For a city that too often seems sadly concerned with its musical past as opposed its future, it was refreshing to see the Dunedinmusic.com sixth birthday relying heavily on youth and new talent for its celebrations.
While still featuring expected performances from its past (read: a bland set from Martin Phillipps) the website-come-record label, designed as a community base for the discussion, promotion and the growth of Dunedin music, also showcased the city's rapidly burgeoning high school scene.
Drawing from the successful Chicks Project, a community initiative to provide mentors and venues for young performers, sets by the likes of Nirvana devotees The Suds, and the heavy funk of Ostrander Aardvark saw a refreshing naivety on display, the typical angst and boredom of teenage years influencing both sound and performance in its vitality and energy.
Featuring 23 acts spread across two stages, it would be impossible to detail all the highs and lows, but Louis Smith easily stood out as an evening highlight. His sneeringly sarcastic set and self-deprecating Dunedin humour was a welcome respite, gluing smiles to faces throughout the duration.
Closing the night was Thundercub. Never ones to disappoint, the small ReFuel front room was packed as their set began. With a level of instrumental control matched by their wide sonic palate, Thundercub's math-minded electro rock was a climatic end to the day.
