Name: Strange Universe - Acid Mothers Temple
Start: 2026-06-19T10:00:00+12:00
Location: Double Whammy

BANISHED MUSIC, STRANGE NEWS & 95bFM PRESENT
STRANGE UNIVERSE - WINTER
FEATURING…
CASS MCCOMBS (USA) - TUESDAY 26 MAY - DOUBLE WHAMMY
DRY CLEANING (UK) - WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE - HOLLYWOOD AVONDALE
Presented in partnership with I Oh You & MG Live
CATE LE BON (UK) - FRIDAY 5 JUNE - POWERSTATION
Presented in partnership with Susie Says!
MEI SEMONES (USA) - TUESDAY 16 JUNE - THE TUNING FORK
KELLY MORAN (USA) - WEDNESDAY 17 JUNE - KĀHUI ST DAVID’S
ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE (JP) - FRIDAY 19 JUNE - DOUBLE WHAMMY
STEREOLAB (UK/FR) - THURSDAY 25 JUNE - POWERSTATION
THE VEILS ‘FRAGILE WORLD’ ALBUM RELEASE - SATURDAY 27 JUNE - POWERSTATION
& MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Tickets from www.banishedmusic.com
Even though Banished Music and Strange News are smack bang in the thick of Strange Universe Autumn, it’s been so dang fun they’ve decided now is the perfect time to reveal their first plans for Strange Universe: Winter! Set to ramp up the stakes and take over all of June and a tiny little bit of the end of May*. This first line-up announcement has everything you could set your hearts on and more, and is happening across some of Tāmaki Makaurau’s most beloved venues.
Strange Universe: Winter features the most welcome return of retrofuturist pop heroes Stereolab, Welsh chanteuse and producer extraordinaire Cate Le Bon, and the Fragile World album release show from brooding babes The Veils, all taking the stage at the mighty Powerstation. Hollywood Avondale plays host to droll indie darlings Dry Cleaning, while Double Whammy sets the scene for Japan’s psychedelic legends Acid Mothers Temple and one of the great American singer-songwriters Cass McCombs and his band. Finally, we’re adding two new venues to our list this time around, with the bilingual bossa nova of Mei Semones at the Tuning Fork, and breathtaking Warp Records favourite Kelly Moran at the exquisite Kāhui St David’s.
“Putting on shows is really easy, so we decided to do heaps of them all at once”
- Matthew Crawley, Executive Director - Strange News Touring
The combined daydream of promoter pals Banished Music and Strange News, Strange Universe is the show series banner designed to celebrate the city’s brilliant venues, and give us all a little something to look forward to. The full line-up for this wintry Auckland fun-fest is coming soon, and we’ve got news for our Wellington pals shortly, but this first drop should be enough to make you wish that mittens season would hurry up and get here. It’s going to be brrrr-illiant.
ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE - FRI 19 JUNE - DOUBLE WHAMMY
Formed over thirty years ago by Makoto Kawabata, Acid Mothers Temple & The Paraiso U.F.O. released their debut album in 1997. The album was instantly branded one of the year's best in The Wire magazine, and the band have been an ever-present entity in the cosmic musical realm ever since. Their recorded albums easily number in the dozens, with The Guardian’s David Bennun stating that “Acid Mothers Temple have in their two-decade existence recorded far more head-melting music than any sane person would know what to do with.” Sane people aren’t necessarily this Japanese wonder-band’s target audience, and we are starry eyed to welcome this magic mothership to our very own Strange Universe!
*Yes, we know May isn’t in winter, but what were we supposed to do, say no to Cass McCombs?