GREATSOUTH FUNDRAISER & ALBUM RELEASE SHOW
On Friday 21 August, Greatsouth returns to BIG FAN to celebrate the release of his debut album, Hellhole of the Pacific, alongside special guests Louis McIver Smith (FKA Skinny & Soft) and huaxiflowerstream.
Named after the 1830s description of Kororāreka "Hellhole of the Pacific", the album reimagines Aotearoa through an urban Māori lens. Blending taonga pūoro, field recordings and indie rock, it moves through stories of land, identity and belonging, finding the personal within the historical. From the shores of Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa to conversations with Papatūānuku, Hellhole of the Pacific reflects on the people, places and histories that continue to shape us.
This show marks the first live performance of the album and serves as a fundraiser for Greatsouth's upcoming BIGSOUND haerenga, where the project will travel to Magandjin Brisbane for its first international showcase. With 100% of ticket sales going directly towards the trip, your support will help the band take this exciting next step.
Buy the Hellhole of the Pacific album on vinyl and pick it up at the show!
GREATSOUTH
Greatsouth is the musical project of Māori artist Payton Taplin (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa) from Papakura, South Auckland. Blending indie rock, Polynesian post-punk, taonga pūoro and field recordings, his music explores identity, belonging and contemporary Māori experience through a distinctly Aotearoa lens. His debut album, Hellhole of the Pacific, arrives in August 2026 following support from RNZ, Rolling Stone AU/NZ, KEXP, Triple R, an APRA Silver Scroll finalist nomination and selection for BIGSOUND 2026.
HUAXIFLOWERSTREAM
huaxiflowerstream are the Tāmaki Makaurau duo of Huiming Wu and Maxwell Brown. Blending ghuzheng, guitar, percussion and improvisation, their music drifts between dream-pop, psychedelia, jazz, punk, noise and experimental soundscapes. Known for their immersive live performances and genre-defying approach, the pair have built a reputation as one of Auckland's most intriguing underground acts, with appearances spanning festival stages, SXSW Sydney and beyond.
LOUIS MCIVER SMITH
Louis McIver Smith is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Tāmaki Makaurau. Formerly releasing music as Skinny & Soft, his work moves between indie rock and alt folk experimental songwriting, pairing sharp melodies with deeply personal storytelling. pairing sharp melodies with deeply personal storytelling delivered in his distinctly Kiwi voice. Whether performing solo or through collaborative projects such as Fantastic Science Fiction, Louis has become a quietly distinctive voice within Aotearoa's independent music community.