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Harbour City Electric

Decade(s) active:

On our catalogue:

Music we hold — on our catalogue

The majority of our Wellington CD collection is available from our Te Awe Branch in Brandon St, or able to be reserved for free from our Distribution Centre in Johnsonville.

We say:

Hailing from Wellington, Harbour City Electric are a live 7-piece band who have incorporated a diverse array of influences – ranging from Motown Soul and Funk to Hip-hop – to create their unique sound.

Throwing synthesizers, tight horns, a kicking kicking rhythm section and world-class vocals into the mix, Harbour City Electric have crafted their own unique style, that can only be described as “Acid-funk and heavy break-beat soul”.

Harbour City Electric was formed in late 2006 as a 5-piece jam-band for a weekly residency at Sandwiches, which recieved ‘Best Musical Offering’ at the 2007 NZ Bar Awards. Starting as a rotating line-up of some of Wellington’s finest musicians, players from The Black Seeds, Recloose Live Band, Solaa, Olmecha Supreme and Rhombus took the stage for nearly two years.

After leaving the Sandwiches residency in early 2008, the bands membership took a more permanent shape, and the guys set their sights high. Harbour City Electric have since played prime-time slots at The Parihaka Peace Festival, Canaan Downs Festival, a headline show at ASB Gardens Magic, as well as support slots for a whole range of Top notch local and international acts.

The band also play regular gigs at various Wellington night spots such as The Southern Cross, Bar Bodega, Good Luck Bar, San Fransisco Bath House and Sandwiches.

2009 looks set to be a bumper year for Harbour City Electric, with performances at The Cuba St Carnival and a series of nation-wide tours. April sees the release of their first EP, with engineering by legend Mike Gibson, mixing by Benny Tones (Electric Wire Hustle, Pacific Heights) at Newtown’s Organik Muzik Workz and mastering by Kelly Hibbert at Elysian Masters, LA.

The EP features guest singer extrodinaire Lisa Tomlins (Fat Freddies Drop, Recloose, Rhombus) and five superbly crafted original tracks.


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