Monday, March 13, 2023
WOMAD kicks off this weekend
Saturday, March 04, 2023
Review - The Culture (Powersuit Productions) Gryphon Theatre 28 feb - 4 March (Part of the Wellington Fringe Festival)
Thursday, February 16, 2023
TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT!: WGTN FRINGE FESTIVAL KICKS OFF!
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The Fringe Launch - Dec 2022 (Photos Tim Gruar) |
It's finally happening! The New Zealand Fringe Festival has returned to the capital with more than 160 arts events due to be held over more than 40 venues.
It will run from tomorrow night, February 17 until March 11, hosting several award-winning international acts. International shows that will be performed include The Pandemusical Diaries (San Francisco), Concept for a Film + Invisible Mending (United Kingdom), I Am King/Queen (Sydney), and Pillow Fight (Melbourne).
Local shows will include ARAWHATA by Wellington Ballroom and Suitcase Show by Trick of the Light.
The 23-day season is “set to wow and inspire Pōneke, offering an incredible lineup of local talents as well as welcoming back an array of exciting international artists, all spanning a myriad of genres and styles”, said Vanessa Stacey, director of the Fringe Festival.
New Zealand Fringe Festival welcomes first-timers, one-off attendees, and seasoned Fringe fanatics!
NZ Fringe Festival is an open-access festival, which means that artists and performers are free to register their events without any barriers. Each year's programme depends entirely on who decides to register and we're lucky to always have a stunning array of talented people join us each year. It's a real lucky dip of bold, daring and diverse works!
OK, so where is it?
The Festival isn’t held in one singular location, rather a myriad of venues all across Wellington to the outskirts of town partake in facilitating the Fringe. For example, we have shows happening from seasoned arts venues such as Te Auaha, Hannah Playhouse, The Gryphon, to out-of-the-box spaces like the Wellington Zoo, Botanic Gardens and even a board games cafe... anything is possible! Refer to our venue map here to see where NZ Fringe is happening in 2023.
Get Fringeeeeee!
Step out of your comfort zone. Go to shows you wouldn’t normally go to. You never know, you just might discover something new about yourself. The most important part of Fringe is getting out there and having fun.
Take me to the Tix!
Nau mai haere mai to the Fringe Box Office! Located at 17 Allen Street, Te Aro, Wellington. You can pick up your physical tickets here at the following times:
10am to 6pm, Tuesday - Saturday.
11am to 4pm, Sunday - Monday.
From 15 February 2023 onwards.
Get online and get to the shows!
Friday, February 10, 2023
We say goodbye to Burt Bacharach -
Burt Bacharach, the songwriter and performer extraordinaire was a writer beyond simple composition. He turned easy listening into high art. All in all he scored 73 Top 40 hits in the US and 52 in the UK.
Musicians, Singers, artists, admirers and friends all paid tribute to the late performer who died in London at 94.
“Burt’s transition is like losing a family member. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family letting them know he is now peacefully resting and I too will miss him.” Dionne Warwick said in a statement.
Brian Wilson wrote on Twitter: “I’m so sad to hear about Burt Bacharach. Burt was a hero of mine and very influential on my work. He was a giant in the music business. His songs will live forever.”
In his tribute, the Kinks’ Dave Davies called Bacharach as “a great inspiration” and “one of the most influential songwriters of our time.”
Gilbert O’Sullivan tweeted about him. "He was a “huge influence” on his songwriting career and created “timeless melodies never to be forgotten.”
Bacharach was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1928 and raised in New York. He'd sneak into jazz clubs underage to hear performers like Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie, immersing himself in the work of composers like Stravinsky and Ravel.
He was classically trained at schools in Montreal, New York and California. after a stint in in the US army he became a piano accompanist to musicians, such as Vic Damone, the Ames Brothers and his first wife, Paula Stewart. He was also arranger and conductor for Marlene Dietrich when she toured Europe in the late 50s and early 60s.
