Gig Review: Push Push @ Totara St, Mt Maunganui – 22/02/2026

There’s something about music from your childhood that hits differently – it’s nostalgic and remains embedded in your subconscious without permission. You never forget the lyrics and the songs and bands remain favourites for the rest of time. 

One of those bands for me – Push Push, who have recently released The Truth, their first EP in nine years.

If you’ve lost track of time, like I have, you might want to forget that Push Push’s hit song Trippin’ was released in 1991 as we all sat around the telly watching RTR Countdown, headbanging with reckless abandon. Farewell youth, hello grey hairs and a 9pm bedtime. 

Fast forward a few decades… Sunday evening was not one of those nights. 

Push Push celebrating 35 years of the single, Trippin’, and here I am, swaying shoulder to shoulder with other like-minded old school bogans in a cool little live venue, Totara Street, Mt Manganui. I was reminded very quickly why Push Push have never really left us, even during the quieter years. From the first note of Under The Eye (from the new EP), the room was alive. No stiff limbs, no polite nodding, just movement and the collective recital of all of those catchy lyrics, all in sync. Old favourites Beating up Bullfrogs and What My Baby Likes followed, before launching into new material – my personal standout from their new EP is E.P.B (Clutching At The Sky).

The sound? Flawless.

Clean punchy instruments, catchy riffs and lyrics that still land. Not a single lull in the set – every song upbeat, energetic and infectious, new or old, it all hit.

Mikey Havoc showing up exactly as expected, commanding the stage and stirring up the crowd while keeping the vibe effortless. His voice remained solid – husky, controlled and deceptively wide-ranged. Pretty much flawless, even after four back to back shows. Steve Abplanalp (bass) and Shayne Silver (guitar) worked seamlessly in tight cohesion, while Andy (Kane) delivered impressive lead string work alongside strong backing vocals and Scott (Cortese) anchored the rhythm on drums. Together, they created one hell of a sound. 

Do Ya Love Me? became a full room sing-along; Hands up in the air, bodies dancing and the room buzzing with collective joy.

Between songs, Mikey’s banter kept the crowd entertained – the kind of natural connection that only comes from years of experience. At one point, he took to the front of the stage and hugged a few fans and told the crowd to turn around, and hug someone you’ve never met before, which turned a room full of strangers into a shared experience. 

And the moment of the night for me… I wandered upstairs for a birds eye view and genuinely thought a female guest vocalist had joined the stage, only to turn around and witness Mikey casually unleashing vocal ranges unfamiliar to anyone with testicles. 

As the night came to a close, and the band briefly left the stage, the crowd erupted in chants of “Encore!”, kindly obliged with Two Times and The Chills cover I Love My Leather Jacket.

Other highlights? Honestly – all of it. But if I had to choose just one, there’s something special about the track Talk2me. Pure Push DNA. Familiar but still fresh. 

Add to all of that, the spectacular lighting, pristine sound and a crowd that were there to re-live memories and a band not just revisiting the past but owning the present, you’ve got something special. I didn’t dislike a single song. Not one. And as the crowd dispersed at the end of the night, all I heard was “How good!?”, “That was amazing!”

Actually?

Epic.

And if you ever needed proof that some bands age like a fine wine – this was it. 

All hail the mighty Push Push. Havoc for Prime Minister.

Photo Credit: Evana Patterson for Muzic.NZ