The Empty Threats

JUNK 2025 Saturday 7th June WHAMMY, DOUBLE WHAMMY & PUBLIC BAR Tāmaki Makaurau CABINET | DROPPER | GEORGE BARNEY ROBERTS GIRLS FACTORY | HŌHĀ | OFFICE DOG | PEARLY* RINGLETS | SALT WATER CRIMINALS SCRAMBLINE (Eveline Breaker & scramble204) | THE EMPTY THREATS (AUS) TWINE (AUS) | VERA ELLEN TICKETS ON SALE NOW FROM UNDERTHERADAR.CO.NZ Time to separate your recycling, and be sure not to miss rubbish day - because there’s only room for one kind of JUNK, as Tāmaki Makaurau’s favourite alternative music festival announces its return for 2025! After a sold-out debut in 2024, JUNK FEST is back and bigger than ever, bringing you the best of the music underground from Aotearoa and beyond. On Saturday, June 7th, Double Whammy, Whammy and Public Bar will come to life with an all-killer-no-filler lineup of must-see acts. If you missed out last year, don’t sleep on this chance to catch some of the finest talent from Aotearoa and Australia - in one night, at one place, in one fell swoop. This year, joining us from across the ditch are two of Adelaide’s/Tarndanya, Kaura Land’s finest noise-makers; Twine and The Empty Threats. Noise-rock meets eruptive strings and stinging country in five-piece Twine, who are well accustomed to our shores already, having first played here in 2024 as a part of Camp A Low Hum. They made their triumphant return with four headline shows in February just gone and we’ve already got them coming back for more. Raucous art-rockers The Empty Threats also make their much-needed return to Aotearoa after stand-out sets at 2024’s Camp A Low Hum; now with new music on the way - bracing for impact. Rambunctious modern post-punk meets a nostalgic Aussie flare - propelled forward by driving guitar and the jet-fueled contortions of front-person Stu Patterson. As far as the locals go, joining the lineup for the first time are Aotearoa’s indie-rock champions, Office Dog, whose debut album ‘Spiel’ was heralded by Pitchfork as “Disarmingly Poignant”. Cabinet, the hardcore newcomers, and George Barney Roberts, with his 90s-meets-2010s angst, also join the lineup for their JUNK debuts. Also, Tāmaki Makaurau's post-punk quartet Ringlets return to the JUNK stage once more - after their steaming, shoulder-to-shoulder set last year and with a new album looming just beyond the horizon. Our second repeat player is not without good reason; fast favourites of 2024’s lineup, jump-around emo slackers Salt Water Criminals will also be back to share songs from their forthcoming record. Flying in from Ōtepoti is blistering duo HŌHĀ - featuring Liam Clune (Crime Hospital, Night Lunch) on guitar and Madison Kelly (Riot Gull) on drums, as well as fuzzy indie-rockers Pearly* who share members with last year's fest favourites, Dale Kerrigan. Up from Pōneke, shoegaze sensations Scrambline - the project of Eveline Breaker and Scramble 204, with members of Feshh. Eveline Breaker’s semi-secret EDM side-project, Girls Factory, will also be gracing the Double Whammy stage - boiler room style - Filled to the brim with samples spanning from local New Zealand bands, pop hits of the 2010s and K-pop girl groups, It is unserious, overstimulating, bright, distorted and a lot of fun. Capital-city newcomers Dropper, featuring members of the now disbanded Bleeding Star, also make their debut Auckland performance - having just delivered a creditworthy support slot for UK post-rockers SHAME. Taite Prize Winner and rising songstress, Vera Ellen, makes the trip North as well - December saw her take off around Australia for 10 shows as the support act for Crowded House, now she gets back into the groove of smaller rooms after recent sets at Cuba Dupa, Laneway Festival & opening for MJ Lenderman at Pōneke’s Meow Nui. Want to get in on the action? So you should! Head to www.undertheradar.co.nz and score yourself a ticket or two to this unmissable night of music before it sells out.