Menzies! _{by Madelaine Empson}

Menzies has been described as “Talking Heads meets Life Without Buildings”.

“We canvas a wide terrain, some gentle, meandering, softer songs, and some can get pretty raucous”, frontman Chris Brown explains. “Broadly I’d say we’d sit in the alternative and indie rock world.”

The new Pōneke band includes Miles Sutton (Welcomer, Prizegiving), Doug Kelly (Girl Boss), and Nikita Piper (Androgynous Lemon) and is named after Brown’s (Friendlies) nana.

“Menzies is Daphne’s maiden name… And my middle name! Daphne actually passed away just this June so it’s extra special to carry her maiden name in the band. Daphne loved people, and loved a good time, which feel like appropriate traits for Menzies”, Brown smiles. “Menzies is also what a dear friend would call me if I was ever acting up or being cheeky. ‘Menzies!’ she’d shout. There’s something about that that feels fitting for the band too.”

Menzies will release their debut EP Spaghetti Land on the 5^th of July. Featuring new songs alongside the already-released shimmering single 8/10 and the title track, packed with crunchy guitars, unsettling pauses, and a chorus that’ll get stuck in your head a day later, the band can’t wait to “have these songs out into the world and play some fun shows around them”.

Catch Menzies on Saturday the 20^th of July at Vogelmorn Upstairs, where Brown says Welly audiences are in for a lot of fun and a few surprises.

“In previous shows we’ve seen the whole crowd shooting at a basketball hoop, dancing, surprise whole-crowd singing, a lot of smiles… who knows what you’re gonna get.”