Vocalist of New Zealand pop-punk band Stray Dogs

I went into Hamilton on a Thursday night expecting some sort of a scene. It was Thirsty Thursday after all, and Hamilton to my understanding was supposed to be a city. To my dismay, there was absolutely no scene in Hamilton on a Thursday night. I went to one music bar; there was a bartender and one guy sitting at the bar. I asked the bartender when the musician was supposed to come in to play. He pointed to the guy sitting and told me that that was the artist and he was DJing off his tablet right now. “Maybe I’ll stop in later tonight,” I told him knowing well that I definitely wouldn’t. I walked around a bit more and found two alt girls standing outside a bar having a smoke.

“Where’s a good place to go out on a Thursday around here?” I asked them.

“Right here! Come inside and join us. We’re celebrating Dougfest which is tomorrow”

Dougfest? What the fuck is a Dougfest? I thought to myself. I followed the two into this quaint cocktail bar and met the Doug of Dougfest. Immediately he and his friends took me in and made me feel like a part of the group.

“You should come to Dougfest! I’ll put you on the guest list. It’s at a bar called Last Place just around the corner. Tomorrow and Saturday.”

“And what is Dougfest?” I asked.

“Well, it started as a drunk idea, but we turned it into an actual event. It’s my birthday tomorrow, and I’m bringing together thirteen local punk and metal bands to play this weekend.”

And what a weekend it was. There was a pink flamingo theme and some people really went all out, including one person who came in a full flamingo suit. Most people just opted for a bit of pink in their outfits, makeup, and hair. The Last Place, the bar that hosted Dougfest, even had an exclusive culinary creation The Doug-Dog, which sold out part way through the first night of festivities.

Both nights were MCd by the rap duo Thief and Zard. They rallied the audience together and kept the show moving smoothly. The crowd was absolutely electric allowing everyone, musicians and listeners alike, to feed off of each other’s energy. There was moshing, candy scrambling, and even an attempt at a wall of death. There was a packed house on Friday night, and Saturday completely sold out. Not bad at all for the first-ever Dougfest. Night one’s lineup consisted of Static, Cootie Cuties, Achilles Complex, Mega Maw, Off Judy (from Australia), and Stray Dogs headlining. Night two featured Qualms, Pink Plates, Psygon, Edible, and The Boondocks. Each band had the whole crowd rocking out and having a great time.

By the end of the weekend, I learned fully well what the fuck a Dougfest is. It’s an event where people come together to enjoy good music, good drinks, and good company. I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to the New Zealand music scene than Dougfest.

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