Simon Lynch has been part of Auckland's music scene for just about as long as anyone can recall. Originally from Papakura in South Auckland, he began going to gigs in the inner city in the mid-1970s. As a musician he has been a member of The Snipes, Broken Dolls, Ardijah, and D-Faction, amongst others. An accomplished audio engineer and producer, Simon works at Stebbing Studios. 

As a fan, Simon often carried a camera and his images capture a time when few made the effort to take a camera to gigs, and thus these are both rare and invaluable documents of an active live scene in the Queen City.

Dave Dobbyn, April 1974, Cooks Beach with Sacred Heart College classmates

The crowd, Radio Hauraki concert, Albert Park, October 31, 1976

Think at Albert Park, Auckland, October 31, 1976. Left to right: Don Mills, Phil Whitehead, Ritchie Pickett, Neville Jess, Allan Badger.

Bloodshot, Carlaw Park, November 1976

Street Talk, Carlaw Park, November 1976

Larry Morris with Shotgun, Mount Maunganui Sound Shell, New Years Eve 1977

Hello Sailor, Windsor Castle, 1977

Dave McArtney with Hello Sailor, Windsor Castle, 1977

Hello Sailor, Windsor Castle, 1977

Western Springs crowd, November 27, 1977

Kevin Borich Express, Western Springs, November 27, 1977

Western Springs crowd, February 1978

Hello Sailor, Auckland University gymnasium, March 1978

Tom Sharplin and the Rockets, The Gluepot, May 1977

Hammond Gamble with Street Talk, Windsor Castle, 1978

Street Talk, Windsor Castle, 1978

Citizen Band, Auckland Town Hall, September 1978

The Nambassa Festival crowd, January 1979

Rick Steele and band, Nambassa, January 1979

Mike Cooney (The Snipes), Dave McLean (Johnny and the Hookers), Glen McLean (The Snipes), Globe hotel, June 1979

The Snipes poster, Globe hotel, June 1979

The Snipes, The Gluepot, June 1979

Johnny and the Hookers, The Globe Hotel, June 1979

Paul Andrews and Jeff Waugh, Johnny and the Hookers, The Globe Hotel, June 1979

Mike Dooley and Alec Bathgate, Toy Love, Island Of Real, June 1979

Toy Love, Island Of Real, June 1979

Toy Love's Jane Walker and Paul Kean (obscured), October 1979

Toy Love, Orewa, January 1980

Ian Morris and Peter Urlich, Th' Dudes, Orewa, January 1980

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All images © Simon Lynch, used by permission.