Family Cactus

Family Cactus are probably the closest thing to a quintessentially “indie Wellington” band. Boisterous, charismatic and poignant, the band has a refined feel after countless hours of live performance. Led by captivating front-man Adam Ladley, formerly of the Bonnie Scarlets, and featuring a rich vein of local music talent, the Cactus sound is sophisticated and layered, yet pleasingly comprehensible.

2009 saw the release of their debut album Come Howling. With the catchy single “Kingmaker”, and the euphoric “Mariachi Stomper”, the album proved an accurate representation of their formidable stage show. This was followed in 2011 by Spirit Lights. Recorded in Wellington and Auckland, and mastered in New York by veteran Greg Calbi, it gives a sparser, more celestial account of the band’s sound. While still recognisably the same band, the change in sound likely reflects the mass changes in membership that the Family Cactus has withstood.

The band are:
Adam Ladley
Matt Armitage
Sam Norton
Reece McNaughten
Holly Beals