Recorded: 2/07/2025
Matt Johnson founded ‘Dig the Gig’ in 2021, a university band competition that uses a decibel reader to determine the victor based on audience applause. Bands compete regionally in Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland over three heats, followed by a semi-final and final round. The winners of the regional finals then battle it out in a live-streamed grand finale judged by fan votes. The Canterbury finals will take place at ‘A Rolling Stone’ bar on Wednesday, July 10th, at 7 pm. The four top-performing UC bands—Big Angry, Red Weekend, Honey for Jupiter, and By Tomorrow—will compete for the regional title. @arollingstonelive By involving the crowd directly in the judging process through the use of a decibel reader and fan votes, ‘Dig the Gig’ makes the audience’s enthusiasm a crucial part of the competition.