21 Newton Road,
Newton
Auckland,


(09) 376 4600

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5 out of 5

The Dog's Bollix is an Irish pub in the best tradition; one which places good live music above all else.

But, seeing as there is bugger-all decent Irish music in New Zealand, the bands are generally Kiwi—a good thing, especially given that Kiwi music is going stratospheric on a national and international level.

The Dog's has nurtured upcoming music for years, and this is apparent from the moment you walk in—large Perspex frames by the door show flyers from past acts including The D4, Fur Patrol and Goldenhorse.

And when I turn up for a medicinal half of Guinness at 6.30pm on a Saturday arvo, Goldenhorse are there in the flesh, sat in the foyer.

They're dressed-down; here to sound-check before a gig at 8pm—just mooching, like the three or four punters propping up the bar.

The Dog's is a good space, with a raised bar area and a pit with seating in front of the stage. You can pack a lot of people in here, and most of them will still have a view, such is the staggering of its levels.

There's food on offer, but the chalkboard for this is overshadowed by the chalkboard for each evening's acts—starting on a Monday with the open-mike nights, which take in everything from music to comedy to poetry.

As Goldenhorse take to the stage to belt out a couple of sound-checkers, I can't help feeling smug—first because I'm hearing them for free; second because it's an intimate moment shared with just a handful of others.

Kirsten oo-oos, ah-ahs and tutt-tutts into the mike, and then they're off—belting through a couple of tracks put on just for us.

Move over The Pretenders; you're going to be bettered by a band from little ol' NZ. And that, in part, will be down to the Dog's.

The name of the Dog's Bollix may be irreverent, but it's apt. And for service to musical stars on the rise, this place gets a full five.