Castaway
Kia ora! We’re Castaway, a band founded as freshers in the R&R Rec Room. We came from 5 different places across the North and South Island of Aotearoa and all ended up in Wilson house (hence the name, Castaway) in 2018. Rhys and Jackson lived on the first floor; Joe, Jack, and Austen lived on the third floor. As musicians do, we gravitated towards each other like magnets. Jam sessions in each other’s rooms happened naturally, and we found we had a unique chemistry and got on really well. We certainly kept the hall up late at night, but those impromptu hangouts quickly turned into practices which flowed to us getting gigs in the uni scene, and that laid the foundations for our adventures as Castaway.
Over the last four years, we have spent countless hours honing our craft, having fun, making mistakes, writing music, playing gigs, and pursuing our dream. We’ve released a 4-song EP to the world, played at the iconic Tea Party three times, hosted a sold-out EP release show and met with legends like Tiki Taane and Devin Abrams (Drax Project’s producer). And, we’ve even had the privilege of going full circle and playing at the R+R Ball.
R&R was key to kickstarting our journey. The willingness of the hall to support our mission through providing a practise space and musical equipment helped us find our feet as a band. Most importantly, the community of R+R formed the basis of our loyal fanbase, and many 2018 alumni still come along to our gigs years later!
Our journey is just beginning, and we’re setting our sights on becoming a touring NZ band. We are a band of brothers that are living the dream through a combination of sheer luck, dedication, and support from so many people. We have no intention of slowing down and can’t wait to see what’s in store for us next.
Join us on our journey!