Ben Lemi

aka Dawn Diver, Courtesy Caller, Lorax


A skilled multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, band leader, producer and recording engineer, Ben Lemi has spent the last two decades adding musical colour and vibrant detail to countless acts from New Zealand’s avant-garde jazz, folk, country, soul, reggae, indie rock, RnB and hip-hop communities.

In more recent years, he has often been heard playing with Vera Ellen, TrinityRoots, French For Rabbits, and Bret McKenzie while fronting his own Dawn Diver group and working at Massey University’s School of Music and Creative Media Production in Wellington.

The Adults playing in Melbourne, 2018.
Newtown Rocksteady on the Bluebridge ferry, 2012.
Trinity Roots performing at James Cabaret in Wellington, 2014.
Estère, Goin' Live With Chabs And Milky from San Fran, Wellington (2021). Ben Lemi on synth and bass, and Cory Champion on drums.
French For Rabbits, 2016. From left to right: Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa, Penelope Esplin, Brooke Singer, Ben Lemi, John Fitzgerald
Photo credit: Ebony Lamb
Newtown Rocksteady live at Meow (2016)
French For Rabbits on tour, 2022. Left to right: Ben Lemi, Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa, Brooke Singer, Penelope Esplin, John Fitzgerald.
Dawn Diver for their RNZ live session in 2019.
Photo credit: Yadana Saw
Newtown Rocksteady - Something to Say official music video (2013)
Newtown Rocksteady at the Mussel Inn (Onekaka, Golden Bay), 2015.
Bret McKenzie live on KEXP with Ben Lemi on drums (2022)
Johanna and the Mystery with Ben Lemi on drums at Chicks Hotel in Dunedin, 2012.
Ben Wood (Ben Lemi) in TrinityRoots
Photo credit: Photo by Pat Shepherd
Ariana Tikao and Ben Lemi performing at Te Papa in 2012.
Members of The Strange Caravan Tour: Justin Firefly, Nigel Collins, Ben Lemi, Age Pryor and Bret McKenzie. 2018.
Roy G and the Bivinators live with Ben Lemi on bass (2008)
Ben Lemi in 2018.
Photo credit: Brooke Singer
Ben Lemi in 2021.
Photo credit: Paascalino Schaller
Roy G and the Bivinators performing at Parihaka Peace Festival in 2009. Ben Lemi on bass.
Ben Lemi with Hikoikoi.
Congress of Animals performing Burning Sun live at the Captain Cook Hotel with Ben Lemi on drums (2018)
Ben Lemi in Prague, 2013.
Dawn Diver is: Ben Lemi, Will Sklenars, Rose Blake, Louisa Williamson, Deanne Krieg, Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa, Lily Shaw. 2021.
Photo credit: Lily Paris West
Hannah Howes and Ben Lemi in Prague, 2011.
Ben Lemi, Paul Wood and Michael Duffy as Hikoikoi, 2011.
Urban Tramper performing in Brussels, 2010.
TrinityRoots - Citizen live at the Tuning Fork for RNZ (2015)
Newtown Rocksteady live on the Bluebridge Ferry (2012)
Glass Vaults with Cory Champion on drums, and Ben Lemi on percussion, for their show at Meow in Wellington, 2020.
TrinityRoots recording at Blue Barn
Photo credit: Photo by Pat Shepherd
Emily Browning and Ben Lemi playing with The Adults in 2018 at Meow in Wellington.
Trinity Roots in 2018.
Photo credit: Vanessa Rushton
Hikoikoi.
Ben Lemi and Rodney Fisher from Goodshirt in 2023.
Hikoikoi performing Vibraphone at Redbull Studios (2011)
Dawn Diver - Vampire's Predicament live at San Fran, Wellington (2022)
Trinity Roots performing at the Oxford Arts Factory in Sydney, 2015.
Photo credit: Edwin Sutphen Photography
Ben Lemi with Jane Goodall in 2019. Trinity Roots shared the stage with Jane Goodall, who spoke to a full house at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington as part of her Rewind The Future seminars.
TrinityRoots expanded (2021). From left: Rio Hemopo, Tom Anderson, Warren Maxwell, Eilish Wilson, Kevin Whooley, Hollie Fullbrook, Deanne Krieg, Louisa Williamson, Leo Coghini, Lisa Tomlins, Kaito Walley
