Sure Boy, the power trio mum rock, pure joy band is sticking it to the music scene in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Beth Stewart (vocals), Simone McCarthy (guitar) and bassist Lily Fulton are dedicated to creating a safe, fun, musical outlet for their listeners. In tribute to the women who came before them, Sure Boy are holding their own in the male dominated rock scene.
“Our sound has definitely matured and evolved along with us and we feel that we’ve grown into the term ‘mum rock’ even more,” affirms Lily. “We exist in this space too. We can be loud, energetic, and enjoy this music as much as anyone, but with the grace and introspection we learned from our mums and other women in our lives to take care of our audience and the people around us.”
Taking an innovative approach to musical production and song creation, Sure Boy approached Aotearoa with the Testing If You Like This Tour in May of 2024. The student band rocked it at the Wine Cellar in Auckland, Darkroom in Christchurch and Valhalla back home. An efficient way to trial new songs without being held back by the formalities and detail required to record their music. For Sure Boy music is therapy, a space where emotions can be expressed and reflected upon.
“The songs that make it to live shows and into the studio, are the ones we feel other people could resonate with and will be able to search for their own meanings in. Instead of trying to find a way to play already recorded tracks live, we made sure they were exciting in a live setting first, before expanding them in the studio.”
All of the songs from their Testing If You Like This Tour are now recorded, ready to be released soon for your 2025 soundtrack.
“Being able to play and sing about our personal experiences and let out that energy, knowing people are listening and feeling something too, is really cathartic. We really just want people to come to our shows and have a good time, and if there’s anything we’ve created that makes anyone feel a fraction less alone in something, then that’s everything.”
Faced with the expense of recording music as both a young band and young artists Sure Boys created OnlyBoys, a bandcamp subscription containing sneak peaks into new music, behind the scenes updates, as well as covers and odes to the women of rock.
“We wanted to make a space for anyone genuinely interested in more content from us aside from what we post publicly on social media,” Lily explains.
Through live experimentation, listening to each other, audiences and the dance floor, the true essence of a Sure Boy song is formed. Their gigs and music provide a space for anyone to enjoy themselves, no matter the stresses of the day, and dance their way through any issues which make themselves present, perfection be damned.