Spotlights (Ipecac Records)

Fresh from extensive tours throughout America and Europe with fellow Ipecac Records bands the Melvins and Mr Bungle. New York doom gazers Spotlights commence on their first ever tour of New Zealand this November. Bringing a sound that moves between beautiful atmospherics to brutal heaviness, mending melody over menace and sanity battling insanity. Kiwi audiences can expect to see a band at the peak of their sound and genre on the back of last years critically acclaimed album Alchemy For The Dead, helping to establish them as a world wide presence and a must see/tell your friends band.


If you don’t know who Spotlights are, or haven’t heard their name, then you haven’t been paying attention. However, all is not lost New Zealand as now is your chance to discover what will soon be your favourite band. Formed by husband and wife Mario (guitar, vocals, keys) and Sarah Quintero (bass, vocals) and Chris Enriquez (Drums) in 2009, they have since plugged away on tour after tour, recording after recording, earning every fan they have, whether it’s Chino Moreno, Mike Patton, or the bartender at a local club. During 2016, the group gained traction with their debut album, Tidals, earning coveted spots on tours with Deftones (we did say Chino is a fan), and Refused. Not long after, they caught the attention of Mike Pattons record label - Ipecac Recordings, releasing Seismic in 2017, touring relentlessly (again, enjoying word of mouth amongst musicians to land outings with the Mr. Bungle, Quicksand, Melvins, Pallbearer, etc) and worked right into the studio, releasing Love & Decay in 2019. Consequence praised their “unique amalgam of sounds that is both heavy and heavenly,” Brooklyn Vegan said the band balances the pretty with metallic sludge, and Invisible Oranges said the album “leans on the ambient and krautrock inspired edges of post-metal.” In the wake of their 2020 EP We Are All Atomic, Kerrang! observed, “That a band as heavy and romantic as Spotlights have become a fixture in the rock scene Is impressive; that they’ve done so in such a short period of time is tremendous.”

Spotlights occupy the space between a push-and-pull of jarring metallic catharsis and sweeping distortion. Even as either side vies for supremacy, neither extreme ever completely tightens its grip, allowing waves of melodic vocals and expressive sonic sorcery to breathe in the middle. Allow yourselves to be swept up under this sound this November.

Spotlights will be joined on all shows by Threat.Meet.Protocol and guests.

Tickets available from Undertheradar.co.nz

Spotlights NZ Tour:

Thursday, 21st November - Whammy Bar, Auckland
Friday 22nd November - Monkey House Lounge & Cabaret, Whitianga
Saturday 23rd November - Last Place Bar, Hamilton
Sunday 24th November -Under the Tauranga Harbour Bridge (All Ages)
Tuesday 26th November - SECRET SHOW
Wednesday 27th November - Paisley Stage, Napier
Thursday 28th November - Valhalla, Wellington
Friday 29th November - The Stomach, Palmerston North (All Ages)
Saturday 30th November - Eight Ball, New Plymouth
Sunday 1st December - Big Fan, Auckland (All Ages)