Archive
Sea Mouse: The ocean is big and the mouse is small
Posted 10:00pm Wednesday 12th February 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters
If you google ‘sea mouse’ you’ll be met with a cute ocean creature, but a couple scrolls further will open the window into the blues-fueled journey that is Wellington’s Sea Mouse. Powered by Weetbix and classic blues, Sea Mouse is known for their classical take on modern rock Read more...
A Conversation with Justin Pemberton
Posted 1:01pm Thursday 17th October 2019 by Oscar Francis
This new film of yours is a historical look at capitalism, and it’s an adaptation of a nearly 700 page economics text that deals with a piles of statistics, and a tonne of macroeconomic theory. Is it a film for nerds? No, not at all. There’s no way the film would be able to mirror the Read more...
Students to Watch: You
Posted 9:32pm Thursday 3rd October 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
Over the past 25 issues, we’ve been documenting people on campus who are making an impact on the community around them. From people who run community groups, fashion designers, entrepreneurs, to those dedicated to the best chicken nugget deals around town. We only had space to fit in a select Read more...
“Manic-Noisy-Fun-Pop-Punk” – Mary Berry
Posted 9:28pm Thursday 3rd October 2019 by Sophia Carter Peters
Mary Berry’s win at the recent Bring the Noise competition has brought them swiftly into the student music scene, which they have taken by storm. I met the band members in an alleyway coffee shop. After procuring the necessary caffeine for any human interaction, Julie Dunn (bass), Jade Read more...
All The Time We Scooped the ODT This Year
Posted 9:25pm Thursday 3rd October 2019 by Sinead Gill
Critic: 19 February - OUSA to Introduce Drug Testing for O-Week ODT: 19 February - OUSA introduces drug checking for O-Week Critic: 21 February - OUSA Ran Drug Testing for O-Week ODT: 26 February - 60 O-Week drug tests carried out Critic: 14 March - Drug Testing Finds a Read more...
Marlin’s Dreaming: Electrifying, Witty, and Actually Good
Posted 11:27pm Thursday 26th September 2019 by Caroline Moratti
The same day I interviewed Marlin’s Dreaming, Taylor Swift had just released a new album. So overall it was a big day for the Dunedin Sound. Marlin’s Dreaming is a sleepy, mesmerising band consisting of Semisi Maiai (vocals/guitar), Hamish Morgan (percussion) and Oscar Johns (bass). Read more...
WHO SHAT ON THE TABLE
Posted 11:26pm Thursday 26th September 2019 by Owen Clarke
Read the mystery here At that moment, Kyle opens the door. He sniffs, then looks at the table, then at you. “What the fuck?” he says. “That’s exactly what I said,” you say. “But I wasn’t here. It wasn’t me. It was one of Read more...
The Shittiest Study Session
Posted 11:25pm Thursday 26th September 2019 by Owen Clarke
It’s a rainy Saturday evening in Dunedin. You took five too many nangs last night, forgot there was a hole in the butt pocket of your jeans and, as a result, lost your car keys. You’ve also been ghosted by your last five Tinder matches, three of whom have unmatched you altogether. In Read more...
Students To Watch: Anna Clark
Posted 11:16pm Thursday 26th September 2019 by Nina Minogue
There was never doubt in Anna Clark’s mind about where she was going to head in life. When she was 15, she knew she wanted to do genetics and from the age of four, knew she’d love to work with animals. Studying Genetics and Zoology in undergrad, Anna has combined two lifelong passions Read more...
Students to Watch – Nathan Hollows of Nugget Watch
Posted 9:19pm Friday 20th September 2019 by Phillip Plant
At first glance, Nathan Hollows appears to be just your average CompSci student, but underneath his mild mannered exterior lies the enterprising soul of an entrepreneur. Nathan’s main creation is a website called “Nugget Watch,” which is “dedicated to your hearts deepest Read more...
Sincere Shitposting: The Meme Pages Fundraising for Mental Health
Posted 8:56pm Friday 20th September 2019 by Caroline Moratti
Lad shitposting is a delicate art form. In the past year or so a renaissance of sorts has risen through the weeds of Facebook algorithms. They love all things beer, caps, DnB, and are typically your average breathas. I mean, shit, some pages even have more likes than Critic Booze Reviews. Lad Read more...
I tried to rip bongs through household ingedients: A heartwarming tale of overcoming oppression
Posted 1:02am Friday 13th September 2019 by Anonymous Bird
Why are we still exclusively ripping bongs through water when there’s a whole world of exotic bong rips out there. Here’re some of the hottest new bong trends for when you feel like spicing your life up: Day 1: Mandarin Slices in syrup, $1.30 from Countdown. Difficulty: Read more...
