What is Cool Town? Few people know. Some say it was once the coolest and most mysterious bar in Wellington, located behind a secret door on Cuba Street before it disappeared. One thing is for sure: whatever Cool Town was, it’s coming back. For Orientation Week only, Mount Street Bar will be transformed into Cool Town! From Monday 1 to Friday 5 of March the coolest bands in town will appear at Cool Town to perform for free! Gigs start at 5pm, so you can come straight after classes, which is pretty darn sweet.
Monday sees Seth Frightening douse Cool Town with warm, glowing folk. Having released their debut recording The Prince and His Madness, Seth Frightening have recently played at Campus A Low Hum, and are soon to play with Deerhoof. Joining them will be the ethereal The Body Lyre. Currently releasing a free online single every month to build up to the release of their new album, The Body Lyre provide warm, atmospheric and suspenseful music. The Body Lyre will be a must-see at Cool Town, and a chilled way to relax after your first day back at uni.
What a contrast Tuesday provides from the soft lush melodies of Monday. The fresh prince of Wellington rap Tommy Ill will be showering Cool Town in awesome, like a cold bucket of water on a scorching hot day. No one knows what made him take up rap, but they’re sure glad he did—be sure to catch the maestro in action. Playing the foil is Old Grey Wolf. Frantic, upbeat and synthy, this Wellington boy wowed audiences at Field of Dreams. Old Grey Wolf has been justly compared to So So Modern and Hot Chip.
By Wednesday the days are starting to drag, but Cool Town just keeps rockin. Sets has made a daunting target for himself this year. Deciding that the start of a new decade is the perfect opportunity for “a new process”, he is composing an entirely new and different album for every show he plays, never repeating a composition at any two performances. Definitely not to be missed. Fear for the Birds are new on the block, but you wouldn’t think it. Noisy but earnest, they can be compared to the atmosphere of early Modest Mouse.
Thursday! Girls love John the Baptist. Their fast-paced banjo-based folkabilly made them one of the Captial Times’ “stand-out Wellington acts” at Campus A Low Hum. They’ll be stirring up some crazy times at Cool Town, along with accompanying Vaults. Richard Paul Alexander has teamed up with Rowan Price, after his amazing set at Field of Dreams earned him a spot at Campus A Low Hum. An exciting first gig is to be expected at Cool Town.
Friday is sadly the last day of Cool Town, but it offers two of the hottest bands in the country, this time from Auckland. Noisy pop-punk artists Street Chant and Nevernudes will close Cool Town with a bang or two. Four-piece Nevernudes have been compared to the likes of The Mint Chicks, Sonic Youth, Fugazi, At the Drive-In, and have been described as “tasty, like a pie”. Their debut EP was produced by former Mint Chick Michael Logie, and the band are now threatening to be one of the best up-and-comers Aotearoa has to offer.
Ambitious trio Street Chant have a humble Auckland background, but their blend of thrashing post-punk and cheerful pop has helped make quite a name for themselves. They soon open for The Dead Weather all through Australia, so catch them before the masses do at Cool Town!
Get sucked through the Cool Town portal at Mount Street Bar this O-Week. It’ll be too late once it closes.