Te Reo Māori thrash metal band Alien Weaponry will wrap up its Level One tour at Auckland's Powerstation tomorrow.
After playing to a sell-out crowd in Wellington last night, Te Ao Marama caught up with the band members at their hotel and found out how their new member Turanga Morgan-Edmonds has been performing on his first tour.
The band’s vocalist and guitarist Lewis de Jong said the Wellington show started off with a few technical issues but they were able to keep the crowd amped with a classic Māori song.
"We just kind of jammed a bit and rarked the audience up and we sung Tū Tira Mai Ngā Iwi," he said.
Alien Weaponry’s new bass guitarist Turanga Morgan-Edmonds says his first tour with the internationally acclaimed heavy metal band has been a surreal and “out the gate” experience.
“Seeing all these people who I’ve never met before but they’re all there to see you and see you do you,” he said. “And they're shouting your name on stage and you’re like ‘whoa, what the heck.’ I’ve only been in the band for four months. And people are there to come and see me and the boys.”
Encouraging fans to learn te Reo
Morgan-Edmonds said it was great to perform songs in te reo Māori as it encourages many of their fans and supporters to start learning the language.
“Hearing people say I’m learning Māori because of your guys’ music is a great thing,” he said.
Drummer Henry de Jong is excited to bring the band's closing show to Auckland’s Powerstation Event Centre and is rapt with how well Turanga has been performing into the tour.
“Turanga’s been doing really well so far. Last night was his fifth show with us. And the crowd loved him.”
Alien Weaponry takes the stage at Auckland's Powerstation tomorrow night.