A Line About Lines
Posted 12:38am Friday 13th September 2019 by Critic
We asked students to share their best or worst experiences on drugs in ten words or less. “So drunk, I cummed while completely soft” “Inhaled Diethyl Ether, convinced I was a garage door opener” “Made grilled cheese but with butter instead of Read more...
Students to Watch: Ben Paanakker and Flynn Robson, aka Breatha Science
Posted 12:22am Friday 13th September 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
“Vaccinate your kids, be aware of hidden water, global warming is not a myth, and fuck Donald Trump.” These are the mottos of local students Ben Paanakker and Flynn Robson. Ben and Flynn seem like the average breatha. Living on Queen, loving a cheeky Wednesday night appearance at Pint Read more...
Get Your Own: An ADHD Opinion on Study Drugs
Posted 11:52pm Thursday 12th September 2019 by Sophia Carter Peters
I was 15 when I got my first Ritalin prescription and it changed my life. My grades improved, my relationships improved and I didn’t get comments on my report saying “needs to talk less in class”. ADHD is a chronic disorder that generally involves hyperactivity, inattentiveness, Read more...
Students to Watch | Te Hau Ariki Gardiner-Toi and Karamea Pewhairangi
Posted 1:03am Friday 6th September 2019 by Sinead Gill
For Te Hau and Karamea, every week is Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. As far as any officially themed week goes, though, Māori language week is this week, and you’ll see a bunch of institutions making an effort to include te reo in their social media posts and the likes. But on top Read more...
In order to heal
Posted 11:59pm Thursday 5th September 2019 by Māori Mermaid
In order to heal We do it together. I let you thread the stitches into my skin A perfect weave of earth and wind, We bathe each other several times a week, Then plant our antibiotics deep And gently bandage our backs with dirt, We wash our wounds, expel some Read more...
Te Huinga Tauira
Posted 11:55pm Thursday 5th September 2019 by Taylor Terekia
Whakatau mai rā e te huinga tauira, e te huinga tāngata ki tōku whare wānanga e! Nau mai rā e ngā mana, e ngā waka ki te tumu herenga waka, ki Te Tumu ki Ōtākou. Nō mātou o Te Roopū Māori te maringanui ki te whakahaere i Te Huinga Read more...
An Interview with Ant Timpson, Director of Come to Daddy
Posted 11:11pm Thursday 29th August 2019 by Wyatt Ryder
At 57, veteran New Zealand film maker Ant Timpson has made his directorial debut with his film Come To Daddy - a hybrid of a thriller and dark comedy. Timpson started in the film industry writing and sending letters to various film production companies, trying to help any way he could. “We Read more...
Students to Watch | James Fletcher
Posted 11:07pm Thursday 29th August 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
“Even the most confident and socially accepted people have negative thoughts. It’s just part of life. I think that being aware that these things can come and go like the tide is important in maintaining a healthy mind.” James Fletcher is a 22-year-old Law and Commerce student. Read more...
Students to Watch | Eva Cambourn
Posted 9:34pm Saturday 17th August 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
“We want to encourage people to do the right thing and just do what they can. If we can keep that momentum going, keep that fire burning, we feel like we might be able to point humanity in the right direction.” At only 24, Eva Cambourn works as the director and designer of her own Read more...
I Am The Girl
Posted 9:30pm Saturday 17th August 2019 by Theodora Morris
I am the girl who never called the police Never said a word didn’t cry didn’t scream A good little girl taught to keep the peace, Told staying silent was best for me Society made sure my tongue stayed tied Just stay silent, run and hide. Who would believe what I had to Read more...
Best Dressed Couple On Campus
Posted 9:14pm Saturday 17th August 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
The gay paradise ducks that hang out on Union Lawn (fuck the heterosexual paradise ducks that live by the Leith) are inspirational. These good boys love to waddle around the food trucks, eat grass, and serve luuks. After months trying to book an interview, Samuel L Quackson and Quackie Chan sat down Read more...
The Tree that Smells Like Cum
Posted 9:00pm Saturday 17th August 2019 by Nina Minogue
There are two things I’ve learnt in this life. One, that some things demand to be felt and two, that some things demand to be smelt. Dunedin has a tree that smells like cum. Officially called Pyrus calleryana, this Cum Tree is a species of pear tree native to China and Vietnam. There might Read more...
OPINION: Let a Man Walk Through Uni in Cowboy Boots and a Tank Top in Peace
Posted 8:59pm Saturday 17th August 2019 by Oscar German
Whether it be a pair of cowboy boots or a shirt with seven sleeves (a tad excessive possibly), since I started uni I have gradually descended further and further into the black hole of fashion. At this point, the more outlandish the better. Now some might label this as ‘a cry for Read more...
