It's not all about streaming: Auckland musicians stand up for live gigs
• May 21, 2026
Anthony Grey performing live at Danny Doolans. Photo Credit: Vidhhi Panchal
Auckland's musicians and event organisers are standing up for live performances as music streaming is becoming more prevalent.
Musicians and event organisers say there is still strong engagement with live shows, and performing live and building real connections with audiences is more important than creating viral content.
Classical cellist with Floral Clocks, Rebecca Hendl-Smith, says that while people listen to music faster and more passively than before, live performances remain important.
“I think some of the challenges are to try and develop your own unique creative voice and not fall into the trap of trying to capture the masses.”
“Covid I think has had a lot to do with this as well, and that there's been a real sort of break and a disconnect between sort of attending live shows and seeing music live.”
She says that platforms like TikTok push artists to focus on creating short and engaging content that will be seen right away.
“You're kind of trying to hook people in with 15 seconds of impact and it's within the first 15 seconds, so it changes the way in which you create music, I think, in terms of thinking how do I get a hook out there that's going to be captured and go viral.”
Auckland Council's Stand Up Stand Out (SUSO) programme leader Gene Rivers say younger generations have access to much more music and creative influences than previous generations.
The strain of seeking streams and online visibility can push artists from their authentic style of expression.
“The younger generation is far more engaged with online influences, whether that be tutorials or just straight performance. So, this is one thing that the young people have access to far more information and content to influence their creativity."
Artist, DJ and producer, Gene Rivers believes success in the music industry isn't always about trends or popularity, and while technology gives songs the ability to go viral, it is not the only route.
“I don't think it's necessarily the deciding factor…. whether that guarantees longevity or a short-term return, it's still up for debate; something that's trending in the moment that happens quickly tends to burn out pretty quickly too.”
Keyboard player Anthony Grey says audiences are still finding older songs very appealing when they play live.
“I think kids these days are listening to what their parents have listened to, and maybe their grandparents have listened to…. like we always get asked for new songs, and we try to play them if we can, but overall, the old classics are the ones that people seem to like.”
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AI was not used in the creation of this story.
It's not all about streaming: Auckland musicians stand up for live gigs
Vidhhi Panchal • May 21, 2026
It's not all about streaming: Auckland musicians stand up for live gigs
Vidhhi Panchal • May 21, 2026