Hi songwriting breakthrough came in 1957, after meeting and working casually with lyricist Hal David at the famous New York pop powerhouse, the Brill Building. They scored back to back UK No 1s with two of their earliest songs, The Story of My Life by Marty Robbins (Michael Holliday in the UK hit version) and Magic Moments by Perry Como.
Topped by David’s variously whimsical, wounded and earnestly romantic lyrics, Bacharach created expert arrangements featuring close vocal harmonising, string sections, jazz piano and distinctive details, such as twinkling percussion and whistled melodies.
With David he created a string of all-time classics: I Say a Little Prayer, sung by Aretha Franklin, What’s New Pussycat? by Tom Jones, The Look of Love by Dusty Springfield, Make It Easy on Yourself by the Walker Brothers, and many others.
Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head, performed by BJ Thomas and featured in the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, went on to win a Grammy and an Oscar in 1969, while Bacharach’s music for the film won the Oscar for best original score.
Dionne Warwick became one of Bacharach’s most enduring and fruitful collaborators. Their hits together include Walk on By, Do You Know the Way to San Jose?, Anyone Who Had a Heart, A House is Not a Home (later a hit for Luther Vandross) and her own original version of I Say a Little Prayer. Warwick later successfully sued Bacharach after he and David stopped working together, stranding her without material. It was a “very costly and unfortunate” dispute, Bacharach told the Guardian in 2019: “I stupidly handled it wrong.” He and Warwick reconciled for the 1985 Aids charity single That’s What Friends Are For.
After he and Stewart got divorced in 1958, he married three more times, first to Angie Dickinson in 1965, then to Carole Bayer Sager in 1982, and last to Jane Hansen in 1993.
Bacharach and Hansen, who remained married until his death, had two children, Oliver and Raleigh. Nikki Bacharach, his daughter with Dickinson, killed herself in 2007, aged 40, after a history of mental health issues.
His hit rate tailed off after the mid-80s, but he continued to pursue eye-catching collaborations, with, among others, Ronald Isley, Dr Dre and Sheryl Crow. He made a pair of albums with Elvis Costello, plus a version of I’ll Never Fall in Love Again with him for the 1997 movie, Austin Powers.
Friday, February 03, 2023
The Womad 2023 Stage Schedule if finally here!
Friday, December 02, 2022
How very dare they - Womad sign's missing 'M' given a 'deliberately shoddy' replacement
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ANDY MACDONALD/STUFF |
Following the theft of the letter 'M' from New Plymouth’s Womad sign, the Taranaki Arts Trust (TAFT) have erected a deliberately 'shoddy' replacement.
The M, which was stolen taken earlier this month, was one of five colourful letters making up the name Womad, the World of Music, Arts and Dance Festival, which returns to the city’s Brooklands Park from March 17-19 next year.
TAFT), the organisers of Womad, removed the remaining four letters after the theft, but then replaced them with a new 'M' created from pieces of 4x2 donated by a local builder.
“It’s a way of drawing attention to the fact that the M is still missing while also still being able to have the letters up,” TAFT chief executive Suzanne Porter told www.stuff.co.nz.
“It would be a real shame to not have the letters up around Taranaki in the lead up to Womad - it’s one of the local signs that summer is coming, and Womad is on the horizon.”
She said TAFT did not want to keep the letters in storage but also did not want to waste time and effort running around trying to find them. They would much rather have the missing M back.
Ms Porter appealed to anyone who knew the whereabouts of the missing letter to contact police or get in touch with TAFT, either at their Brougham Street office, or by calling 06 759 8412.
Thursday, November 24, 2022
Friday, November 11, 2022
DÉJÀ VU! L.A.B REPEAT HISTORY IN THE 2022 AOTEAROA MUSIC AWARDS
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L.A.B - Topic Photography (via Facebook) |
Repeating their 2021 haul L.A.B has secured their spot in award history, taking out the same four Tūī for the second year running.
