Wailing Bongo
The Wailing Bongo (often referred to as 'Gurus', which comprises part of the building) was the main venue for bands playing at the University of Waikato in the mid- to late-1990s. Notable events held there included Hamapalooza (1993), the 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 Battle of the Bands competitions, Contact 89FM's 21st birthday party, the release party for the 'Contact 89FM' CD compilation Green Eggs and Hamilton, the release gigs for the Romantic Andes album To Understand the Animals (1994) and Rocket EP (1996), the Atrocities One release party (1994) as well as numerous Orientation festivals featuring local and international acts.
The "Bongo" was mismanaged into oblivion after the election of a student union who believed the bar did not cater for the average student. The union employed a manager who would aim to make the Bongo similar to the bars already existing in town, complete with a DJ to play mainstream dance music. Alienating the strong regular crowd, who was interested in bands and with more refined musical tastes, it had limited success in attracting its intended clientele. It instead attracted many underage drinkers that contributed greatly to its downfall.
Late in the Bongo's existence it played host to The Dirty Three from Australia; here the juxtaposition was stark, with two disparate crowds migrating between the main hall and the bar when each band gave way to the DJ, and vice-versa. Most painfully, the DJ began playing music half-way through an intense Dirty Three song, breaking the mood with his cry of "Lets give it up for the Dirty Three!!". While the bar now exists as a cafe, the band area is now a weights room of the university gym.
Significant Gigs
- Battle of the Bands 1983 - 5 March 1983
- Flying Nun Looney Tours - Doublehappys, The Chills, Childrens Hour & The Expendables - 10 March 1984
- The Chills with Human Lawnmowers - 12 September 1985
- A Potentially Explosive Situation - 6 July 1989
- Malchicks, Second Child, Thundermonkey - 30 May 1991
- Fear and Loathing II - 7 June 1991
- Fear and Loathing III - 30 April 1992
- Supergroove 'Coolage' tour - 11 September 1992
- Pungent Stench and Sinfeeder - 21 July 1993
- Shihad 'Churn' tour - 29 July 1993
- 3Ds - 14 August 1993
- Hamapalooza - 17 September 1993
- NoMeansNo and D.O.A. with The Postlethwaites - 3 October 1993
- Pantophobia - 7 April 1994
- Pantophobia - June 1994
- Attrocities One release party - 14 July 1994
- Battle of the Bands 1994 final - 19 August 1994
- Supergroove 'Destruction' tour, with Pumpkinhead - 6 April 1995
- Mobile Stud Unit Superstar Blowout gig - 5 May 1995
- Dimmer - 27 July 1995
- Battle of the Bands 1995 final - 25 August 1995
- Garageland - 9 September 1995
- Shihad - 25 May 1996
- Inchworm Shiny release gig - 7 June 1996
- The Bilge Festival - 17 August 1996
- Battle of the Bands 1996 final - 22 August 1996
- The Chills with Tobermorie - 28 September 1996
- Shihad 'Omega 3' tour - 12 October 1996
- Shihad, Salmonella Dub, Letterbox Lambs, Hell is other People - 10 May 1997
- Head Like a Hole 'as the Hellcat Rockers' tour, 5 June 1997
- Battle of the Bands 1997 final - 23 August 1997
- Battle of the Bands 1998 final - 20 August 1997
- Green Eggs and Hamilton release party - 14 November 1997
- Shihad - 20 November 1998