Why We Wear Black
Posted 8:54pm Saturday 17th August 2019 by Sinead Gill
Content warning: Sexual violence Thursdays in Black is an international campaign against sexual violence and standing up for survivors of sexual violence, whose stories are often swept under the rug because of shitty social conventions against talking about awful or awkward things. The Read more...
Students to Watch – Thibaut Espirit
Posted 5:07pm Sunday 11th August 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
“Growing up in New Caledonia, I did not have any sex education, and no safe queer spaces for my young questioning self. I really wanted to be able to provide something I wish I had back in the days.” Thibaut (Tee) Espirit is originally from New Caledonia, which he describes as “a Read more...
Nightmare at the Museum: a Comprehensive Guide of Items to Heist at Otago Museum
Posted 5:04pm Sunday 11th August 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
When I was a kid, I was terrified of the Otago Museum; the giant Moa that used to light up and make noises whenever you’d walk past or donate to it, the scary rotting taxidermy animal faces in Animal Attic, the dude covered in Puffer Fish skin, and even just the general dimly lit aura used to Read more...
Bring the Noise
Posted 4:59pm Sunday 11th August 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
OUSA’s annual ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition is back and fresher than ever. Channelling their inner Public Enemy, the Bring The Noise competition is being hosted over three weeks, showcasing the best local musical talent we have to offer. Thirteen acts will compete, but only one Read more...
Students to Watch | Georgie Northcoat
Posted 8:29pm Sunday 4th August 2019 by Nina Minogue
Georgie Northcoat is a third-year Bachelor of Applied Sciences Student. Majoring in Marketing and Clothing and Textile Sciences she’s also working part-time as a media analyst at Meltwater, doing research for F&P, working on start-up initiatives in the Dunedin community to reduce waste, Read more...
Mia Jay: What It’s Like to Build Your Own EP
Posted 8:27pm Sunday 4th August 2019 by Erin Gourley
Mia Jay is a singer-songwriter and student. This year, as well as playing gigs around Dunedin and studying a full-time double degree in Music and Commerce, she independently released her first EP. No label or funding or manager; just her songs, her band, and a studio in Port Chalmers. Plus a Read more...
Bike Grylls: The Otago Student Who Biked to Auckland
Posted 8:25pm Sunday 4th August 2019 by Wyatt Ryder
In the Summer of 2017, Jules Laking left Dunedin with nothing but some basic survival gear and his bicycle. After a year of disappointing grades and dissatisfying living habits, Jules had two things he had to do: he had to disconnect from the sterile state of city living and he had to be back in Read more...
Feel the Spray with Dunedin’s Local Pesticide Enthusiasts: Flyspray
Posted 4:32am Friday 26th July 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
What does a vape store retail manager, bean soup merchant, and bouncy castle coordinator all have in common? They all share being local pesticide enthusiasts and members of the self-described “conspiracy punk safe kids” band Flyspray. Comprised of Jack Doublet on lead vocals and guitar, Read more...
Tally Ho! Voyaging Through the New Dunedin Sound
Posted 4:31am Friday 26th July 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
Critic interrogates drunk students in the line for Pint Night with pretentious questions about the Dunedin Sound because we’re not like other boys and Pint Night is a bit shit. What is your favourite Dunedin Sound band? “Albion Abbey is pretty good” “Hold Read more...
Student to Watch: Katie Willis
Posted 3:50am Friday 26th July 2019 by Sinead Gill
Katie Willis’s life has been one big creative journey. She began creating and selling original prints, when she left highschool and began a degree in Communication Design at Otago Polytech with a focus on graphic design. An elective paper in her second year required her to create a product to Read more...
Harlene Hayne's Salary
Posted 12:57am Friday 26th July 2019 by Critic
1. 196,969 x 5 pack noodles 2. 2167 ounces of marijuana 3. 20,312 boxes of Billy Mavs 4. 4,333,333 minutes on a Lime scooter 5. 325,000 McDonalds cheeseburgers 6. 503,875 Bic pens 7. 34,228 boxes of Durex classic condoms 8. 520,000 boxes of Space Man Candy Sticks 9. 144,444 Read more...
Pretty Fly For A WiFi
Posted 6:05pm Thursday 25th July 2019 by Sinead Gill
It’s that time of the year where your landlord (while simultaneously ignoring your texts about the broken freezer and mould) asks you if you want to sign on for 2020. But how do you know if you should stay in your shithole flat, or risk it all for greener pastures? Surely not with this guide. Read more...
