I’m excited to share that we’re curating a local show, 11 September at Big Fan. The event brings together bands and audiences from across Auckland’s vibrant youth rock circuit and post-metal underground in an all ages and licensed setting. The idea is a series of showcases that encourage accessible music discovery and support sustainable live music.
Tickets are $15 from Undertheradar ($20 on the door).
Why are we doing this?
This is the first gig by a Rothko Records artist since 2013! My personal journey since then has been one of reconnecting with music, creativity as adventure, and just doing the work in a quietly productive way. Playing live is something we as Sunwraith have only recently considered, though it now seems obvious.
Yet there is a lot to contend with in returning to the live circuit: post-pandemic and inflationary impacts, infrastructure and operating pressures, and changes in consumer behaviour. This is signalled by venue closures and market consolidation but is potentially giving rise to new business models and artist-fan experiences also. In New Zealand, Big Fan General Manager, Savina Fountain, observes:
“I think at the moment, what I’m noticing is an imbalance of where the funds and the attention is going,” Fountain said. “The mahi that goes on in the local music scene, that is grassroots, we are growing the next Six60 who can actually play those stadiums, and that money is going to stay onshore. It’s not going offshore. It’s not going to the big multinationals. But we can all coexist. It should be part of the same ecosystem.”
But we can all coexist as part of the same ecosystem. As constituents, we may not be able to influence all economic, societal, and culture concerns, but we can surely take a more sustainable approach to that which is in our control. Obviously, there are local and global systemic issues to safeguarding the music business and the adjacent sectors that depend upon and help enable the sharing of human creativity. Just how, then, do independent bands that want to play live navigate all of this today?
Take inspiration from the youth.
I met Malachi Freeman of Beatdown Events and Scream By Tulips (alt-rock) at a Big Fan show. He was working the door and open to chatting about grassroots music and events promotions. Malachi was especially generous in sharing operating knowledge which left me eager for us to work together. In his experience, what works for DIY bands today has a familiar Fugazi-style ethos: authenticity, action, access—all ages. Freedom and responsibility. Artists should control their career. Independent music in Aotearoa thrives on collaboration, not exclusivity.
Malachi’s insights and Big Fan’s platform (with others like it) might offer something of a new playbook, not just for emerging artists but experienced ones seeking better ways to share their art through broader community engagement. Though it’s not for me to tell but for all of us to go and find out how this works. Go to a Beatdown Production show. Drop into Big Fan. Come along to Rothko Records’ showcase (featuring Malachi’s band) to see our experiment.
I will share just one insight: a sustainable, revenue-generating tactic that’s low cost to fans. Merch (t-shirts and so on) is one of the most important revenue streams for artists. For fans, it’s identity. Recognising this and the principles of access/affordability, before a show, Scream By Tulips will buy $2.00 shirts from an op-shop and spray-paint on their logo. These always sell at the merch table.
“But doesn’t the logo wash off?” I asked.
Malachi smiled gently and shrugged at my question. Obviously, I have a lot to learn after 20 years in the game.
Small act, big impact
Candidly, this showcase needs to break even to justify the upfront investment and subsequent gigs. Artist, events organisations, and venues should have basic capital discipline to grow and protect a sustainable future for local live music.
My personal aspiration for our showcase show is that people of any age come away wanting to get involved in the scene—as makers, promoters, or avid supporters. Inspiration is part of the value that the veteran musicians in the line-up offer. You cannot watch Hugh Allan of Mothra play guitar without saying, “How is it so heavy? Why is it so pretty? I want to play that riff.”
If all of this sounds like a net positive for Auckland music, you can help too. Forward this newsletter or share these images on social media. Get the word out that something special is happening in local rock and metal, and all are welcome.
Thank you,
M.
Press release
Artist-run label Rothko Records presents a four-band showcase at Morningside’s Big Fan on Friday, 11 September. Designed to connect Tāmaki Makaurau’s emerging youth rock scene and its veteran heavy underground, the all-ages and licensed event celebrates the “light-and-shade” of alt-rock, noise-rock, post-metal, and sludge.
Headlining the evening are instrumental post-metal stalwarts Mothra. The band’s formidable reputation has earnt them opening support slots for the likes of The Dillinger Escape Plan, Helmet, Russian Circles, Earth, Devin Townsend, This Will Destroy You, sleepmakeswaves, Quicksand, and High on Fire. Incubating their sophomore release, fans can expect Mothra to unleash devastating heaviness in kaleidoscopic textural detail.
The night also marks the live debut of main support, Sunwraith. Formed by members of Decortica, Magnalith, and Pegasus, Sunwraith balances brutalist rhythmic percussion with cascading guitars and careening vocals, drawing thematic inspiration from Tarkovskyan sci-fi. Their performance follows the release of singles “Thanasphere” and “Golden Sphere.”
Opening the bill are two of Auckland’s vital young acts. Crying Ivy are winners of the Auckland Rockquest finals and 95bFM #1 single artists whose sound spans thrash, noise-rock, and experimental. Scream By Tulips, a six-piece alt-rock outfit, bring turbulent dual-guitar assaults, twin vocal harmonies, and explosive ‘90s post-grunge energy.
“This showcase is a celebration of the wider alt and heavy music community, bringing together the experienced and emerging in a forward-looking and inclusive way,” says Rothko Records’ Mathew Bosher. “Big Fan provides a thriving space in an all-ages and licensed environment where younger audiences and long-time underground listeners can share and support Auckland live music —and maybe get inspired to start their own band at any age.”
Tickets are available now via Undertheradar. $15 plus booking fee ($20 at the door).
EVENT DETAILS
Event: Rothko Records presents Mothra with Sunwraith, Crying Ivy, Scream By Tulips
Date: Friday, 11 September 2026
Venue: Big Fan, 25 McDonald Street, Morningside, Auckland
Doors: 7:00pm | Music starts 7:30pm
Restrictions: All ages & licensed
Tickets: $15 pre-sale (Undertheradar) | $20 door sales
LINE-UP
Mothra (instrumental post-metal / avant-garde sludge)
Sunwraith (post-metal / prog rock — debut live performance)
Crying Ivy (noise-rock / thrash / experimental)
Scream By Tulips (alt-rock / post-grunge / noise-pop)