Freak Slug

TĀMAKI MAKAURAU AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND (Jul 9, 2025) – Manchester based musician Freak Slug - the project of Xenya Genovese - will be welcoming audiences in Pōneke Wellington and Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland into her dreamy indie-pop world this October. Freak Slug performs at San Fran on October 20th and The Tuning Fork on October 21st with her Big Candles tour. 

Tickets will be available to purchase by the General Public on Friday 11 July at 10:00am local time.

My Live Nation members will also be able to secure tickets during the presale which commences Thursday 10th July from 10:00am local time. Fans can register for access at livenation.co.nz. 

The name ‘Freak Slug’ encapsulates Xenya’s artistic world perversely and perfectly. Known for following the beat of her own drum, Xenya’s releases under the name Freak Slug so far include debut 2020 EP Videos and its viral hit Radio (23 million streams and counting), and follow-up EPs I’m In Love (2022) and Viva La Vulva (2023). Having shown listeners her more “summery, happy sound”, she then delivered a more grungy-feel with debut album I Blow Out Big Candles, furthermore pushing the diversity of her sound. 

Hugely influenced by ‘90s cult heroes including Ride, Mazzy Star and Stephen Malkmus, Freak Slug is all about hitting a mood. Everything that fuels her creative output is raw, authentic, sometimes weird, but always totally true self-expression. I Blow Out Big Candles is a strong statement of all of this and more. Down there, picking through the curious mix of sounds and feelings, from nostalgic, ‘90s-influenced and dreamy as well as eccentric and experimental, lives Freak Slug. The 10-track project gives listeners a taste of what they will be in for at her Aotearoa shows, a journey of both soft soulfulness and sonic songwriting, all laid out on the table. 

I Blow Out Big Candles is as fearless a record as Xenya herself and was met with features and reviews throughout some of the most prestigious radio and media platforms in the United Kingdom. With her 4 piece band, Freak Slug has performed at SXSW Austin – and was the most searched UK artist at the 2025 edition - alongside many other showcases and festivals. Earlier this year Freak Slug completed her Big Candles tour of the US, CA, UK and EU taking in 40 cities including sold out dates in LA, Chicago, Seattle, London, Paris and Amsterdam, she also has a busy summer of festivals festival with a headline slot on the alcove stage at Latitude.

- Main Venue: +64 9-970 9700
- Ticketing Information: +64 9-358 4275

- Located at main entrance
- Valid photo ID required
- Pickup begins 1 hour before event start time
- Tickets available under purchasing name

There is no public parking available on site. You cannot drive into Spark Arena. 7,000 public car parks are located within a 1.5km radius of the arena. During events, the surrounding streets will have no stopping restrictions.

Special Needs Assistance: Inclusivity is essential, so if you have specific accessibility requirements please contact info@tuningfork.co.nz in advance, and we'll ensure you have a comfortable and enjoyable experience.

Catering: All food and beverages consumed at The Tuning Fork must be purchased from within the venue. Entry Conditions: Entry to The Tuning Fork is based on your full agreement with these basic Conditions of Entry, designed with everyones safety and comfort in mind. Management reserves the right to refuse entry to any person, and to remove from the premises, without refund, any person who violates any of the conditions listed below. We also reserve the right to inspect any bag and/or articles of clothing via screening equipment and/or bag search checks. No ticket refunds or exchanges will be provided in case of violation of these conditions. Customer Safety: Obey instructions from our uniformed staff at all times. The movement of customers within our premises is monitored by CCTV cameras. You may also be photographed for training or promotional use. Rights to all such footage stay with The Tuning Fork. You may only occupy the area and/or seat indicated on your ticket. Do not attempt to enter a restricted area. Climbing on barricades and crowd surfing are not permitted. Shoes must be worn at all times. Behaviour & Etiquette: Drink Responsibly: Anyone intoxicated or using drugs will be removed from the building without recourse. Use of Devices: Use of smartphones or other devices must not cause distraction or annoyance to others. iPads, tablets, and laptops may not be used in the bowl during events. Unruly Behaviour: Unruly and antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to, verbal/physical abuse of staff and other customers, attempting to enter a restricted area, climbing, defacing, littering, throwing objects, blocking thoroughfares or fire exits. Prohibited Items: Alcohol in any type of container Bottles of any kind, cans, glass containers Gang patches or colours Firearms, fireworks, flares, laser lights Weapons of any kind, mace, tasers Illegal substances Musical instruments, rollerblades, skateboards, scooters, bicycles, sporting equipment Marker pens, spray paint, tagging equipment Signage and promotional products Animals other than guide dogs Professional type cameras & other video or audio recording equipment (this may vary from event to event; please refer to the event page for details) Commercially branded food and drink (e.g., fast food) Steel-toed boots Selfie sticks A Note on Alcohol: The following are the only accepted forms of ID for the purchase and consumption of alcohol: A valid passport New Zealand Driver Licence Hospitality New Zealand 18+ card Alcoholic beverages must not be taken in or out of The Tuning Fork. You may not supply alcohol to anyone under 18 on our premises. Anyone intoxicated will be removed from the premises and will not be readmitted.

Children Supervision: Children under the age of 14 must be supervised by a responsible adult while on the premises.