Our monthly Late Lounge session takes place on the first Thursday of every month. Relax on a beanbag and soak up the music on offer from local performers. All galleries, cafe, cash bar and shop open until 9pm.
Local boys, Mercury Crowe are described as 'honest rockers'. They deliver 1950s blues riffs, strong ballads and Beatles-esque harmonies.
‘They are young, talented, their live show is on fire, and they are up-and-coming in the best sense of the phrase.’ – aucklandlivemusic.co.nz
‘Damn good songs.’ – Salient
‘Honest rock music with an exciting live performance.’ – muzic.net.nz
‘The epitome of a hard working band.’ – Mike Chunn
Mercury Crowe members are: Allan Mansfield, vocals, guitars, lyrics; Hamish McKoy, guitars, vocals, lyrics; Rowan Clark on bass, vocals, keys, lyrics; and Nick George on drums, vocals and lyrics. http://www.mercurycrowe.com/
With their two previous releases – 2007’s EP ‘Mercury Crowe’ and 2009’s EP ‘Set Your Mind to Fly’ – Mercury Crowe broke out of their shell with fully self produced and funded recordings. These releases provided the basis for relentless touring between 2007–2009 and were also highlighted by the success of the single ‘Carolina’, which received nationwide radio play and had TV performances on the Good Morning Show, Sunrise, and AltTV.
Early 2010 saw Mercury Crowe hunker down to write the next batch of songs, and with numerous group writing sessions and pre production it was decided that the new songs would be narrowed down to release two video singles by the end of the year. In these writing sessions the band set to find a balance between its artistic integrity and crafting songs which would hopefully be easy on the radio DJ’s ear. The result was the production of the first single “Kiss Me or Kill Me”, a three minute stomping Rock n Roll tune about falling in lust on a one way street. The band then called upon long time collaborators Lisa Tomlins on Backing Vocals (Fat Freddys Drop, Rhombus) and Ed Zuccollo on organ (Harbour City Electric) to help capture the song in the studio.
Recorded at ‘the Lab’ studios in Auckland with the accompanied video by MoFresh Productions in Wellington, the Crowe has set to retain the raw energy of its live experience in the new single. “In a live show, the musician is attempting to capture a moment, whereas studio recording has always been seen as perfecting a moment. That’s where we have strived to retain elements of both in the new single” says guitarist Hamish McKoy. The band also credits this sound to its major influences, including the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Oasis, The Black Crowes and Ryan Adams. “Such artists whose songs were not only influential to modern music, but have a clever simplicity to them which has stood the test of time” says drummer Nick George. The band thought it necessary to pay close attention to retaining this simplicity, while also developing a raw sound and energy that’s rarely heard in New Zealand.