Backed by steep hills and teetering on a harbour at the bottom of New Zealand’s North Island, Wellington is home to New Zealand’s parliament and is also the country’s capital of arts and culture. Its compact size forms a kind of civic petri dish, cultivating a thriving restaurant, bar and club scene, with live music woven throughout.
From its beginnings as a two-man-turntable-and-mic act in Wellington’s ’90s club scene, Fat Freddy’s Drop slowly formed into the internationally acclaimed seven-piece band famous for its live performances that exhibit those jam-band roots. The band’s musical experimentation is a reflection of the city’s unique culture – Wellington staked a claim as a capital of craft beer early on, and quirkiness is a strong presence in its bar scene, from the grungy to the glamorous.
After decades frequenting and playing at the city’s bars and clubs, Scott “Chopper Reedz” Tower and trombonist Joe “Hohepa” Lindsay of Fat Freddy’s Drop remain passionate about the discoveries to be made and experiences to be had hopping from venue to venue. Here, they give their picks of the city’s most thirst-quenching spots.
New Zealand’s capital city is fuelled by creative energy (Credit: Sybille Reuter/Getty Images)
The band’s first live album, 2001’s “Live at the Matterhorn” was recorded in the eponymous venue on Cuba St. How did that thriving bar and club scene around Cuba St, and the city as a whole, influence the formation and evolution of the band?
Joe: Several of the band members met at jazz school in the early ’90s. We started out as a jam band – the nature of the city lent itself to these longform improvisations, and to people from different musical styles getting together in this gradual way.
Scott: Everything coalesced around the club scene. It was influenced by this big crossover of ideas from theatre and music schools, and DJs and producers from the dance music scene, and a crush of different social groups – professionals, students, homeless people, creatives. Wellington is sort of like a bowl; everyone and everything pours into the centre and mixes.
The seven-piece band Fat Freddy’s Drop is known for its live performances (Credit: Michael Palmer/Alamy)
You’d go to see your peers performing in a theatre production, then someone would wheel in a sound system and there’d be an after-hours party in the same venue. There were no rules – Wellington was a little lawless; that definitely influenced us, and the band still embodies that today.
Many of those clubs and bars of yore, including The Matterhorn, are no longer around. Where would you go today to capture a bit of that creative spirit and live music focus?
Joe: Hashigo Zake has a great dive bar feel. I went recently and there were heaps of music students doing their thing there which took me back a bit, and there are loads of microbrewery beers on tap.
Scott: Moon in Newtown – on the southern fringe of the inner city – has a bit of an alternative feel. There might be a huge reggae sound system playing or there might be a noisy punk trio. The bar does cheap pizza nights on Tuesdays, and there are also heaps of great cheap eats around in Newtown – the area has a real adventurous spirit to it that takes us back to the early days.
Head to Moon in Newtown for live music and cheap pizza (Credit: Moon)
Rogue & Vagabond has been a strong source of jams for the past five or six years; it’s not a big place, just a small, raised stage [and] a bar and tables that get pushed back later in the night, but almost any night of the week you’ll find young local musicians playing jazz, soul, funk and Afrobeat to an up-for-it crowd. If you’re at a loud gig here and need to recharge your ears and feet, head up the staircase to its sister bar Bedlam & Squalor for a cocktail.
Wellington has staked a solid claim as a capital of craft beer. What are some of your favourite spots to experience what’s on offer?
Joe: Some of the independent breweries have their own bars, including of one my favourites, Parrotdog. It’s in [the suburb of] Lyall Bay which is still not far from town, but it’s on the south coast and right on the beach, so you can kind of go between the beach and the bar. It’s a good place to take the family, plus you can bring your dog which I really like, and on Sundays there are DJs playing. Order a jug of beer and one of their chicken burgers – or cross over the road to Fresko: two shipping containers doing great fish and chips and really good oka [Pacific Island-style raw fish].
Parrotdog’s relaxed brewery-bar in Lyall Bay is a great spot for families (Credit: Parrotdog Bar)
Scott: You are almost duty bound to check out Garage Project Taproom in Aro Street when visiting Wellington. These guys literally started in an old petrol station and manage to balance being the godfathers of local brew culture and being on the cutting edge. They constantly try new flavour ideas and techniques, so when you do a tasting paddle, go for a mix of classic session pours and freaky knock-your-socks-off oddities.
In Hannah’s Lane precinct check out Goldings Free Dive – it’s a free house so the taps change constantly. They also stock bottles and cans of all the good local brews. You can get Pizza Pomodoro delivered directly to the bar.
To get to Puffin, you have to walk through the foyer of a boutique hotel (Credit: The Puffin)
I hear wine is making a comeback in the city?
Scott: The wine scene and wine bars have really come up over the past several years. Puffin feels a bit hidden; there’s no real signage and you walk through the foyer of a boutique hotel to get to it. It’s just so simple: a dimly lit room, comfortable seats, a really interesting wine selection, good playlist, good service. That area, around Guzhnee St and Cuba St, has quite a hustle about it, but once you zip through the doorway and take the steps down to Puffin, boom – you’re in this little oasis that feels quite European.
Joe: I’d even say Puffin has a bit of a Matterhorn vibe, and they go really deep on natty [natural] wine with an extensive selection. Across the road from there, the Ascot is a rooftop spot doing hot dogs and wine, and the outside area is sheltered from the wind, but you can get a good view over the bustle on Cuba St.
Scott recommends Margot for its compact size and European feel (Credit: Amber-Jayne Bain & Cuisine)
Scott: Noble Rot is a relaxing place to enjoy a huge selection of interesting wines and tapas-y sharing plates. Cinderella opened recently and has a group of hospitality legends behind it; along with great wine it’s doing really interesting food, lots of it cooked over wood fire. In Newtown, Margot has a European feel, and its bistro menu has so many good vegetarian options as well as a seafood focus. I like that Wellington’s wine bars – and all its bars really – are nice and compact. Even a larger place like Parrotdog isn’t what you’d consider a big barn; there’s always a cosy feeling.
It’s time for a cocktail… where are we heading?
Joe: Hawthorn Lounge is a lovely speakeasy 1920s-style bar – very comfortable, real piano, really good cocktails. It was established by performer Brett McKenzie and his brother Jonny. I love that it’s in the territory of Courtenay Place, which is the loud, boozy bar area, but Hawthorn is all class, so if you whisk someone up the stairs to Hawthorn you look like a bit of a legend.
Night Flower specialises in adventurous cocktails, from 17th-Century punches through to modern-era drinks (Credit: Tum Chu)
Night Floweris hidden away downstairs from The Ascot; it’s hip and adventurous. It’s the kind of bar where they take your pulse and decide what kind of cocktail you need; I am not even sure if they have a list, they’ll ask you a few questions about what you like and feel like and then make you something. I’m quite a traditionalist when it comes to cocktails – I like my Sazeracs and old-school bitter drinks, but I have had some great cocktails at Night Flower. Also, on the adventurous tip is Hanging Ditch in the Leeds St precinct, where all the booze is hanging from the ceiling on bungee cords over the bar.
Scott: For traditionalists and fans of a really good rum-based cocktail, you can’t go further than Havana. It’s been around for so long, has great music and DJs, and is always a good time – order a Dark & Stormy and enjoy.
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