Gig Review: this dog @ Valhalla, Wellington – 28/02/2026

After a sunny day in the city, I ended my Saturday at Valhalla listening to Christchurch five-piece this dog, and I was contentedly reminded of when I saw Fontaines DC perform in Shed 6. I imagined the band would match the same boldness and energy. This New Zealand band is made up of longtime friends and were formed near a local sewage plant in East Christchurch. Fēlix Hogers is on lead guitar, Nick Klaver on bass, Jack Hurley with the rhythm guitar, Lily Kazakos on drums, and Robbie Redvers on vocals.

They have a mixture of edgy and rigid rock from the drums and bass, while holding powerful traits of a classic grunge/midwest rock band. If you listen to Smashing Pumpkins or Modest Mouse you will certainly enjoy these guys. They’re especially strong live, and their latest singles charting in the official Hot 20 NZ Singles charts prove it. Notably, after winning the Dig The Gig competition in 2021, this dog was awarded with recording their first single Feel The Same with LOHO Studios. They then went to Moonbase Records to record four more tracks, before being selected for RDU’s ŌMAP (Ōtautahi Music Access Programme), where they recorded their final track Bug Eyed.

A few days before their show, on my way to work, I searched for them on Spotify and hit shuffle on their discography. I added Likewise and Bug Eyed to my current playlist. Likewise, their latest single was my most anticipated of the night. Performing in one of the best grunge and rock venues in Wellington suited them completely. Walking in through the entrance with my plus one, I saw a collection of upside-down rubber ducks. Above the stage, hanging vines of LED lights projected a neon red glow throughout the night.

The stage was first warmed by Bleach, an alt-rock trio from Wellington. These guys (David Jiang, Christian Fawcett, and Jacob Thornton) have been called an enigma, and I tend to agree in the best possible way. Bleach are notably absent from social media, which feels like the band as a whole has a focus purely on the music itself without reading into content. I first noticed the lead singer when they dived straight into the music – performing valiantly with powerful words to say. Their songs include themes of generational differences, mental health, resentment, regret, and harsh self-reflection. I noted that they avoid diving into self-pity and instead create optimism. My favourite track from Bleach is Ends with its multi-layered instrumentation.

After enough time to grab a drink, this dog made it to the stage and the supporting crowd formed again. Like Bleach, they got straight to the point. The music, from the first strums of the guitar, felt intentionally distorted and expressive. It was almost unclean, but clearly well-rehearsed.

At times, it was hard for me to decipher which song they were playing, as it felt like they played their entire discography. I did recognise Bug Eyed, Feel The Same and Likewise. Each of their songs carried a powerful, driving rock rhythm. This was especially clear in their lyrics – unconventional and avant‑garde, but never random.

Feel The Same explores ‘a day in the life’ lyrics which reflect on typical life in New Zealand and being young. I enjoyed that this song (and some of their others) makes use of spoken word when it comes to their lyrics. It makes the music feel down-to-earth and as though it’s a natural conversation.

Like any good rock music, seeing it live meant seeing the whole band swing their heads in time to their passion. Lead singer Robbie was completely diving into the performing aspect of the stage – it was like he was in a flow state, lost in the music he was performing. Throughout most of the night, but especially during Bug Eyed, Robbie dangled the microphone from above his head in a trance-like state.

And by the time Likewise was played at the end of the night, a lot of those around me were energetically jumping and dancing with their friends. This emphasised the band’s ability to hold a crowd and provide energy through their music with few words to the audience. I would highly recommend taking up the opportunity to listen to this dog, and catch them live when you can.