Recent Gigs

We have played a couple of awesome gigs recently our guitarists birthday party and a gig at Ombrello's bar. Here are some photos:

  

Keep your eye out for our upcoming gigs, single release, album release and tour dates!

48 Film Festival - Dunedin Finals.

On Friday 10 June the band played a short acoustic set at the V 48 Hour Film Festival Finals. The concept of the 48 Hour Film Festival is to write, film and edit a movie in 48 hours... with a few restrictions such as your genre, a prop, a character and a line...It was awesome to be able to drink heaps of free V and watch amazing short films.


We all agreed with the winner which was an hilarious, 'Fad Movie' about the fad that we all remember - Chatter Rings. Make sure you check out the screening of the finals on Channel Four later in the year. Here is a link to view some of the finalists around New Zealand:

Thanks to V, Strictly Coffee, Filadelfios and to the talented people that made the films we got to enjoy. It was a fun night.

This blog is managed and maintained by Verity Kerr  

NZ Music Month Library Gig.

During NZ Music Month the Dunedin Public Library hosted a selection of wonderfully talented local artists - Tla, Julian Temple Band, John Egenes, Both Sides of the Line, Catgut and Steel, Black Boy Peaches, The Plot Holes, Honeybone., Left or Right Soundsystem, Mr Biscuits, The Doyleys, Death by Silo, Logan Valentine with Chris Keogh, Matt Langley, Leo Ladell, Amanda Goodwin, Thomas Macarthur and Robert Scott.

Ash & The Matadors enjoyed playing alongside Logan Valentine with Chris Keogh (who played some delightful Sex With Bowie songs) and Robert Scott (who is in amazing Dunedin bands such as The Bats and The Clean). 


Thanks to The Dunedin Public Library http://www.flickr.com/photos/dunedinpubliclibraries) and Jo Little for these photos from the show. 

"Jetpak Blues", Recording at Arthouse Studio.

On Saturday 28th May the band met with Paul M Sammes of Arthouse Studio to record the track, "Jetpack Blues", for their new single - "The Jetpak Blues". Arrival time was 10am and the day was spent recording (and reading Oasis magazines supplied by Ash), with it being called a day around 6pm. However, not everything was quite completed so the band returned on Monday night to finish... arriving there just after 5pm and returning home around 1am. It was a great experience and Ash picks up the mastered version for a listen this evening after Thursday night band practice.


"The Jetpak Blues" single itself will contain 3-4 other songs which are yet to be confirmed. The other songs being recorded over a weekend at The Long Beach Scout Hall by Driech (Livesoundengineering) 


Currently the design for the cover is being worked on and it is aimed that the release date will be late July. 


Below are some photos of the recording (taken by the band themselves, as you can probably tell) as well as some information on Paul M Sammes and The Arthouse Studio, which you may find interesting to read.

PAUL M SAMMES 
(directly quoted from: http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2011/mar/dunedin/home-recording-101)

Upon graduating from the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand (MAINZ) with a Diploma in Audio Engineering and Music Production in 1993, Paul headed to Sydney, Australia where he began work as an engineer and producer working with various studios and production houses. Later gaining a degree in Digital Media from Sydney Graphics College (SGC) where he continued as a Lecturer in Sound Design for Film, Television, Radio and Advertising.

A long time Pro Tools user himself, Paul later joined the Avid / digidesign team, working internationally with high profile Studios and Pro Tools professionals. This in turn lead to Paul being appointed to the prestigious Australian Institute of Music (AIM), where he continued lecturing in Recording Technology, Digital Audio and Mastering, prior to his return to New Zealand in February 2010.

A musician, engineer and producer, Paul is passionate about all things audio and has over twenty years experience in the professional audio Industry.

ARTHOUSE STUDIO

(directly quoted from: http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2011/mar/dunedin/home-recording-101)

Equipment used: 
The arthousemedia Studio is equipped with a range of high-end professional audio tools. These include a world class Avid / digidesign Pro Tools HD3 System and Control|24 Automated Mixing Console, M-Audio MIDI Controller Keyboards, Focusrite Microphone Preamps, Roland V-Drums Electronic Drumkit, Fender and Laney Guitar Amps and an extensive range of high end studio and performance microphones.

Our comfortable production and listening rooms additionally feature Avid / digidesign Audio Interfaces and Control Surfaces including digidesign 002 and digidesign Mbox2’s, Roland Synthesisers and a range of Professional Monitoring and Headphone Systems by Genelec, Event, Roland, Carillon, Aussie Monitor, Beyer, AKG and Legacy Audio.

All rooms are equipped with Apple Powermac G5 workstations running Avid Pro Tools and Logic Audio.

Software includes EQ, Dynamics and Waveform processing by Brainworx, Massenburg, Drawmer, Focusrite, EMI, URS, Waves, Massey, Eiosys, Pultec , Flux, TL Audio, RND and Eventide. FX and Virtual Instruments by Eventide, Antares, Aphex, Princeton Digital, Izotope, Digidesign, Native Instruments, Access, Neyrinck, Dolby Labs.

This blog is managed and maintained by Verity Kerr

Fiddy Club Gig

On Saturday 14th May we had the pleasure of playing two shows for The Fiddy Club gig at 12 Below, Dunedin. The whole idea behind the Fiddy Club is awesome and focuses on original singer/songwriters. It is about showcasing local songwriting talent that organiser Jimmy Higgs believes, "deserves just as much exposure as it's 80's heyday".


We played alongside 4 other original bands/solo performers.

Poster by Jimmy Higgs

The first gig was early afternoon and all ages,  although there weren't too many people there it was enjoyable watching a couple of children under 5 rock out to the music. The night time R18 show had a larger crowd buzzing with energy. All the performers put on an excellent performance and sound was provided by Dunedin legend Ian Sweetman,(Dreich).

Photo from D-Scene: http://fairfaxmedia.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

The write up in the D-Scene advertising the gig spoke of Ash & The Matadors (along with all the other talented artists) in a very favourable light. Here is a quote from the article:

"...Ash & The Matadors craft great songs and quite simply own great tone, with lead vocalist Ash possessing one of the richest and most unique voices around..."

Here are a few photos from both sets:

Once again, thank you very much to Jimmy Higgs and all the sponsors of this event. We look forward to the next one.

This blog is managed and maintained by Verity Kerr

Adios Simon

Simon Barr, Drums. 2009-2011

Saturday 7th May was the final Ash & The Matador's gig with drummer Simon Barr. Simon has been a part of Ash & The Matadors right from the get go, having already played in Ash and Spencer's previous band, 'Sweet Lady H'.

The Final Band Photo

We will always have fond memories of Simon, dancing and his nipple. We wish Simon all the best for his future music endeavours with Danelectro.

Here are some photos of the gig on Saturday night:

Live Recordings by Ian Sweetman

Here are a few live recordings done by the very talented Ian Sweetman (Live Sound Engineering). None of these songs are on our EP. Hopefully you have time to sit back and have a listen. 

The Hunter - Cook, Dunedin. 2010.

O'Brother - Cook, Dunedin. 2010.

Bells - Feastock, Dunedin. 2011.

Driech testing the rig - only 127dB of Rammstein in a 100pax room 

Once again thank you very much Ian!

This blog is maintained and managed by Verity Kerr