Skyscraper Stan and The Commission Flats are back! 

We love these boys. We’ve been to every one of their shows in the last two years and have been more impressed with every showing, and so we were stoked to hear they were back again, and not only were they playing at the Tuning Fork, (THIS FRIDAY), opening the Southern Fork Americana Fest, but they’re also doing a full New Zealand tour. They’re performing alongside the beautiful Ravens, both at the Tuning Fork and for the rest of the tour. 

Last time I had a chat with Skyscraper Stan he was sitting on a park bench, and wasn’t sure where he was staying next, this time we sat in a bar on Ponsonby Road with himself, and band mates Martin Schilov and Oskar Herbig. 
I recorded the ‘interview’, but essentially we sat and drank beer and talked about everything but the music. If you’d like an in depth run down of the German Bundelisga football league, or horse racing, or didgeredoo playing then this was the killer interview for that. Or hear the beginnings of a couple of AFL teams anthems sung by Stan. In fairness, we had a big chat about how different the Auckland pub scene is compared to Australia. Pubs are a really crucial part of the band scene in Aussie, as they make up a large number of the best venues to perform in. We don’t have that as much here, of a particular size especially. I think, in all honesty though, to Stan and the boys they were more bothered by the lack of an easy beer. 

We discussed everyone’s first bands, right back at high school. Stan’s first performance was at talent quest, for which the swearing in the chorus led to some stern words. “I only had the three bands, Honest to Buddah, The Pants and then Skyscraper.” Oskar chimed in at this point with, “You named all your bands after yourself.” 

Skyscraper Stan has spent a decent chunk of this year touring about supporting his solo record (check that out below)!, “I have been touring alone heaps this year, but I’ve been organsing shit back in Melbourne for the last couple of months. We’ve just done an ‘Australian Tour’,” Stan emphasizes this to imply perhaps it wasn’t hugely comprehensive. “It was like four dates, up the East Coast, it was a farewell to a couple of band members. That was great.” Next on the horizon is a band album, but they might be getting a new couple of backing vocalists, or a hammond player, so they’re in a lull period working out how the next wee while to happen. 

For now, we get to see them rip up the stage at Tuning Fork and launch the Americana Fest. Ravens are made up of the ladies from The Eastern and they are just… words don’t describe it. Everyone who has seen them is so stoked that they have got together to do this trio, Jess Shanks, Reb Fountain and Alice Ryan Williams. 

See all of this on Friday at the Tuning Fork, doors at 7,30pm.