It says a lot about Dunedin, a place of around 130,000 people, whose size pales in comparison to Auckland and even Christchurch, that it can reasonably claim to be the most historic music city in Aotearoa.
In the early ’80s, bands like The Chills, The Clean, The Verlaine’s, The Bats, and Straitjacket Fits took the ‘Dunedin Sound’ to the rest of the world, transforming a quiet South Island university town into one of the major centres for indie rock music.
Dunedin’s musical output has been consistently excellent ever since, from High Dependency Unit’s post-rock in the ’90s to Die! Die! Die!’s seminal punk years and Six60’s global breakout in the 21st century. All of these bands have played at some of this country’s most beloved music venues, from the Crown Hotel right in the heart of Dunedin to the much-missed Chick’s Hotel a short drive away in Port Chalmers.
2025 has been one of the strongest years for Dunedin music in a long time, with an exciting collection of bands, all linked together in the city’s tight-knit music community, deserving of wider recognition.
That’s why Rolling Stone AU/NZ decided to launch a special in-depth edition of our Scene Report series, in which we take a closer look at a city’s music scene.
Led by deputy editor Conor Lochrie, we’ve interviewed some of the biggest success stories from Ōtepoti, including Six60; we’ve profiled up-and-coming bands we think our readers need to know about; we’ve attended a long-running experimental festival gigs of all sizes and genres; we’ve spoken to Dunedin musicians and music fans who are rightly proud of their city’s talent and reputation, but feel that more support is required.
Our Dunedin Scene Report officially launches today, featuring exclusive interviews with Six60’s Ji Fraser and rising alternative rock band IVY, and a look at the city’s thriving all-ages live music scene.
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The series is running throughout December and January, shining a light on a city that punches well above its weight when it comes to music and culture.
Find all our Dunedin coverage in the Scene Report section on the Rolling Stone AU/NZ homepage.
