The Night Before…
(Great Sounds Great)

Friday 4 September 2026

Multiple venues
Newtown precinct, Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington, NZ

Eyegum is excited to present for the first time, THE NIGHT BEFORE, a new addition to Great Sounds Great. This multi-venue mini-festival will be focused on Te Whanganui-a-Tara’s beloved Newtown village, warming punters up for the main event the next day. It will feature 12 incredible local artists performing across three neighbouring venues. It’s the perfect pre-party in the heart of Aoteraoa’s most creative suburb.

We are really stoked to be sharing the GSG love with this special part of the city that has long been a home to our music and arts communities, with a programme specially curated to showcase the best up-and-coming artists that the capital (and Ōtepoti) has to offer.

Limited tickets to Newtown’s newest party on sale now at the link above.

Venues: Moon, Office Bar, Newtown Community Centre.

Presented with support from

Artists

Bone Chapel

Dr. Def and Toad Luffa bringin' you noisy acid house of a sci-fi bent. Get off ya nuts and move ya butts.
Boyband

These Boys are extremely ready to bring their blend of pop, neo-soul, and alternative music to the stage at The Night Before, with the goal of hitting you where it hurts, soothing you where it matters most, and getting you moving!
Bug Michigan

Bug Michigan is a four piece nose rock/lesbian shoegaze band from Te Whanganui-a-Tara who write songs for women, their cats and small little creatures with too many legs. More than anything, Bug Michigan loves you.
Dale Kerrigan

Dale Kerrigan are a noise rock band from Ōtepoti/Dunedin. The band have been described as “the loudest band I’ve seen since Bailter Space,” their live shows are energetic, chaotic and unlike any other group you’ve seen.
Dillon Jo

Dillon Jo is a queer, female-fronted four-piece band. Describing their sound as “Dreamy Droppy Rock Pop,”. Dillon Jo builds paths between elements of dream pop, shoegaze, and alt rock, to create their genre defying sound.
Elly Mae

Elly Mae crafts songs that encapsulate the bittersweet ache of growth, the quiet unraveling of time, and the soft glow of nostalgia embedded within. Her music is an amalgamation of folk-noir, dreampop, and anything in between.
Felix Bird

Felix Bird is an Avant Alternative Guitar Band based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, who craft their work around Felix's Jangled guitar hooks and intriguing yet meaningless poetic stanzas.
girls factory

girls factory is the very fun, unserious and over-the-top “EDM” side project of Eveline Breaker. Filled to the brim with samples spanning local bands, 2010s pop hits & K-Pop girl groups (sped up to unnecessary tempos and at the loudest volume possible), and joined by 2 MCs for maximum chaos!
Nameless and Brainless

Nameless and Brainless are a 5-piece band from Wellington. High-energy Kiwi raps in English and Te Reo, accompanied by a powerful band and driven by a locked-in rhythm section, come party with Nameless and Brainless.
re:ruby

re:ruby are a five-piece alternative rock band from Poneke, intertwining a melodic focus with blistering guitars and explosive choruses. The band has become a fixture of the city's music scene over the past few years with their unique blend of folk stylings, alternative leanings, and rich imagery.
The Muscle

We are The Muscle. Weird and wacky, sonically strange and a whole bunch of fun. Residing in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, we love being loud! We’re a screamo adjacent, mathrocking ambient band and we love you.
Yawner

Wellington’s latest alternative R&B outfit, Yawner, bring tight, groove-driven energy and the striking vocal power of Eden Brown. Focusing on a heavy-hitting but soothing craft, they’ve organised an enormous live set which is not to be missed.

Frequently Asked Questions

That’s easy, just click on the link at the top of this page and it will take you to an online ticketing platform where you can purchase your festival pass (and more for your friends so they don’t miss out).
No, every ticket holder will receive a wristband that will give you access to all participating venues throughout the night. You can pick this up on the day (4 September) between 12pm and 10pm from Newtown Community Centre (Cnr Colombo and Rintoul Street).
If you have pre-purchased a ticket, or want to buy a ticket on the day (if available), you can pick up your wristband from Newtown Community Centre (Cnr Colombo and Rintoul Street) between 12pm and 10pm on the day of the festival.
Yes, a range of festival and artist merch will be for same at the same place where wristbands are picked up, Newtown Community Centre (Cnr Colombo and Rintoul Street).
Given that the majority of participating venues are licensed premises, the festival is restricted to those aged 18 years and older. However, adults may be able to have their children with them so long as they comply with alcohol licensing laws and each venue’s policies.
We will announce the performance schedule closer to the event date, which will be included on this page. Don’t be overwhelmed by the choice, everything on the programme is worth seeing. We will also share a handy map to help navigate between venues and plan your night’s route in advance.
Each venue has a maximum capacity and when this has been reached access will be managed as a 1-in-1-out system. If there are any artists you really can’t miss, make sure you get to the venue with lots of time, otherwise remember there will also be multiple acts performing at any time, so don’t be afraid to try something else, something new, and make the most of it!
During the festival we will have security at each venue, and a team from Pōneke Party Guardians will be circulating throughout. They will be wearing pink hi-vis and are there to help if you or anyone you know or see might be having a rough time or needs assistance. They are trained volunteers there to champion consent culture and harm reduction.
Unfortunately not, and if you are planning to come to the festival and have any accessibility needs or concerns, please feel free to get in touch with us at eyegum.music@gmail.com.
A good thing about a festival that only happens at indoor venues is that the weather does not affect our ability to host the festival. Just bring a good rain coat and shoes and be prepared to move quickly between venues. No better way to stay warm than by dancing to some of the best music in Aotearoa.