It’s been a hot minute since Goodnight Nurse last toured New Zealand. The last time we saw the band, they were opening for My Chemical Romance at Western Springs, after having been away for more than ten years, and they left us wanting more.
This time, it’s only been three years that the band have kept us waiting, and it was evident when we arrived that we weren’t the only ones looking forward to seeing them live again. The line snaked down the road, as fans eagerly awaited the doors opening to secure a prime spot to see one of Aotearoa’s most successful pop-punk bands. After getting into the Powerstation, the merch line quickly reached to the other end of the bar, as the venue quickly filled.
Kicking off the night, 2026 Smorefreerockquest second place winners Go Getter took to the stage in a flurry of jumps, their high energy infectious as they launched straight into their set, fresh off the release of their first EP, What’s Not To Love, earlier today. With their natural confidence and stage presence, I have to keep reminding myself that this band is currently still in high school, as they play to the crowd and each other, run all over the stage, leaping off the drum riser, and standing on speakers to get closer to the crowd.
Their set showcased songs from their new EP, as well as songs written as recently as a week ago. Their music teacher, who was in the crowd, got a special mention. As the band reach the close of their set, ending with the EP’s first track Boring Again, they’ve cemented themselves as a band to keep a close eye on in the coming years. If this is the future of Aotearoa pop-punk, then it’s in very good hands.
A slight gear shift as The Rainfall take to the stage, the Christchurch-based three-piece entering to their signature backing track before launching into their set. After the high-energy antics of Go Getter, emo-rockers The Rainfall were both more polished, but also felt somewhat more restrained by comparison, after the raw energy of the previous band. The crowd as well it seemed may have needed a breather, as some retreated to the couches around the venue, freshly filled drinks in hand.
Vocalist Matt Clark enticed the growing crowd back to the main floor, encouraging us all to get moving, and it wasn’t long before he was asking the crowd to split down the middle. However, unlike many shows where this is a sign to get clear if you don’t want to get caught in the crossfire, this time the crowd was asked to give each other a high-five, as they ran back to the centre and met in the middle.
A cover of Elemeno P’s Verona was a definite standout from the set, with the eager crowd singing along and almost drowning out the vocals at some points. These guys are well rehearsed, polished, and know how to win over a crowd, as they wrap up their set with Nothing Makes Sense.
As The Rainfall left the stage and headed towards the merch desk, the Powerstation was absolutely packed, with both floors open and not a lot of space to move downstairs. Looking around, it was a bit of a “who’s who” of the local scene, as we spotted members of Villainy, The Bleeders, Written By Wolves, Finger Tight, and Streetwise Scarlet, to name a few.
And with A Shadow And A Prayer, Goodnight Nurse wasted no time launching into their blistering set amidst a shower of sparks to a raucous response from the crowd, quickly following with Death Goes To Disco. “Holy f*cking sh*t”, the first words spoken by the band as lead vocalist Joel Little addresses the packed crowd for the first time. It’s crazy to think that this band has been around more than 20 years – but, as Joel later said, “we’re not here to feel old, we’re here to feel young, baby!”. The crowd was a mix of both original and newer fans, nearly all of whom knew the words to all of the songs, singing them back towards the stage throughout.
Bass player Paul Taite had flown in from New York specially for the tour, showcasing his prowess on an incredible bass solo. Joel recounts a friend of the band, Russell, and the van which the band all but destroyed in the creation of some of their earlier music videos, dedicating the next track Taking Over to him. Midway through the track, someone makes it on to the stage, beer in hand, chased by security – but it turned out to be Russell, apparently “he came to get the keys to his van”.
We get a bit of a reprieve as the band slow things down on All For You, with Joel welcoming Amy Shark to the stage to join him, the guest vocalist in town for her own performance in Auckland on Sunday. The break is welcomed, a chance for us all to catch our breath, before the band embark on the Serpent trilogy, and Paul takes a break while Rowan Crowe joins the band on stage, Crowe having joined the band in 2007 following Paul’s departure.
As we head into the second phase of the show – the “keep me on your side” phase – the energy shows no sign of waning, as fans continue to jump and sing along to Lay With Me and Drown. We soon reach the evening’s crescendo, with The Night kicking off with an explosion of confetti over the pit, undoubtedly one of the band’s most loved tracks. At this point it almost feels like the crowd are starting to get louder than the band, we don’t want this night to end.
The band leave the stage briefly, Joel reappearing within moments with a milkshake in hand, foreshadowing their cover of the popular Kelis track. While I’m not sure if it brought the boys to the yard, it definitely brought the fans to the main floor, and both bass players to the stage.
Capping things off, it was almost fitting to end things with My Only, the show ending as it began – in a shower of sparks and the entire crowd singing with the band. As the night ends and the band draw closer to hanging up their studded belts for the last time, the audience disperses into the darkness, it doesn’t feel like this is a farewell show. The band seem to be getting better and better, granted it’s been a few years between concerts, and if another run of shows is ever announced, we wouldn’t want to miss it.
Review by Ginny Cocks; all photos by Rachel Matthews / Riot Rach
Goodnight Nurse
The Rainfall
Go Getter
