In an insightful interview with ACT UP Entertainment, Brackenwood Coven, the three-piece instrumental band, opens up about their musical journey and the upcoming December 1 performance at Ding Dong Lounge for "Wreck The Halls." Featuring Blood Buffalo, Monolith, and Invasion Of Piracy, this event is dedicated to fundraising for the Auckland City Mission. The interview covers their experiences during the pandemic, the significance of grassroots venues, and hints at future projects. With presale tickets priced at $10 and door tickets at $15, all proceeds will be channeled towards supporting the Auckland City Mission. Don't miss the chance to join Brackenwood Coven for an evening of music and philanthropy in Auckland.
ACT UP Entertainment: Can you tell us about how Brackenwood Coven came together as a three-piece instrumental band and define your musical style and influences?
Brackenwood Coven: The founding member of Brackenwood Coven was Craig Pearson. While having 16 years of musical inactivity, Craig had the realization that he never started a band of his own and always joined pre-existing bands, which sparked up the fire of starting Brackenwood Coven.
ACT UP Entertainment: When did Brackenwood Coven start playing together, and what inspired the formation of the band?
Brackenwood Coven: Brackenwood started in 2019. The collective love of Metal, Doom Metal Sludge, Stoner rock, and 70s Occult rock, 50s, 60s, and 70s Horror movies dictated what the concept of the band was gonna be. With an emphasis on Occult Doom Metal and theatrics.
ACT UP Entertainment: The band went on hiatus for a few years. What were the reasons behind the hiatus, and what brought the band back together?
Brackenwood Coven: There were a lot of reasons for the hiatus - lockdowns, isolation, emotional baggage, and disagreement within the band. Naturally, we all parted ways and gave up on Brackenwood Coven. Craig got thinking about music again and had an itch to play live again. His thoughts inevitably led back to Brackenwood Coven. He had a realization he wasn't totally done with this band. His first port of call was Venom Dolls to ask Summah if she would be interested in drumming for Brackenwood. Then Doug asked if he could come back, and everything coincided perfectly. We are all blessed to have Brackenwood Coven back in business.
ACT UP Entertainment: Ding Dong Lounge has a rich history as a live music venue. What does the venue mean to Brackenwood Coven, and how has it influenced your journey as a band?
Brackenwood Coven: Since firing the band back up, Ding Dong Lounge has hosted the majority of the gigs we've played this year, propelling us into getting offered more and more gigs and getting our name back out there. The atmosphere at Ding Dong this year has been by far the funnest, friendliest, positive, and supportive experience we've had. They continue to book up-and-coming bands as well as big names, supporting their local music scene constantly. Supporting us since 2019.
ACT UP Entertainment: In 2020, Brackenwood Coven did a live stream for Ding Dong Lounge's Save Our Venues campaign. Can you share your experience and what grassroots music venues mean to you?
Brackenwood Coven: The livestream gig was a huge deal for us. When Covid was happening, it was the venues and us musicians that also bore the brunt of lockdown constrictions. The uncertainty of what was happening and was to follow. We didn't know if there was going to be anywhere to play. Grassroot venues mean everything to us, especially if you play in a niche metal band. The radios don't play us; we weren't going to be getting our product on the good morning show or be playing sold-out arenas like Eden Park. We hold local venues and little dive bars extremely close to our hearts; they are so important to us and the future of a healthy music scene. They support the local music scene, and we support the local venues. The livestream gave us that little bit of normality during such a strange time in all our lives.
ACT UP Entertainment: Let's talk about "Wreck The Halls." What does it mean for Brackenwood Coven to be part of this charity concert, raising funds for the Auckland City Mission?
Brackenwood Coven: Getting the opportunity to participate in a charity event, particularly during the challenging holiday season, is so important to us. It allows us to make a meaningful and positive impact beyond the realms of our music, by raising funds for the community in need.
ACT UP Entertainment: What does the Auckland City Mission's mission mean to you personally, and why did you choose to support this cause?
Brackenwood Coven: The Auckland City Mission resonates deeply with us. We believe that everyone deserves access to basic human needs and rights. The City Mission is dedicated to assisting those in need by providing essential short and long-term services, including food, housing, and support. This commitment mirrors the values that Brackenwood holds dear. The organization heavily relies on donations and volunteers, and we feel blessed to contribute to supporting their mission of Aucklanders helping Aucklanders.
ACT UP Entertainment: Can you introduce the members of Brackenwood Coven and share any other bands some of you have played in?
Brackenwood Coven: Craig Pearson has been in multiple bands throughout his music career; "The Deadline" and "Meanwhile" were his main bands. Doug Robertson has been in a couple dozen bands and projects and continues to do so in many different genres. Summah Auvae has also been in many bands throughout her music career, mainly Bad Sport and Venom Dolls.
ACT UP Entertainment: Can you share any memorable experiences or stories from past performances that highlight the unique energy and style of Brackenwood Coven?
Brackenwood Coven: Being an instrumental band with no microphone/vocalist to communicate to the audience, some might feel like this is a disadvantage, but we have found that we are able to communicate through our music and performance while on stage. Captivating the audience isn't a problem. It's become tradition at the end of each song; we throw our Witch hands up together, and the audience follows.
ACT UP Entertainment: Looking ahead, do you have plans to record your music, and can you share any details about upcoming projects or releases for your fans to look forward to?
Brackenwood Coven: We recorded our first EP over Halloween this year with Tyler Tantin, and it is currently getting mixed and mastered by Tyler. It will be released in 2024, official date to be announced, alongside physical copies as well as digital. We are planning to make some music videos for some of the tracks from the EP.
Wreck The Halls
Blood Buffalo, Monolith, Brackenwood Coven and Invasion Of Piracy
Friday 1 December
Ding Dong Loung, 26 Wyndham Street, Auckland
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