As we move into Lockdown Level 3, more businesses are opening up but Auckland’s music venues are still very much closed and our Neck of the Woods family are all tucked up in our homes. We caught up with the bar crew this week to see what they’ve all been up to, what they miss most about Neck and what they’re looking forward to post lockdown. Long story short they miss all your faces and soaking in bass every weekend but read on for more...

First of all, how are you all and how have you been spending your lockdown?

NIWA/DIRTY KNEES: I’ve been spending most of my time playing animal crossing. It’s weird how doing chores in a video game feels so much more rewarding than in real life. Also been doing a lot of cooking and baking, trying out new recipes and trying to make my own. As soon as i knew we were going to be stuck in our homes for weeks i thought about setting up a livestream to do my set. I have a lot of friends who can't make it to my gigs so this would be perfect for them and great for me to keep doing what i love. Its actually been a lot of fun and such a different experience.

JANNA: Keeping a normal work routine has kept me super productive and I’ve been spending a lot of my time thinking up projects as well as helping others with theirs. I’ve been also listening to Dylan C mix most morning and watching Ted talks and binging Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

COURTNEE: I've been sleeping!! Haha. Wake up every morning, go to sleep before midnight (a couple of late nights chatting with friends). I also have been studying the hell out of beauty, skin care, and makeup. I've been listening to a few podcasts, one in particular "Breaking Beauty". Really good for beauty education. I also started to get into fitness since I'm not walking 10,000 steps a night in the club.

FLUKE: I have been doing a bit of drawing, a lot of gaming and listening to music (NIN and Deftones mostly with some Glass Animals and Tame Impala). I've cleaned the house I'm staying in and tried to keep positive by doing some meditation with a few workmates remotely.

BROOKE: I’ve been playing a lot of ps4 (papateer), Final Fantasy 7 Remake just came out last week and I kinda waited over 10 years for its release. I got the creative juices flowing and started drawing again which has been one of the best things during lockdown cause I didnt realise how much I suppressed my own creativity the past couple years. I generally watch a lot of anime. If you like anime I've been watching Tower of God, Darwin’s Game and Black Clover (I also reccomend Vinland).

SCOUT: I've spent most of my lockdown re-watching the entirety of the star wars films (animated not included) and putting time into my creative practices that took a back burner a little as work took over more. It's been really nice being able to re-root myself in the things that make me happy.

What do you miss most about Neck of the Woods? Any favourite memories you want to share?

COURTNEE: I miss unlocking the door, turning on the lights, and knowing that in just 4 hours the venue is going to be jam packed with good music. I miss seeing all of my friends' beautiful faces, at the door and on the stage. I miss my amazing team of hard working people. Favorite memories, oh boy I have a lot. I'd say just all the times right after work, getting to reminisce the night with my team.

FLUKE: I miss all of Neck! My coworkers and the vibe. Live music all the time, I've missed playing hide and seek with cups! Some of the places they end up are downright baffling.

One of my favourite memories of Neck is the Perturbator night, I got the night off and just enjoyed the music and amazing atmosphere.

SCOUT: It'll probably sound kind of cheesy but i miss the fuzzy feeling i'd get in my gut turning up for a shift that I knew was going to be hectic. The adrenaline from behind the bar serving drinks non stop and getting to meet all sorts of characters in amongst familiar faces is a buzz i can't really articulate but it's something i miss a whooooole lot.

BROOKE: I miss the feeling of bass with a splash of drum, the live music and the PEOPLE. Oh and my little ritual of going to Verona for an espresso before shift. Can't say my fav memory tho... I'll prob get fired.

JANNA: Well, I miss the Neck family (all the staff) and the regulars that love hanging out at Neck just as much as we do.

NIWA: I miss everything about Neck. The sound, the people, the vibe, the good, the bad, everything.

What are you looking forward to the most as we move into lower levels of lockdown?

BROOKE: A reload of art supplies, a swim at the beach, mixed kebab on rice from Little Turkish and maybe a cheeky visit to Neck.

FLUKE: Level 3 won't change anything for me, but I will look forward to being able to connect with friends in person again and when everything lifts getting back to work and all that bass.

COURTNEE: I'm looking forward to seeing people and connecting with people. I'm also looking forward to the future of NOTW. I think despite this situation, there are some cool things coming our way as a business. Like how we connect virtually with people, how we support other businesses, and just building this music industry up as a whole. A lot of cool things happening for NOTW!