Critic Reviews More Drum and Bass
Posted 3:25am Friday 19th July 2019 by Alex MacKygee
Sachi (NZ) 10 July, Union Hall Sachi, named for that noise where you try and say ‘sup’ but end up sneezing, are an Auckland-based duo who have mastered melding groovy synth melodies with upbeat vocals. Possibly not the right concert for someone as old as me, which was a feeling Read more...
Students to Watch: Meg Goodman
Posted 1:53am Friday 19th July 2019 by Wyatt Ryder
Meg Goodman started baking around the same time she started to walk. In high school she was nicknamed ‘Cake Girl’, and she had queues of people eager for birthday cakes. Now she’s started her own business where she can put her skills towards good causes. Goodman Goodies has Read more...
A Meaningful Interview With Meaningful Confessions
Posted 11:34pm Thursday 11th July 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
“What does my super religious girlfriend and medicine have in common? I don't think I'll ever get in either of them,” is one of the latest confessions received by UoO: Meaningful Confessions. With over 17,000 likes on Facebook, the page was set up for students to anonymously Read more...
Students to Watch: Laura Anderson
Posted 11:30pm Thursday 11th July 2019 by Caroline Moratti
Laura Anderson found her passion in the most unusual of places, a university paper. While most of us slouch in the back of lectures on Facebook, or are even lucky if we attend the damn thing in the first place, Laura was busy listening and learning. Her 200-level politics paper about political Read more...
Students to Watch: Jess Thompson
Posted 11:39pm Thursday 4th July 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
“What’s in the blood? What’s in a name? A whenua split for Pākehā gain, a bone or a skull for museums to claim, continue to sing past abuse and the blame, we have to create to stay sane,” the Māori Mermaid sings. Jessica Thompson is an English and Art History Read more...
Which Dunedin Student Archetype Are You?
Posted 11:21pm Thursday 4th July 2019 by Critic
Breatha Probably called Josh, Luke or Tom A feen for the sesh Has four true loves: gear, D&B, piss, and the boys. Doesn’t fear God ‘Alty’ Owns at least one pair of Nom*D socks Spotted at either Kiki Beware, Aika, or RdC “What gigs are on Read more...
Bespoke Quotes from Soaked Oats
Posted 11:19pm Thursday 4th July 2019 by Fox Meyer
When Oscar was a kid, he bumped ‘90s hip-hop. He ran on the sidewalks of St. Albans in Christchurch. Now, he’s in a band with three of his mates. You might’ve heard of them - Soaked Oats. Soaked Oats are the brains behind songs like “Avocado Aficionado” and Read more...
I Fucked a Fleshlight and it Was the Most Depressing 34 Minutes of My Life
Posted 6:25pm Thursday 13th June 2019 by Critic
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not out here trying to act like I’m some stud. A cute girl looks at my dick and it’ll go off like Mentos in a Coke bottle. But damn… this Fleshlight is. Not. The. Move. I’m a tried and true five finger veteran (at least 10 years of Read more...
A conversation with Tracey Crampton Smith, Otago’s Pagan chaplain
Posted 11:34pm Thursday 23rd May 2019 by Erin Gourley
Organised religion is fine, but you have to admit it’s clingy. There’s a lot of reading, a church with real walls (as opposed to a circle of salt on the ground), and convoluted hierarchies of people who tell you what to think. In contrast, Tracey Crampton Smith is the Read more...
Students to Watch | Aidan Barbour-Ryan
Posted 8:45pm Thursday 23rd May 2019 by Nina Minogue
In June last year, Aidan Barbour-Ryan set himself a personal challenge to run every day for a year. One month in, the 21-year-old marketing student decided that his challenge could benefit more people than just himself. Aidan decided that he would raise money to increase mental health and suicide Read more...
A Satanic Solution
Posted 7:16pm Thursday 23rd May 2019 by Owen Clarke
Click here for the mystery “Chad, you son of a bitch!” you yell. “You said your vape had melon flavor, didn’t you? You worship the Great Melon King!” “Yeah that’s right, loser,” says Chad. “Melon’s my favorite flavor Read more...
Fish and Chips and Feminism with Clementine Ford
Posted 11:41pm Thursday 16th May 2019 by Erin Gourley
Clementine Ford is cool. During our Sunday afternoon interview, the feminist writer ordered fish and chips, gave me all of the chips, and offered me wine twice. We launch right into rape culture on university campuses. “It’s always existed and people will try as hard as they can Read more...
Students to Watch | Adam Currie
Posted 11:40pm Thursday 16th May 2019 by Henessey Griffiths
Creating change and empowering others to do the same has been a key theme in Adam Currie’s life. Growing up in Nelson passionate about environmental issues, Adam moved to Dunedin for university. While also studying a mixture of politics and art, he is busy working as the co-convenor for Read more...
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