Gig Review: Beastwars @ Meow Nui, Wellington – 22/11/2025

Wellington sludge metal legends Beastwars graced their hometown with a colossal night filled with thick stoner-approved riffs and atmospherics as part of their Australasian tour. The tour includes venues in the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, but also Dunedin, Christchurch, Hamilton and Auckland, all in support of the outstanding, sixth studio album, The Ship / The Sea, produced by James Goldsmith. This would be the first time I have attended relatively new venue (opened in 2024), Meow Nui, for a rock show, having only entered the refurbished space for a calm, (and well lit) literature event. Darkened for the foreboding atmospherics of Beastwars, the premium music venue, originally the Salvation Army Citadel, has remarkable acoustics due to high ceilings and interesting interior space complete with stunning architectural features such as angled roof and rounded balcony, not to mention the world-class audio equipment. Owners Damian Jones and Rahine O’Rielly, who also own Meow on Edward Street, have beautifully renovated the 700 attendee space on Vivian St.

The night began with Pull Down the Sun took to the stage, delivering their heavy mix of modern metal riffage, post-rock atmospherics, nu metal styling and progressive rock song structures. Playing most of their stunning album, Of Valleys and Mountains, Koert Wegman (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Jason Healey (guitar) and Stefan Bourke (drums), encouraged the night’s first real moshpit to eventuate. Creating ethereal soundscapes only for the massive riffs to ultimately fracture and disrupt the vibes created between and at the beginning of songs, the band played with passion and precision. I can’t wait for these guys to open for Gojira one day – they are destined to do so.

Next, Auckland post-punk band, Soft Bait, which I originally thought was an odd choice compared to the other support act, took to the stage. However, the growing crowd was appreciative of the angular, tight rhythms of guitarist Patrick Hickley (Red Sky Blues) vocalist/guitarist Josh Hunter, and drummer Cameron Mackintosh. Bassist Ezra Simons (Earth Tongue, Red Sky Blues) was replaced on this occasion as Earth Tongue is touring Europe. The band played music that was an interesting mix of gothic melodies delivered in a snappish, even severe at times, punk language. Nick Cave would approve.

Finally, as the crowd grew even larger still, Beastwars arrived as the smell of their West coast IPA filled the area. Although one might imagine a stereotypical Beastwars fan, the crowd defied that assumption. Many different types of music lovers had come in full force to support the band, including many local musicians from all sorts of genres had come to take part in the spectacle. The venue was the perfect setting for the band – a large stage to allow an impressive lightshow amid the smoke, and architecture that somehow focuses the eye toward the stage in what was most likely a religious effort to draw the attention back to the altar.

Playing the quintessential stoner-metal approved full stack topped with an Orange amplifier head, guitarist Christian Pearce began the night with unearthly squalls he summoned from his low slung flying V. Bassist James Woods (also bassist in Lung) created structure to many riffs with his prominent doomy tone, occasionally playing large chords on the bass that rumbled the building. Drummer Nathan Hickey didn’t play flashy or fast, instead he focused on keeping the band together through time signature shifts and keeping the chaotic elements (like the unearthly sounds created by Pearce and Woods) in check with his flawless timing the band relied on.

Vocalist Matt Hyde sang with either his iconic rasp or gravelly drawl, occasionally belting out an Ozzy-like yelp that sounded amazing with the various effects (mainly delay in time with the tempo of the tune, but occasionally a sizzling flanger) the engineers had put over his vocals. The sound was very well balanced, and although you could sense the band was playing loud on stage at least, the volume was not overwhelming, and I considered not even using ear protection (and I was worried one overenthusiastic fan might smash into me mid-song and knock both plugs out).

By the first song, the crowd directly in front of the stage was dancing, showing they knew the material well (such as knowing when the various breaks and changes were or singing/screaming back). Hyde became priest-like in his position on stage, holding his hands up to the lights above in either gestures of thanks or worship, then back to the audience in appreciation. The band played their signature hypnotic doom-metal inspired sludge. While the band visibly enjoyed playing faster sections, particularly Pearce and Woods, it was shifting between slow-burning segments that built atmosphere and more straight-ahead rocky parts that made the band so interesting to listen to. Their newer work from The Ship / The Sea were more shanty inspired (many parts being in ¾) but after drifting in a moody vibe, the songs crashed and pummelled like the sea, just as hard as their older tunes did. Beastwars performed with both intensity and clarity, (despite the feedback concocted by that Orange head as Pearce explored texture) with a wide and balanced mix allowing vocals to come through clearly. The transitions were very well controlled, Hyde miming as a conductor on many song introductions. Although the music is doomy and apocalyptic, the smiling members (apart from Hyde who remained frowning or lost in the song with eyes closed in concentration) dispelled any real gloominess.

Beastwars played many older songs from their 2011 debut, including Lake of Fire, Empire and the finale. From sophomore album Blood Become Fire, they played Dune, Rivermen and Tower Of Skulls. From their other albums, the band played Omens (from IV) and Call to The Mountain (The Death of All Things), so the majority of the set was actually comprised of the newest offering, including Levitate, The Storm, The Devil, and Guardian of Fire. I would have really enjoyed anything from the interesting Tyranny of Distance album that was made of covers from other New Zealand bands, but perhaps that may have detracted from the vibe they were trying to establish. Finally, the band played what would have been most people’s introduction to the band, the first track off their debut, Damn The Sky, complete with an epic half-time introduction followed by a thumping rendition that left the crowd baying for more at its conclusion. The band left the stage, but minutes later were spotted in the slightly less full crowd, talking to fans, signing merch and drinking a well-earned brew.

Photo Credit: Chris Zwaagdyk / ZED Pics for Muzic.NZ
Photos from Auckland @ Double Whammy – 21/11/2025
Beastwars Auckland Gallery
Soft Bait Auckland Gallery