NIWA: Straight up giving someone a hug! I’m gonna hug everyone i know! I miss all my friends and all my co-workers! Also food. I’m sick of cooking now, i can’t wait till my favourite Japanese place on K Rd is open again so i can get a damn bentobox!

JANNA: Being able to reconnect with genuine people.

SCOUT: I'm really looking forward to being able to see my loved ones face to face and particularly my dad who is stuck overseas currently.. i also really just want to get a hot chocolate with a friend and sit on a bench on K Rd and people watch. Being able to spend time with people doing 'the little stuff' would just be so sweet right now.

A lot of people are seeing lockdown as an opportunity to make some positive changes on both a personal and community level. Are there any changes you’d like to see?

JANNA: I’d like for all of us to treat this beautiful world we live in and each other with respect.

We all love DnB but I’d love to have more Hiphop and bands on the music scene. Personally I’d like to cut out all the toxic people in my life.

SCOUT: YES! I hope that society comes out of this with a stronger collective desire for compassion and change. It sounds like a vague and almost forced answer but i really mean it. The vulnerable and marginalised have always needed support and now is the chance to hit the reset button and make things a little kinder.

NIWA: It’s been so great seeing the good that people have been doing for others. Even just little things. It’s really give me a feeling that we’re all whānau and we’re all in this together. With that said, there have been a couple of times where the good has been overshadowed by the bad. Whenever i watch a news livestream i see so many angry comments ranging from, some guy who’s yelling about not being able to go fishing, to someone saying 5G is whats causing this and Jacinda is poisoning NZ with her lies and just awful stuff i don’t want to repeat. Now i know that these people won’t change their minds so the thing i want to change is to stop giving hate like this any piece of mind.

COURTNEE: I'd love to see people come together, realize some things are just not in our control and we need to stop, breathe, and focus on building ourselves, as well as others, up. I'd like to see the music industry come alive more than ever, with online streaming, supporting each other by watching, listening, and sharing, and I'd definitely like to see the creative side of music progress, as people have more time to make more music.

BROOKE: I hope I go back to uni after this hahaha…

Damn the hospo scene is gonna pop off, especially when the new Viaduct is finished. I hope everyone is more appreciative and come out with better manners.

FLUKE: I love the amount of community working together I am seeing through this, one change I would love to see stay is that.

Personally I have been really enjoying the space I've had to do all my own creative endeavours. I've picked up writing my book again and I've been composing music again also.

Do you have any iso survival tips for everyone?

SCOUT: If you're able to, put your favourite record on and have a fat boogie. But in all seriousness self care can come in so many forms (and it’s not always face masks and bubble baths). Take things at a day at a time, even an hour at a time. There is no one set way to react to how things are going right now. Allow yourself the same patience and kindness you'd give to your loved ones.

BROOKE: Be grateful for who you have and what you have. Be careful who you act all "fresh and new" around coming out of lockdown because some people aren't as lucky as us to use this time to work on themselves too.

Be straight up kind.

Also pleaaaaase look after you teeth cause I'm about to get my molar extracted tomorrow fmllllll.

NIWA: Isolation is a real shit time for most things. But it is a perfect time for a lot of things. If there’s a hobby you’ve been wanting to get into, skill you’ve wanted to perfect, book to catch up on, reorganising to be done, thing you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t had enough time? Now you do! There probably won’t be another moment like this in our lifetime. Where the collective world has stood still. We have a lot of time so might as well put it to good use, and that doesn’t mean you have to learn a new skill or anything. You could just use this time to rest, decompress and take time for you. As long as you are safe both physically and mentally. We could consider this a gift in a way if we ignore the elephant in the room. Kia ora whānau.

COURTNEE: Take time to focus on yourself. Build yourself up, get creative, learn something new, and explore your mind. You'd be surprised at the things you can achieve, and by having very little distraction now, it all can be done! Take time to declutter, restart, and come out of this a better version of yourself.

Also get a pet, that helps too or a plant, whatever floats your boat!

JANNA: EXERCISE!! Staying active has been the biggest thing for me. Caring for yourself and being kind to yourself and everyone around you.

FLUKE: Be kind to yourself. This is not a situation any of us have been trained to deal with, whatever you're doing to cope with it is all good, if it harms none do what you will.

IN QUARANTINE WITH THE NOTW CREW

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