Their success story continues with the group taking home Recorded Music NZ Te Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of The Year for their fifth album L.A.B. V, Te Waiata Tōtahi o te Tau | Single of the Year for ‘Mr Reggae’, Te Roopu Toa | Best Group and Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Roots Artist.
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Tami Neilson - Topic Photography (via Facebook) |
Fresh from their APRA Silver Scroll win, Rob Ruha has been recognised as 2022’s Te Kaipuoro Awe Toa | Best Soul/RnB Artist for his album Preservation of Scenery and under his mentorship, Te Tairāwhiti tira waiata Ka Hao received Te Māngai Pāho Te Kaipuoro Māori Toa | Best Māori Artist and the Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo Tūī for Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice and ’35’ (ft. Rob Ruha) respectively.
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Rob Ruha and Te Tairāwhiti tira waiata Ka Hao - Topic Photography (Via Facebook) |
Tauranga-based artist and first-time nominee Georgia Lines has scooped the Tūī for Te Kaituhura Puoro Toa o te Tau | Breakthrough Artist of the Year for her sophomore EP Human, while pop juggernaut BENEE takes home the 2022 Te Kaipuoro Arotini Toa | Best Pop Artist for the fourth year running.
The other winners this year include Waipu-based metal band Alien Weaponry for Te Kaipuoro Rakapioi Toa | Best Rock Artist, Vera Ellen for Te Kaipuoro Manohi Toa | Best Alternative Artist for the critically acclaimed It’s Your Birthday, first time nominee LEAPING TIGER for Te Kaipuoro Tāhiko Toa | Best Electronic Artist, and Robert Ashworth & Sarah Watkins for Te Kaipuoro Inamata Toa | Best Classical Artist for their album Moonstone – a collection of works by New Zealand composers.
Two-time 2022 Pacific Music Award winners Diggy Dupé, choicevaughan and P. Smith also took home the Tūī for Te Kaipuoro Hipihope Toa | Best Hip Hop Artist for The Panthers OST.
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Vera Ellen - Topic Photography (Via Facebook) |
Another year, another awards season for Six60 who continue to show us why they’re history makers, taking out Te Toa Hoko Teitei | Highest Selling Artist for the fourth year running, and Te Rikoata Marakerake o te Tau | Radio Airplay Record of the Year for the sixth time for their single ‘Someone To Be Around’.
There will be one surprise award announced tonight – the Tūī for Te Kōwhiri o te Nuinga | People’s Choice will be tallied up and presented to the recipient this evening and on social media.
Announcing the Artisan Awards winners
Alongside the main awards finalists, the behind-the-scenes heroes of the hapori puoro were also announced and celebrated today.
While Tami Neilson received Best Producer, the Tūī for Te Kaipukaha Toa | Best Engineer went to Simon Gooding for his contributions to Tami’s album Kingmaker.
L.A based Chelsea Jade Metcalf was awarded Te Toi Ataata Pukaemi Toa | Best Album Artwork for her album Soft Spot while Joel Kefali and Ella Yelich-O’Connor (Lorde) were recognised with the NZ On Air Te Kiko Puoro Ataata Toa | Best Music Video Content for Lorde’s music video ‘Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen It All)’, the video which features three different versions of Lorde — literally and figuratively.
Recorded Music New Zealand Kaiwhakahaere o Ngā Tohu Puoro o Aotearoa Sarah Owen says this year’s awards are a testament to the passion and commitment displayed by the local music scene.
“Being able to see such deserving artists receive recognition for their art is an honour – such a broad range of recorded work with originality and artistry, showing the depth and breadth of talent in Aotearoa,” says Owen.
“With many of our 2022 award winners being first-time nominees, we hope it also encourages our aspiring and emerging ringapuoro across the motu to press ahead with their own musical journeys.”
With thanks to NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho for their continued support.
Monday, October 31, 2022
Bird of the Year Winner is - Pīwauwau Rock wren
Can you name a bird that loves our mountains so much that it never retires below the bush-line? Look no further than New Zealand’s true alpine bird species! Weighing less than an AA battery and laying eggs the size of 10c coins, these tiny rock bobbers defy all laws of survival and demonstrate true mountain bravery.
