DARTZ (New Zealand band)

DARTZ are a post-pub rock band from Wellington, New Zealand.

In 2019 the Australian band The Chats were to tour New Zealand. DARTZ vocalist Daniel Vernon and guitarist Christan Pianta who were friends and had recently moved to Wellington, submitted the fictional band 'DARTZ' to play the opening act as a joke. Two weeks before the Chats' concert it was confirmed that DARTZ had been selected as the opener in Wellington, despite the band being fictional at the time. Clark Mathews and Hakopa Kuka-Larsen were then brought on as bassist and drummer respectively, and the band quickly wrote songs for a setlist.

In 2021 the band was nominated for a APRA Silver Scroll for their song 'Bathsalts', and again in 2024 for 'Paradise'.

Discography
DARTZ have released two studio albums and two extended plays. Their debut album "The Band From Wellington, New Zealand" was released on the 4th of November 2021. The album included songs written for the original Chats concert.

Their second album, "Dangerous Day to Be A Cold One", was released on the 1st of March 2024. It reached number 1 on the official New Zealand albums charts for the week ending 11 March 2024, and again for the week ending 22 April 2024. Rolling Stone Australia noted the album's "great wit, honest storytelling, and effortless ensemble work."