It’s been ten years since the lads from Clap Clap Riot left the Garden City for the bright lights and big noise of Auckland, taking the NZ music scene by storm on the way. Cityscape caught up with the boys ahead of their anniversary tour.

Congrats on reaching a decade of firing out top-notch tunes! How would you say the music scene has changed since you first started out? A lot has changed in ten years, especially the way bands release, promote and earn an income from material. Our recording process is one thing that has stayed the same.

You guys originally started out with the band name ‘Band Theft Auto’, what prompted you to drop that and take on ‘Clap Clap Riot’? Working with The D4’s Jimmy Christmas on our first EP, the style of our new music didn't particularly suit the name. We were also in the process of moving to Auckland from Christchurch so thought a change would be appropriate. We ended up putting words on a whiteboard and selecting ‘clap' twice and ‘riot’ once.

You’ve toured around many cities – what city is at the top of your list for the best place to perform? Coming back to Christchurch is always a highlight because we get to see old friends and visit places that we to used hang around when we lived together down Armagh Street. A souvlaki from Dimitris is always near the top of the list. A lot of Christchurch fans seem to know our older material too, which is always fun.

There’s talk that you have a new album in the works – any idea when that’ll be out? We're still in the process of finishing the release, but we hope to start trickling out singles this year.

You’ve played alongside heavy hitters such as The 1975, Jimmy Eat World, Manchester Orchestra and Alt-J – who's been your favourite and why? The 1975 was an unexpected highlight. We had no expectations for the show and ended up with an atmosphere something along the lines of Beatlemania. Fans in the front row were fainting from the heat of the room and becoming squashed by the barrier – quite a few had to be removed by paramedics.

If you could choose one festival where you’d like to play, where would that be and why? Iceland Airwaves looks incredible for its parties and mystery performers.

Anything else on the cards for 2019? At this stage just finishing off our EP/album and planning the release.

What can Christchurch audiences expect from your March 16 performance? A mix of old songs from our first EP, tracks from our three albums and some new material. We may also drag a good friend up for a rendition of ‘Livin’ On a Prayer’.

Craziest fan encounter/experience? Our first gig in Wellington we played to a lone drunk guy and the bar staff – our guitarist Dave's brother-in-law turned up and had to stop the guy from coming onstage and grabbing our gear while we were playing.

What are you currently:
Wearing: Shorts – it's so hot.
Eating: On the menu this evening is tacos.
Drinking: For the past few months it’s been cocktails like margaritas and sidecars. Our bass player Hemi is training to be a sommelier, so he’s on the natural, biodynamic wine buzz.
Wishing: For good vibes.

Where are your picks for a night out in Christchurch for:
Chilling with friends? Smash Palace
A hot date? Gatherings
Dancing till your shoes fall off? The Darkroom
Late night eats? KFC Merivale
A cheeky cocktail? The Last Word
A decent wine? Gatherings

Clap Clap Riot, March 16
Blue Smoke
undertheradar.co.nz