Firstly, I am excited to announce the return of the Band Experiments in 2009! The Hamilton Live Music Trust will be organising the event this year after the fantastic revival of the competition last year by Mammoth Gig Guide. The competition was first established in 1999 and over the first few years of its existence, it saw many prominent local bands arise, including The Datsuns, Cornerstone Roots and Katchafire. The Band Experiments 2009 programme is scheduled to coincide with the end of the Waikato University and Wintec B Semesters (but well before exams), running every Thursday five weeks. Four heats will see four acts playing 20 minute sets each, with the winner of each heat (announced on the night by a panel of judges) contesting the final along with a wild-card ‘people’s choice’ entry.

The competition is a great opportunity for bands to get experience and exposure, but the best part is that there are up to $5000 worth of prizes up for grabs! More details will be available closer to the beginning of the competition.

The official entry forms aren’t ready just yet, but don’t let that stop you. Send details about your band to bandexperiments2009@gmail.com and the Hamilton Live Music Trust will keep you in the loop and will provide an entry form as soon as they are available. The competition is limited to 16 acts, and you’ll want to get your application in well before the deadline on the 4th September 2009. Visit http://livemusictrust.wainet.org/ to find out more details about the Band Experiments 2009.

The scheduled dates are:
Heat 1 (4 acts) – Thursday 17th September 
Heat 2 (4 acts) – Thursday 24th September 
Heat 3 (4 acts) – Thursday 1st October 
Heat 4 (4 acts) – Thursday 8th October 
Final (5 acts) – Thursday 15th October

Another big gig to check out this week is Tiki Taane at Flow Bar on Saturday 1st August. He is touring with the release of his latest album ‘Flux’ which is a remix album of tracks from the his popular 2007 release ‘Past Present Future’. He will be playing an acoustic set first before DJ Sambora from Shapeshifter hits the stage for the remix tracks from ‘Flux’. Tickets are available from Flow and from CD and DVD Store Centreplace, you’ll need to make sure you get tickets early for this gig. Local support acts are Selector Cam, Evade & Dold. Some of the big upcoming gigs at Flow include Concord Dawn on 14th August, Ladi6 on 22nd August and King Kapisi on 19 September. 

Doteyes – Doteyes EP

To give an unbiased perspective on this recording (as I actually helped record a couple of the songs on it), I have asked Arianne to review this weeks featured recording: the Doteyes EP. Recorded only a few months ago, and released at Flow on the 13th June with The Hollow Grinders and Aum, it was also the farewell gig from one of Hamilton’s busiest musicians. I was lucky enough to play with Shane in Dynamo Go, but musically he really hit his stride when he returned from his half-year visit to the USA with a second hand synthesiser (a bit more affordable thanks to a broken key!). After playing his first show as Doteyes at the Hamilton Circle Jerk 2008, he managed to fit in many gigs over the last year despite having an incredibly busy schedule organising the Mammoth gig guides you may have seen around town over the past year or so.

Probably his most significant contribution to the local music community was his revival of the Band Experiments last year, offering a performance platform for many new bands that are now regulars of the Hamilton music scene, including The Prime Numbers, Knights of the Dub Table and The Dusk. So thank you Shane for all you have done for Hamilton music over the last few years!