THE BATS - SATURDAY 7 MARCH - HOLLYWOOD AVONDALE

The local legends of our line-up, The Bats scarcely need any introduction, but just in case you’ve been living under a rock. For over forty years this reliably delightful Flying Nun quartet have been responsible for soothing us, getting us dancing, and creating some of the most note perfect South Island sound you’re ever likely to hear. With their eleventh album Corner Coming Up just released to audience acclaim, there’s no finer time to catch this perfect pop band for their first Tāmaki Makaurau headline show in yonks.

Grab your 2026 calendars and put a big red cross through the month of March, because Banished Music and Strange News have teamed up for a phenomenal series of shows in your favourite venues across Tāmaki Makaurau.

Ladies and germs, introducing Strange Universe - Autumn Edition, featuring the return of American psych lord Ty Segall and his scorching band, Norwegian duo of the moment Smerz, Swedish noise makers Les Big Byrd, Anatolian psych-folk sensation Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, and eternally excellent Flying Nun favourite The Bats celebrating their 2025 already-classic album Corner Coming Up!

‍“I knew we were crazy, but I didn’t know we were this crazy”
- Reuben Bonner, CEO of Banished Music

‍Having both run their own shows separately for two decades or more, independent Tāmaki Makaurau-based promoters Banished Music and Strange News put their heads together in 2022 and realised that by their powers combined they could throw on shows beyond either of their wildest dreams. Since then, the dynamic duo have brought us the likes of Pavement, Amyl & The Sniffers, Lucy Dacus, MJ Lenderman, Vieux Farka Touré, Parquet Courts, Bikini Kill, Weyes Blood, Tinariwen, and countless more.

Now, it’s time to ramp things up and really get the party started! The full line-up across March is yet to be unveiled, but this first announcement is enough to melt our minds and have us looking forward to the new year like never before… And you better believe we are planning Strange Universe WINTER Edition already… 
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