Top roots band The Eastern plays at the Dome

NATIONAL TREASURES: Both Radio NZ and The NZ Herald described The Eastern as “national treasures”. From left Adam McGrath, Flora Knight and Jess Shanks. Pictures supplied

Watch out for the string band The Eastern playing at the Dome next month.

The group describes itself as a band which roars like a punk band, swings like a gospel band, drinks like a country band, works like a bar band, hopes like folk singers, sings love songs like union songs, writes union songs like love songs, and wants to slow dance and stand on tables — all at the same time.

Whether roaring as a thunderous seven-piece band or swinging the loud lonesome sound as a smaller combo, The Eastern has played over 2000 shows in their 15-year ramble.

The Eastern can hold it down in all settings for all comers.

They have played in every nook and cranny of New Zealand, and have broken strings and dented floors in Australia, Europe and the United States.

From Papanui to Portland, they’ve seen more than their share of stages, street corners and bars.

They have toured with Steve Earle and the Old Crow Medicine Show twice.

The band has opened for Fleetwood Mac, the Jayhawks, Jimmy Barnes, Justin Townes Earle, Hayes Caryll, Jim White, John Doe, Victoria Williams and Vic Chestnut.

The Eastern have released four albums, The Eastern, Arrows, Hope & Wire and The Territory as well as three EPs.

One of Aotearoa’s hardest working bands, The Eastern, embrace an old-fashioned ethic of people and shows, over posts and playlists.

They are proud of the friendships and connections they have created during their time.

Due to start recording their third album in February 2011, plans were waylaid by the Christchurch earthquake.

Instead they gathered up friends and singers alike in their home town of Lyttelton (Christchurch’s port) and began work on the charity record The Harbour Union. The album debuted in the top 20 of the NZ Chart and was nominated for New Zealand country music album of the year.

It proved to be a wonderful vehicle through which The Eastern and their friends traded music for donations to the Christchurch earthquake fund.

Hope and Wire, their most popular album, was released in 2012. A bold double album that reached gold status, climbed to #2 in the NZ charts, debuted at #1 on the NZ iTunes chart and most importantly endeared itself into the hearts of the band’s followers.

All of this was done on the smell of an oily rag — no marketing budget, no videos, no funding, just the band translating their goodwill into something tangible.

The song State Houses by the River became one of APRA’s best five songs of the year and fought it out for the silver scroll song-writing award, one of the rare times a song of social commentary has found itself in such a position in NZ.

The song Hope and Wire became the inspiration for Gaylene Preston’s primetime six-part TV drama series about the Christchurch earthquake Hope and Wire and the band found themselves not only providing the soundtrack, but also starring in the show.

The years following saw the band touring NZ, Australia and Europe.

During that time they released their fourth album The Territory in October 2015. It hit the NZ charts in the #2-position and spent five weeks in the top 10. It became the #1 country album on the NZ iTunes charts.

The Eastern received rave reviews — ‘triumph’ and ‘national treasure’.

The Territory appears destined to hold the strongest place in The Eastern’s canon with No Depression calling it “one of the meatiest albums of the year, from any band, anywhere!” It also described the band as “one of the best modern roots acts from any country”.

After a brief spell — with lead writers Adam McGrath and Jess Shanks carving out some solo work — The Eastern are back building things from the grassroots up. The Eastern

play at the Dome on Saturday, May 6 .