressions opened up from internal contemplation to external release.
Upon commencement of Narcotics Anonymous Meeting they state that’s how they like to think of this experience, taking a sip of their drink to emphasise the point. Closing with latest single Drunk at the Gym, any bitter or melancholy energy had now lost itself in the party. Celebratory, almost experimental Woo noises close out a dynamic set and bring hints of the emotional volatility that The Veils was soon to double down on.
After a comfortable changeover The Veils’ frontman Finn Andrews greets the warmed up audience with a grin and a confident “alright, how you doing”. The band is known to have a rotating line up, with Andrews essentially operating as the fixed creative centre. This was evident in the way the band played, not through a lack of cohesion but in the way members followed and looked to Andrews as the clear captain of the ship. Fragile World was recorded live to tape with no fixed arrangements and this live, jam based approach resonated through the entire performance.
The woo call that concluded Jazmine Mary’s performance kicks off that of The Veils. The band’s formal attire coincides nicely with opening songs, containing a relatively controlled and at times ballad-like energy. Lyrics such as “I lose a little time and I gain a little back” from Aurora and “the architects of fate” from Lungs push a layer of contemplation throughout the crowd. These slower, building songs have a tendency to put things in perspective and the hush among the crowd at this point reflects this sentiment.
The first real change of pace occurs when Andrews stands up from the piano, adorns a low hanging guitar and pushes out the opening chords of Swimming with the Crocodiles. This bluesy track from their 2016 album Total Depravity reflects a darker and grittier side of the band, a sound not unfamiliar to any fan of the band. While still a relatively slow song we’re given our first real taste of the power behind this performance. Jerking body movements from the frontman, three part harmonies and lyrics delivered through a grimace as much as a smile immediately induce a sway to the dancefloor.
All throughout the performance band members switch fluidly between instruments and roles demonstrating their rapport. Though it feels like the performance could erupt or subside at any point the cohesion between the band provides enough trust to center the audience. A particular highlight is the introduction of the fiddle to the performance which grounds the band’s sound in the southern gothic realm they are known for, and marks the continuation of the performance’s climb in intensity.
Around the hour mark, Andrews forecasts the band’s impending departure by thanking the Strange Universe music festival, which they are concluding. Raw and gritty vocals from Jesus for the Jugular maintain the steady energy but provide a taste of something slower and more self centered to finish the night. This is not enough. After a suspiciously quick vacation from the stage an encore chant has begun and swiftly brought the band back to the stage. With the audience still buzzing Andrews utilises the element of surprise to announce, “an extremely quiet song”, The Widening Dark. This is followed by a particularly rousing closer featuring only Andrews on the grand piano, and the fiddle player in a close and tense, bluesy rendition of the unforgettable Axolotl.
Overall this night played out in a way that felt authentic to the future, past and present of The Veils. The moody dark of the night and the venue did not inhibit a feet stomping, head nodding live show but rather created the perfect place of escape to do so. The symmetrical walls of The Powerstation felt like a haven from “an increasingly maddening world” and reflected Andrews’ musical intent to try to foster some humanity. The respectful yet swaying crowd seemed like a fitting way to pay homage to these two musical legends who provided a shelter and camaraderie that’s increasingly rare in these uncertain times.
