Strange Universe Summer | Patron Pass at Multiple Venues (NZ)

Jump on the bandwagon. It's the Strange Universe Patron Pass where you can a) access every single show & movie in our programme with either a single pass, or a double passb) jump in and help support Banished & Strange News do what we do with a sizeable contribution in exchange for a sizeable number of SHOWS (and now, movies!)That's right one (or two) ticket(s)... and you have access to all the below!

Wed 25th November Suzanne Ciani + Dream Chambers @ Hollywood Avondale

Fri 27th NovemberRomi Wrights + EO @ Kāhui St David’s

Tue 1st DecemberCourtney Marie Andrews + Hina @ Double Whammy

Wed 2nd DecemberAllegra Krieger + Mali Mali @ Whammy Bar

Thu 3rd DecemberDictaphone Blues + Beth Torrance & The Garden Party @ Public Bar

Fri 4th December Die! Die! Die! + Office Dog @ Double Whammy

Sat 5th DecemberPurple Pilgrims + Schofield Strangelove @ Kāhui St David’s

Tue 8th DecemberTara Clerkin Trio + Greatsouth @ Double Whammy

Sat 12th DecemberNadia Reid + Mimi Gilbert @ Pitt St Methodist+ The Strange Universe Tiny Film Festival

THURSDAY 12 NOVEMBER - THE HISTORY OF CONCRETE (2026)

THURSDAY 19 NOVEMBER - ALMOST FAMOUS (2000)

THURSDAY 26 NOVEMBER - THE OUTSIDERS (1983)

THURSDAY 3 DECEMBER - THE VIDIOT FROM UHF (1989)

THURSDAY 10 DECEMBER - THE CABLE GUY (1996)--------------

After another huge year promoting dozens of international and local shows, Banished Music and Strange News decided it was time to put their feet up and take a much needed break. Just kidding, we’ll sleep when we’re dead! Introducing… Strange Universe: Summer Edition!

With a gigantic thanks to the fine people of Karangahape Road Business Association!

Strange Universe is fast becoming Tāmaki Makaurau’s new favourite show series, and with this late November / early December line-up, we think we’ve cracked the code. Nine brilliant shows, eighteen incredible acts, six favourite venues, and we’re showing Banished, Strange News, and Hollywood Avondale’s favourite films across November and December!

Kicking off proceedings is the "Diva of the Diode” herself, Suzanne Ciani! A bona fide synthesizer hero, Ciani is playing Wednesday 25 November in full quadraphonic sound at the Hollywood Avondale with special guest Dream Chambers.

Fresh from dropping her debut album Andy on Mānuka Recordings, Aotearoa’s favourite soul singer Romi Wrights is bringing her all-star band to Kāhui St David’s on Friday 27 November. With label-mate Eo in support, it’ll be a show to remember.

Making a welcome return to Aotearoa, Courtney Marie Andrews is set to play a headline show alongside the wonderful Hina at Double Whammy on Tuesday 1 December. Courtney’s ninth album Valentine arrived this year, with Mojo praising it as “moving, beautiful and uplifting”.

Here for the first time, it’s New York City songwriter Allegra Krieger, playing Whammy Bar on Wednesday 2 December with local luminary Mali Mali playing songs from his upcoming album Psychic Acorns. Allegra makes sparse, gorgeous music, and dabbles in noise and electronics too. We’re obsessed, and you will be too.

After tinkering away in their secret rock’n’roll laboratory, Dictaphone Blues are back, baby, and ready to party. Don’t call it a comeback, come down and have a killer time with the good times gang and check out their new jams at Public Bar with Beth Torrance & The Garden Party on Thursday 3 December!

The fearsome trio that is Die! Die! Die! return from the wilderness to throw down at Double Whammy on Friday 4 December. Set to remind us why they’re the sharpest knives in the drawer, Die! Die! Die! will be joined by Flying Nun faves Office Dog. Woof! Woof! Woof!

With Flying Nun and now AD93 announcing their breathlessly anticipated new album Given To The Night, out November 27, ethereal sister duo Purple Pilgrims will be entrancing us all with their new work at Kāhui St David’s on Khyber Pass, Saturday 5 December.

With Pitchfork calling their latest batch of songs “a riot of invention”, celebrated UK experimental group Tara Clerkin Trio are headed our way for a Strange Universe exclusive, playing Double Whammy with the sensational Greatsouth on Tuesday 8 December.

Closing out our final 2026 season, Nadia Reid returns from Manchester to share her magic with us once again alongside longtime collaborator Sam Taylor. Saturday 12 December at the gorgeous Pitt St Methodist Church, Nadia will be joined by Californian songwriter and honorary Antipodean Mimi Gilbert.

“It’s like… a whole bunch of amazing gigs happening over the space of a few weeks, y’know?”- Matthew Crawley, Chief Financial Officer of Strange News Touringthe.....STRANGE UNIVERSE TINY FILM FESTIVAL

In an effort to prove we are highly cultured here at Banished Music and Strange News, we’ve teamed up with the wonderful crew at Hollywood Avondale to throw on a mini (tiny, in fact) film festival.Each of us (Reuben Bonner and Cuillin Hearty of Banished Music, and Matthew Crawley of Strange News) has picked our favourite film, and we’ve asked Billie from Hollywood Avondale to pick hers too.On top of that, to celebrate bringing Suzanne Ciani to the Hollywood on November 25th, we’re showing the hilarious and unpredictable John Wilson film The History Of Concrete, with a soundtrack by Ciani herself!

THURSDAY 12 NOVEMBER - THE HISTORY OF CONCRETE (2026)With a soundtrack by Suzanne Ciani, how could we not show this film festival favourite by John Wilson one more time? Not to be missed - last chance!

THURSDAY 19 NOVEMBER - ALMOST FAMOUS (2000)It’s probably cliché that a music person's favourite film is about rock’n’roll and being on tour, but Almost Famous is just so damn good and never gets old - Cuillin (Banished)

THURSDAY 26 NOVEMBER - THE OUTSIDERS (1983)Based on the book written by 17 year old S.E. Hinton. A sincere and nearly perfectly realised film about adolescence, and the magic of friendship. "Stay gold, Ponyboy, Stay gold." - Billie (Hollywood Avondale)

THURSDAY 3 DECEMBER - THE VIDIOT FROM UHF (1989)This Weird Al Yankovic movie is the greatest of all time. Fight me! - Matthew (Strange News)

THURSDAY 10 DECEMBER - THE CABLE GUY (1996)Critically unacclaimed, just like me! - Reuben (Banished)