Critics' Choice Prize 2015

Overview

The Critics' Choice Prize is the New Zealand Music Award that comes with the most respect, but probably the least glamour. Fittingly, this year's showcase is being held at The Kings Arms and is ten bucks to get in. It doesn't get any less glam than that.

Established in 2010, the Critics’ Choice Prize recognizes up-and-coming Kiwi artists and potential future Tui recipients. Past winners of the award have gone onto great, great things; The Naked & Famous (2010), Kimbra (2011), are a few rather exceptional examples.

The three contenders for 2015 are Bespin, a recently established, Auckland-based, woozy psych rock band, comprising members of a muddled bunch of much adored local acts such as Cut Off Your Hands, The DHDFDs, and Tiny Ruins (they sound very different to all three of those bands). New Gum Sarn, are seemingly named after the supermarket in Mercury Plaza. Recently signed to Spunk Records, the four-piece make thoughtful, introspective indie rock, and have been playing shit loads of really good gigs this year. Boycrush is the pet project of Alistair Deverick. When he isn't behind the kit playing drums for well known New Zealand acts like Neil Finn, Anika Moa, and The Ruby Suns, Deverick makes electronic pop as Boycrush.

On the night each act will perform a 30-minute live set, before the winner is announced.