I’m back again with a brand new set of images, which I like to call “Stella’s Stars of 2017”! I’ve chosen a small selection to share, including a few 35mm film images I made at this year’s St. Jerome’s Laneway music festival in Auckland. Something a bit different. I can’t believe another year has flown by. To be honest, it’s […]

Ramona Gonzalez’s project as Nite Jewel would make a fascinating Doctoral thesis. Like many independent musicians, her initial works flew under the radar, but her breakthrough came with 2012’s One Second of Love, which saw the LA-based artist go from lo-fi to ’80s dance clubs. The album was positively received (the album remains a personal favorite), and Gonzalez became a […]

On Saturday night, Auckland-based Racing brought their The Bass EP tour to Wellington’s Meow. It was the last stop of the band’s cross-country tour, and the quartet didn’t hold anything back, playing for nearly 90 minutes. Before describing the band’s music and show, it is important to describe Ed Knowles’ presence. Imagine for a moment that Dr. Frankenstein was tasked […]

As I sat and watched Andrew Keoghan perform last Thursday night at Meow, eight words repeatedly flowed through my head, “He should be more popular than he is.” In a different era, the Kiwi citizen now Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist would be a star. He’s a combination of Andrew Bird, Babyface, and Julia Holter with a voice that equally […]

As she was about to start the fourth song of her final New Zealand date, Lydia Cole spoke of a young woman – a long-time fan from Gisborne who had planned to attend the show. A family accident, however, prevented her from coming, and Cole dedicated “Time Is A Healer” to her, singing it with the grace and power of a person […]

To witness 500 hundred pairs of eyes completely focused on an artist for more than an hour is a sight to behold, which is exactly what Nadia Reid did on Wednesday night at Meow in Wellington, New Zealand. The entire event exhibited Reid’s musical talent and potential, and just how far she has come in a short time. The Port […]

For the better part three weeks, two of New Zealand’s favourite offspring, Nadia Reid and Anthony Tonnon, have teamed up with legendary Australian folk storyteller Darren Hanlon for a country wide tour of “Urban Folk”. The trio made an appearance at Wellington’s Meow last Saturday. The trio started the evening performing on stage together before playing an entertaining game of “Rock, […]

Last Saturday night (or Friday night for those in North America), mysterious singer/songwriter Aldous Harding graced the stages of Wellington’s Meow as part of her New Zealand tour. Performing solo, with the occasional assistance of a keyboardist, Harding enthralled a seated full house with her unique blend of alternative folk and her haunting, powerful voice that was simply captivating. An […]