French for Rabbits live at the Vogelmorn Bowling Club, Wellington (2022)
Ben, Warren and Rio at Blue Barn
Photo credit: Photo by Pat Shepherd
French for Rabbits in 2015 with their Spirits LP and CD.
Matariki Festival 2012: Seven Sisters
Dawn Diver is: Louisa Williamson, Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa, Will Sklenars, Deanne Krieg, Ben Lemi, Rose Blake and Lily Shaw. 2021.
Photo credit: Lily Paris West
Roy G and the Bivinators in 2009 with Ben Lemi on bass.
Trinity Roots at the 13th Floor (2015)
Vera Ellen, Reb Fountain and Voom at the Powerstation in 2024.
Trinity Roots in 2018.
Photo credit: Vanessa Rushton
Congress of Animals.
Dawn Diver - Heavy Handed live at Performance Arcade festival in Wellington, 2019.
Hikoikoi: Paul Wickham, Jessie Moss, Maz Hermon, James Coyle, Ben Lemi, Mara TK, 2009.
Trinity Roots with Irish Friends - Elephant Movement (2015)
Ben Lemi playing drums for Bret McKenzie's live KEXP show in 2022.
Ben Lemi at Surgery Studios in 2009 recording with Hannah Howes.
Hikoikoi live at Luminate festival in Nelson (2010)
Estère with support from Ben Lemi playing at Rough Peel record store in Wellington, 2020.
Bret McKenzie and his supporting band in New York at Webster Hall launching his album Songs Without Jokes, 2022.
Ben Lemi with A.U.R.A (Albert River) live on RNZ Music 101 in 2019.
Photo credit: Ben Lemi
Estère performing at San Fran in Wellington, 2021, with Ben Lemi on synth and bass, and Cory Champion on drums.
Photo credit: Chabs and Milky
Will Sklenars, Deanne Krieg, Ben Lemi, Rose Blake, Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa for Dawn Diver, 2020.
Photo credit: Capital Magazine, Anna Briggs (photographer)
Johanna and the Mystery performing at Te Papa in 2012.
Dawn Diver live video for Shades of Innocence shot at the Cook Islands Society Hall, Wellington (2018)
Vera Ellen at the James Hay Theatre in Christchurch, 2024.
Trinity Roots: Warren Maxwell, Rio Hunuki-Hemopo, Ben Wood (Ben Lemi)
Photo credit: Photo by Pat Shepherd
Hikoikoi and Mara TK in 2009.
Hannah Howes singing her single Muse By Your Side with Ben Lemi on drums and synth (2010)
Myele Manzanza, Peter Hill, Hannah Howes, Ben Lemi and Maz Hermon in 2009.
Congress of Animals - Shine performed for RNZ (2018)
Aura - Tended to Lie performed live on RNZ Music 101 with Ben Lemi on rhythm guitar (2019)
Trinity Roots in 2018.
Photo credit: Vanessa Rushton Photography
French For Rabbits, 2020. Clockwise from left: Penelope Esplin, John Fitzgerald, Ben Lemi, Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa, Brooke Singer.
Photo credit: Lily Paris West
Ben Lemi
Photo credit: Lily Paris West
Dawn Diver - Warming to You live at San Fran, Wellington (2021)
Taite Music Prize 2024 winner Vera Ellen with Ben Lemi who produced her album Ideal Home Noise.
Photo credit: RNZ: Samuel Robinson.
Johanna and the Mystery performing at Baobab Cafe in 2012.
Trinity Roots live at Te Korakora - Matariki Festival 2022, Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland Council
Glass Vaults - Mindreader live for RNZ (2017)
A.U.R.A live at the Wine Cellar in Auckland, 2019.
Motu: Oileáin. A collaboration between Trinity Roots and Irish friends, 2015.
French For Rabbits with John Campbell.
Age Pryor, Nigel Collins, Bret McKenzie, Justin "Firefly" Clarke and Ben Lemi as the Congress of Animals for the Strange Caravan Tour in 2018.
Photo credit: Lee Gingold
Vera Ellen live on Radio One 91FM with Ben Lemi on guitar and drums (2023)
Ben Lemi in 2021.
Photo credit: Paascalino Schaller 
Trinity Roots.
Johanna and the Mystery Band perform in the Seven Sisters concert at Te Papa for Matariki (2012)
Dawn Diver.
Ben Lemi with Hikoikoi
The Adults performing at the Powerstation in Auckland, 2018.
The Adults in 2018.
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