Gig Review: Tealskie, ‘Misery in Serenity’ EP Release Show at Space Academy, 30/8/2025
A very cool promotional poster on the window of Space Academy for Tealskie’s debut headlining show. All photos were taken by Welcome to the Gig on the Sony A6000
The night air was still on Saturday evening, a quiet whisper into the universe as to what was about to go down at one of Christchurch’s favourite venues, Space Academy.
As soon as the doors opened at 8pm, a flash of people packed into the gig and pizza space to create this atmospheric buzz - one that was about to get sweaty, rowdy, shirtless, and a little downright weird, because that’s a vibe that we’re all needing in our lives from time to time!
A sold-out night for Tealskie’s first headlining show was clearly an emotional moment for some of the band members, showcasing how much this evening meant to them as it had also been a long time in the works. The room was filled with much more than friends, family and fans coming along, it was filled with admiration, love and the potential for Tealskie to be seen and elevate their live entertainment to those who had not been able to attend any shows that they previously performed.
LEMONRIDGE
Prior to Tealskie launching onto the stage, we were greeted by North Canterbury-based band, LemonRidge, who served tight hooks and a fast-paced, yet, easy to follow, vibrating time with a set spanning into the double digits of songs.
Regan Topp, lead vocalist and rhythm guitar
Jordan Bradley, lead guitar
Jake Macham, bass
Liam (“Limi”) Marsh, drums
LemonRidge were clear about their intentions, making their mark on multiple new fans in the audience with their smooth-cut surf-rock vibes. I was able to lean heavily into their musical expertise with ease, riding that LemonRidge wave.
Seamlessly easing onto the stage with their beach waves, tattoos and much-loved guitars adorned with stickers, the characteristics of their own personalities were unveiled for all to see. This was heightened by the banter between the four of them between songs. Seeing that, combined with the tightness and their flair, it made LemonRidge stand out, making them a remarkable choice for the opening act.
While LemonRidge are still relatively fresh onto the scene, their fervent for performing was maximised and if you weren’t aware of the fact that they have only been a band for a year and a half, you wouldn’t know as they have effortlessly rooted themselves into the ground and made sure that their sound is tight and well-polished. I found LemonRidge deeply engaging and look forward to seeing them live again in the future.
TEALSKIE
Tealskie are more than just a band, they are humans that everybody who is involved in the local Christchurch music scene is at the very least, aware of, and that accounts for the mass amount of support that showed up on Saturday night who rocked it out and really connected with the much-loved members of this dynamic force of a band.
Bex Pemberton, lead vocalist
While Tealskie don’t have a specific genre of music that they are chained to, as previously mentioned in the Extraterrestrial review (here), they still stand out immensely with their cheeky personas, their professionalism, and the way that they are able to carry themselves with their own music and covers alike.
The high amount of audience engagement was something that you would ordinarily see at a bigger gig, such as an international headlining act, and that puts it into perspective how much Tealskie’s music truly resonates with other people. It is an entrancing experience to see them live.
Bringing in the heat right off the bat was guitarist, Tim, who absolutely shredded those six strings right from the beginning and was a real standout of the evening, the skills that he has mastered tend to be very striking, indeed.
Following his entrance were Elliot and Chay, who play drums and bass respectively, making their mark on the atmospheric energy that had begun to build with every passing moment. The percussion and bass that was then added into the mix with the guitar really bought an element of lightening to the room, the figurative static energy sticking to your skin.
Lastly, bursting onto the scene was everyone’s favourite frontwoman, Bex, who came out after a few minutes to grace the stage with her ever-glowing, animated presence and vocals, like a true rockstar.
Tired was the opening track, the effervescence was ultimately off the charts, it was not forced or faked, it was evident that the members of Tealskie were there because they wanted to be - music is their home, and this is where they belong.
After being treated to a couple more songs off their recently released EP, Misery in Serenity, we were in store for some major surprises that nobody, and I mean nobody, expected.
The fun truly began when a ‘cop’ showed up on stage, pretending to arrest some members of the band, something that the band may have not seen coming. This is part of Tealskie’s charm - they add in these extra funky ingredients to their live performances to keep it interesting. The ‘cop’ was of course, part of a theatrical act that added some spice to the set, ensuring that a few songs were particularly memorable, while the ‘cop’ fully embraced his role and amplified the succession of the show.
Tim Miller, guitar
Alongside these fun, chaotic moments, Elliot’s talent with that drumkit was impeccable - he was banging those cymbals so well that if anyone was walking past Space Academy, they would have wondered why they weren’t in that room with us. Elliot’s performance with a big grin on his face was stellar to see and tied into what I have written up above, about this being Tealskie’s very happy place.
While Chay’s bass lines hummed low throughout the performance, they were still pivotal to helping piece together Tealskie’s debut headlining show, and once again, the look of excitement that Chay gave off made the room even brighter.
After a couple of originals, it was time for some covers, and these did not disappoint. First up, we had By the Way by Red Hot Chili Peppers, notably Tim’s favourite band and they truly would have made RHCP proud with this cover, had they been there to see it. Surprisingly, I didn’t know that Tim could sing, so that was a nice touch to hear.
The next song was a tricky one to pull off, but Bex flawlessly channelled her inner Hayley Williams and took on Ignorance by her favourite band, Paramore, which was perfectly delivered and pulled you into the world of her personal musical taste.
After this crazy point in the show, there was a small break where Bex went out, came back and decided to chuck in a little audience interaction, asking questions like a news reporter, which added this intimate element to the show, and truly levelled it up. Audience interaction is a crucial part of performing live, and Tealskie have such a charming way of keeping that door open with how they choose to engage with people.
At one point, we were told to ‘woof’, yes, like dogs. Not cheer, woof. That was an interesting part of the evening that I did not partake in but loved the quirkiness regardless.
Prior to the show, I’d heard that there was potential for a Jonas Brothers cover of Burnin’ Up, which wasn’t just a rumour, but became a reality. This was a fun play for us Disney adults in attendance, and while the cover was vastly different to the original, it was still a fun way to mix up the evening.
Chay, bass
“Why is the night moving so fast?” was a question that kept popping up beyond the performance of Extraterrestrial, as the night did, indeed, move so fast. That entire hour was being eaten up by the enjoyment available to the audience and Tealskie.
Rounding the night off, before the inevitable ‘one more song!’ chants came out of everybody’s mouths, Tealskie performed my personal favourite, Citalopram, which obviously reflects on mental health, and holds meaning beyond just being a track about anti-depressants. It’s one of those songs that extends the conversation on what’s happening internally, and it is a piece that aligns with their values and heavily aligns with mine, too.
Of course, we all got hyped up after this, making sure to let Tealskie that we did really want that one last song. That song? A fan favourite that has just been released off Misery in Serenity, Riff Raff. It tied up the entire evening with its slow, serene moments initially which then turns into pure rock mid-way through. A great way to end what was a spectacular evening.
Elliot Millar, drums
After consulting with Tealskie’s biggest fan, Char, about the show, this is what they had to say: “the perfect mix of chaos, genuine talent and down-to-earth people” and I could not have said it any better.
Tealskie made a promise: to ramp up and exceed expectations from their previous slots of opening shows or playing festivals, and this important evening proved that they excelled past that and bought energy that is playful, and wildly Tealskie-coded.
An undeniably memorable, amusable evening, indeed.
For more photos from the gig, there are some extras right here.
