Art & creativity, Things to do  |  Yesterday

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Rock music fans will not want to miss the explosive energy and sound from Kiwi rockers Tadpole at Go Live Festival.

Tadpole were a mainstay of the early 2000s music scene, with their triple-platinum debut album The Buddhafinger hitting the #2 spot on the NZ Music Charts.

The Auckland-based band is coming down to Ōtautahi for the 23 August show as one of 13 acts to play across four stages at Christchurch Town Hall.

“This is our second show in Christchurch with our new singer Lauren Marshall, and we'll be playing all the well-known hits with some brand-new ones,” says drummer Dean Lawton. 

Marshall joined Tadpole in 2024 as the band reformed with core members Dean Lawton, Chris Yong on guitar, Shannon Brown on bass and DJ Kritikl, who had a brief stint with the band in 2000. The line-up, previously fronted by Renee Brennan, had several iterations since first forming in 1994 to when it disbanded in 2006.  

“To be honest, I thought it would have been really hard reconnecting as a band and adding a new member after 20 years, but for some reason it feels like we never stopped! Lauren just fits in like she's been there the whole time,” Lawton says.

The resurgence of the band began in 2022 with the release of The Tadpole Collection (1994–2006) – all three Tadpole albums plus Remains of the Day, a collection of 12 previously unreleased, remastered tracks.

The band have several festivals lined up for the summer and a new album on the way.

“We can't wait to start dropping singles at the end of the year. The new material we are writing together feels like the songs of old. Our music is high energy and will punch you in the face!”

Go Live Festival, produced by Christchurch City Council, is on Saturday 23 August, from 7pm – 11pm. Tickets are $35 plus booking fees. Find all the details, including artist bios, at What’s On.