Hotly-tipped Wanaka rockers have played in town before, supporting The Feelers at the Ōamaru Club in 2022. Now they're back, headlining, and if you like rock music, you should probably go. 

Here's why:

1. You might not catch them in a venue this small again, because Powder Chutes look like they're headed for bigger rooms. It's entirely possible that, in years to come, you'll tell people you were there, and they may not believe you.

2. Don't believe us? Then check in with Johnny Stevens, frontman of American rockers Highly Suspect, who loves them. "Everybody wake up," enthuses Johnny. "These boys have got the sauce!"

So much so, that when Highly Suspect headlined Auckland's massive Spark Arena late last year, they brought Powder Chutes on stage to play with them.

3. Another band who loves them? NZ's biggest metal band, Alien Weaponry, who declared the Powder Chutes song Scalpel as the winner of the inaugural AJ Hackett Bungy Thrash More contest in 2023. More recently, Alien Weaponry bassist Turanga Morgan Edmonds described Powder Chutes as "a super dope young band that’s keeping punk and hard rock alive”.

4. People abroad are paying attention. The band's Moth To The Flame single was playlisted on a radio station in Scotland, while the UK's Classic Rock Magazine described the song as sounding like Pearl Jam, Tool and Velvet Revolver... at the same time!

5. Locals are, too. Moths To The Flame hit the Top 10 NZ Singles Chart and was among the 40 most-played rock songs on New Zealand radio for eight weeks.

The album hit the Official Top 20 Aotearoa Albums at No.4 and the Official Top 40 Albums at No.22. Not bad for a band of teenagers!

6. The band's debut album has received widespread praise. Music NZ describes the band as possessing "a swagger and confidence that oozes through from their songs". 1964 magazine says it is "a bundle of joyous grunge-infused angst that simultaneously looks forwards and back”.

NZ Musician says: "There is not a single song on this album that doesn’t have an absolutely ripping riff and catchy lyrics”. Classic Rock Magazine calls it "a debut album so packed with riffs, it’s a miracle there are any left for others”, while pop culture site Empty Spaces describes the album as "a thunderous, tightly-wound collection of riffs, hooks, and heart, bursting with purpose and confidence".

7. That album has local connections, having been recorded up the Waitaki Valley at the much-loved Sublime Studios in Kurow.

8. It promises to be a good night. In addition to Powder Chutes, there'll be support from Timaru desert rockers Wild Eyed Empress, who recently competed in the South Island final of the Battle Of The Bands 2025 National Championship, and Slöer, who reportedly sound a bit like Portishead, but they've got an umlaut in their name, so they must be good.

9. The bar at the Penguin Club will be selling reasonably-priced alcohol, but it's an all-ages show. So if you know a youngster who's learning to play and might be inspired by Powder Chutes – who are all great players – then bring them along. "Everyone is welcome," say the band, "from the rugrats to the blue rinses and grey beards!"

10. The band would very much like you to be there. "We’re coming to the end of a 15-date national tour," they say. "Many shows have either sold out, or been packed, and Ōamaru, you’re the last. The finale. The conclusion. The joyous musical climax of the tour! We can’t promise you a good time… but we can promise you that we’ll have a good time, and that we’ll give it everything we’ve got to bring you along with us."

Powder Chutes play the Penguin Club on Saturday (June 14). Tickets are available in advance from Under The Radar.