Live at The Tuning Fork
21 June 2025
Live Review by Music Journalist: Paul Marshall
Ekko Park Detonate The Tuning Fork in a Blistering Night of Kiwi Rock Power.
On a chilly Auckland night that threatened to stay quiet, Ekko Park stepped onto the stage at The Tuning Fork and lit the room up like a Roman candle. Saturday, June 21, 2025 — remember the date, because the four-piece alt-rock powerhouse reminded us why live music still matters in an era ruled by algorithmic playlists — a night when guitars roared, hearts opened wide, and the raw spirit of rock 'n' roll dropkicked digital apathy into oblivion.
The room was sparsely populated when the doors opened — the kind of vibe where the echo of a clinking glass seems louder than the PA. But give it 20 minutes, and the faithful began to trickle in: denim jackets, band tees, leather boots and a quiet buzz of anticipation. The first shot fired was frontman Joe Walsh onstage with an acoustic guitar, opening with a stripped-down, emotionally taut song with great lyrics Weaponise Life Weaponise Fame Weaponise Fight Weaponise Pain with harmonies delivered alongside Walsh courtesy of Jessie Booth (backing vocals) lending an eerie grace to the raw honesty of the moment.
Then came the switch. The rest of the band arrived like cavalry. Guitars strapped on, drums set to stun, bass ready to roll. Walsh grinned and dropped the first of many quotable bombs: “How the fuck are we? You look delicious!” The place erupted — a shared exhale of relief that yeah, we were in the right place.
Within minutes, the faithful had packed in tight — a tribal gathering of rock disciples: Gen Zs with eyeliner and attitude, Gen Xers chasing the high of old gigs, Boomers nursing beers in the back and tapping boots. A motley congregation united by the sermon of noise. They all shared one thing: a deep, unflinching love for music that connects, cracks open hearts, and kicks down walls. The rhythm section snapped like a rubber band, taut and unforgiving, while Walsh stalked the stage like a man with something to prove and everything to give.
Frontman Walsh dressed in a Fontaines D.C. tee — a subtle but striking nod to one of his fellow Dublin hometown heroes. It wasn’t just a fashion choice; it was a statement of lineage, of punk poetry passed down through the gritty streets of Ireland’s capital. In that moment, Walsh wasn't just representing Ekko Park — he was carrying the torch lit by Fontaines’ snarling lyricism and raw energy, a reminder that Dublin still breeds bands with something real to say and the guts to shout it loud.
By the third track, the front two rows were moving like one organism — arms in the air, heads nodding to the tight, punchy rhythm section that defines Ekko Park’s sonic signature. Their sound is hard to pin down — and that’s the magic. Imagine Foo Fighters' soaring choruses fused with the raw punch of early Arctic Monkeys, add in a defiant streak that’s pure Aotearoa, and you’re getting close. But live? They transcend influence. It’s immediate, urgent, alive.
Between tracks, Walsh's banter danced a fine line between irreverent and heartfelt. He shouted out to the bar staff, joked with the crowd, and, in one poignant moment, dedicated a song to a fan’s recently departed dog, saying, “This is for you, Megan. This is a friend of ours who comes to a lot of Ekko shows, who lost her beautiful dog Grohl this week” — a gesture that showed his heart was just as finely tuned as his guitar.
The most touching moment of the night came not through a lyric, but a small voice. Walsh tells us before the show began, eight-year-old Felicity shyly asked him to sign her T-shirt — a touching gesture that brought a lump to his throat and left him deeply humbled, a moment that cut through the noise and reminded everyone in the room why this matters.
By the time Ekko Park launched into their final track — a snarling, anthemic closer that left nothing behind — the entire venue was on its feet. Hands in the air. Voices raised. Hearts thumping in time with every beat and chord. It was sweaty, messy, and absolutely glorious.
In a world that sometimes feels too loud and too fast, Ekko Park gave us a show of honest-to-god rock and roll. And for those lucky enough to be there, it wasn’t just a concert — it was a reminder: music still saves.
Reviewer: Paul Marshall
Photography by Paul Marshall
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