Chris Schulz: A jampacked week of events in Australia

At some point, everyone has been left disappointed when a musician or artist leaves New Zealand off their tour schedule. But our neighbours across the ditch rarely have the same issue. Chris Schulz is having a mammoth week over in Australia – going to the Good Things music festival, two Kendrick Lamar shows, and is seeing Lady Gaga tonight. 

He joined Jack Tame for a chat about his jam packed musical week. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
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Speaker 2 (00:17):
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Sun is Fun and.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
Yous Dogs thirteen to twelve. That's Weezer Island in the Sun.
That music reviewer Chris Schultz has been in a weaser
frame of mind over the last couple of days as
they perform at the Good Things Music Festival in Australia.
But Chris has the craziest week because Good Things isn't
the only thing. He's a team thing. He's with us now,
Chris run us through the week.

Speaker 4 (01:10):
It's been pretty wild. It started with the Kendrick Lamar
Stadium spectacle and then he played another one the night
after which I also got to go and see Dolci
open for that show, one of the year's most exciting
new artists. And then yesterday, yeah, Good Things Festival. That's

(01:31):
only one of three festivals that are on in this
insane week. There are also two Lady Gaga stadium shows
as well, and a whole bunch of other smaller side
shows from those events. So yeah, it's a week like
no other. I am over here in Australia for that
week and don't get me wrong, It is a heck

(01:54):
of a lot of fun. I have had so much
fun that I am going to have to throw my
shoes out. They are ruined. I need to get new
shoes today. But there's a serious side to this too,
right because all year we've seen all of these acts
bypass New Zealand in favor of doing these exclusive Australian trips,
and so going to Australia traveling for concerts is something

(02:17):
we've had to become a custom to. MUK fans have
had to do this if they want to see these
major acts. And I can give you the list, you know,
it's it's Kylie Mino, Katie Perry, ac DC, Green Day,
Billie Eilish. The list goes on and on, and we're
all sort of like, we're still talking about the impact
this one Metallica show had in Auckland just last month. Yeah,

(02:41):
there's still stories being written about the impact that had
on on businesses, on the economy, on hotels and restaurants.
And it's just in Melbourne. It's it's just keeping going.
It's it's it's wild. Really, it's just a whole week
that's kind of unprecedented that we're not getting any of.

Speaker 3 (03:01):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it is pretty stark when you
when you read out that list of artists and when
you consider what you've experienced in just the last couple
of days. So you going to Lady Gaga tonight?

Speaker 4 (03:14):
I am seeing the Lady Gaga Stadium Spectacle tonight. Yes.
I think it's at Marvel Stadium, which is like eighty
thousand people. A friend of mine was there last night.
He messaged me one text message that said greatest night
in my life. So a lot to live up to there.
It's also jack like something happened on Wednesday that first
Kendrick Lamar show. Louise Upston, Our Tourism Minister announced a

(03:38):
suite of concerts and festivals that are coming to New Zealand.
The government is trying to do something about this. They've
launched this Major Events Fund. They're trying to entice major artists.
Back in the first recipients so that were six sixty
and Cincinny to open Takaha, the New Stadium in christ
Church and a Lincoln Park show for Auckland and the

(04:00):
CDM Festival for Wellington Ultra Festival. But it just the
timing of that really struck me. You know, I just
landed in Melbourne and I was about to go to
Kendrick Lamara and I saw that come through, and like,
that's great. It's really good news that they've recognized us
as a problem. They're doing something about it. But it's
too little, too late for these shows that are already

(04:20):
locked in for Australia.

Speaker 3 (04:22):
Well, what's interesting I think is that if you think
about the economics of the music industry at large today,
clearly in the streaming era, the ways in which artists
make money and make a livelihood, the balance has shifted right.
So whereas in the past that they would have made
a larger proportion of their income from selling records, these days,

(04:46):
given they famously get such pitiful sums from the big streamers,
many more artists are putting on these huge shows as
they're kind of primary source of income and going on
these big world these huge world tours and these big
stadium tours. It's a real kind of trend for the
world's biggest artists. And so if New Zealand isn't able

(05:08):
to reverse the current position and isn't able to actually
entice a few more of these artists, it's going to
be a real issue.

Speaker 4 (05:14):
I think, well, I think you know that Metallica shows
the great example, right, Like the city's maxed out, it
feels exciting, everyone's out and about and it just has
this kind of lift everyone feels. I don't know, it's
just it's kind of exciting. It's kind of cool when
when these major artists come through. But you're right, stadiums

(05:34):
are the currency these massive acts are trading in now,
and because it's so expensive to tour, these stage setups
are just ginormous.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
You know.

Speaker 4 (05:43):
I saw this at the Kendrick Lamar show. There's some
huge screens and and he's got these he's got a
car on stage, he's got these giant steps that he's
sitting on and performing off, and then there's pyro and
fireworks going off constantly. Like these are expensive shows to
put on and bringing that down to New Zealand is tricky.

(06:05):
That's what one of the things the government is trying
to help out with and address there. So I can
understand why they're not coming. But you know, most of
these acts have been to New Zealand before they've played
it for you know, I really hope this is just
a blip that we've recognized it, and that you know,
in the coming years we'll get back on that touring

(06:25):
map and we'll be able to see them again. And
I don't have to keep coming to Australia because it's
a lot more expensive, you don't.

Speaker 3 (06:34):
Say, especially when you've got to buy a new pair
of shoes. Hey, thank you so much. Have a wonderful
time at gagat and I make sure you hydrate lots,
and we look forward to hearing if indeed Gaga Stadium
Tour makes for one of the best nights of your
life as well. That is Chris Shltz, our music reviewer.
His substack is boiler Room, of course.

Speaker 1 (06:54):
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