Slow Boat Christmas/ New Year 2025

Well, crikey - somehow, we have nearly made it to the end of another year at the proverbial rock'n'roll coalface - the 40th Anniversary of our founder, 'The Coach', Dennis O'Brien opening the store way back in 1985 (which we commemorated with some handsome bright yellow tee shirts and totes bearing his youthful mug!)



Every year brings with it fresh challenges in seeking to keep the store relevant in a wildly changing entertainment and retail landscape, and we are, as ever, immensely grateful to you all for sticking with us, shopping with us, engaging with our Instagram and Facebook platforms, and sharing your energy and enthusiasm for music and movies, and for physical media, and for everything inbetween.



We have seen your enthusiasm for vinyl remain undiminished, along with a soaring demand for CDs (hell, they are cheaper now than they were when they were introduced some 40 years ago, at the store's inception, when we thought they seemed like a bit of a fad...!)



We have hosted some terrific in-store events, including Record Store Day 2025 (with instore performances from Warm Regards and Fazerdaze), The Phoenix Foundation's "Pegasus" vinyl release launch (a few dewy eyes at that one!), an impromptu instore performance from Evan Dando, plus listening parties for The Beths' "Straight Line Was A Lie" and most recently, Hayley Williams' "Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party" - all wonderful occasions that felt joyful, and like celebrations, so a great big SB shoutout to all who made those extraordinary events happen, and all who attended.



Would also like to send big Slow Boat love to the friends and family of some dear people we lost this year - including the indomitable Ms Lorraine Barry, dear friend and much loved supporter of the store; you are sorely missed and hugely appreciated for all you have done for the NZ music landscape.



So, without getting too sappy and sentimental, let's just conclude by saying - we are here for you, music lovers; Slow Boat will be open every day over the holiday period, with the exception of Christmas Day and New Years' Day - we will, however, be operating on a reduced hours schedule to give here everyone a chance to recover from a hectic Festive season; count on hours along the lines of 11am-4pm for the weeks immediately following Xmas...



We are doing our best to make sure we have good stocks of hot ticket items in store ahead of Xmas, but there is always the sane and sensible option of the trusty Slow Boat Voucher if you can't decide, or SB branded tee shirts, totes and caps...

So, all the best to you all for a safe, healthy and happy Silly Season, and hope to see you all soon!!

With much aroha, respect and figgy pudding, your pals
XX The Slow Boat Crew XX