The pīwauwau/ rock wren is the winner of the Bird of the Year contest for 2022.
The winner of the country's most popular competition was announced on Morning Report today.
By yesterday three frontrunners had emerged, the pīwauwau / rock wren, the kea, and kororā / the little blue penguin.
The diminutive alpine dweller narrowly defeated the little blue penguin to take the top spot, with nearly 3000 voters putting it in the top spot.
Pīwauwau campaign leader Stephen Day said the bird had definitely flown under the radar up until now.
"Unless you'd spent some time in the mountains, you'd probably never heard
of a rock wren until two weeks ago. It's a true underbird."
The two-time champion kākāpō was barred from the ballot, as the organisers, Forest and Bird, decided to focus on the underbirds.
Last year's competition proved controversial, with a win by the long-tailed bat.
Kororā PremiereKororā / the little blue penguin is the runnerup this year
For more information - go to www.birdoftheyear.org.nz
Thursday, October 20, 2022
WOMAD NZ 2023 - Artists announced!
Wednesday, October 19, 2022
2022 Silver Scroll Awards announced
Photo - Supplied |
This year's top Kiwi songs for were announced last night at a special ceremony at Spark Arena. About 500 people attended, with many more watching it online. This was the first full-scale event to take place in over 3 years, due to Covid-19 disruptions.
Each year a different musical director takes care of the performances - this year being Rob Ruha and Cilla Ruha.
The APRA Silver Scroll Awards, which celebrates Aotearoa's songwriters and composers, is an annual event. Members of APRA AMCOS, which takes care of musical royalties, were able to vote in the awards.
This year's winner was the song '35' by Rob Ruha and an East Coast youth choir. he song is named after a State Highway that loops around Te Tairāwhiti, the East Coast.
Members of APRA AMCOS, which takes care of musical royalties, were able to vote in the awards.
The released version was performed by Tairāwhiti youth choir Ka Hao with Rob Ruha, and was written by Rob Ruha, Kaea Hills, Te Amorutu Broughton, Ainsley Tai, Dan Martin, Whenua Patuwai.
"The feel-good local anthem gained international recognition late last year after going viral on TikTok, proudly putting Māoritanga and the East Coast on the map," the APRA statement said.
"The coming together of Rob Ruha and Ka Hao is seamless, as a project to promote and revitalise te reo Māori, the group's name refers to the proverb ka pū te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi (as the old fishing net is worn, a new one is made), referring to youth growing up and entering adulthood."
The song was performed at last night's performance by Stan Walker and Hamo Dell.
Maioha Award for a te reo Māori waiata
Aja Ropata, Byllie-Jean Zeta and Chris Wethey took out the Maioha Award for an exceptional waiata in te reo, for their song 'Te Iho'.
"'Te Iho' praises the essence of powerful wāhine Māori, using poetic language to express the importance of women. [It] is a potent waiata about whakapapa and the DNA passed down from atua wāhine," APRA said.
SOUNZ Award winner inspired in Paris
Reuben Jelleyman won the SOUNZ Contemporary Award for his orchestral work called 'Catalogue'. He has been nominated for the award twice previously.
The composition is described as: "a chaotic collision of Jelleyman's musical exploration", created whilst Jelleyman was studying at the Conservatoire national Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Paris (and written for the performance ensemble Multilatérale).
Compositions for film and television
The award for original music used in a film was scooped up by Dana Lund and Horomona Horo for their score for Whina, a story about the legacy left by Dame Whina Cooper.
And the award for music used in a TV series was won by Jonathan Crayford, Joel Tashkoff, Troy Kingi and Stephen Atutolu for the soundtrack to TV Mini series 'The Panthers', about the history of the Polynesian Panthers and the Dawn Raids.
Here is the full list of finalists:
2022 APRA Silver Scroll award finalists
WINNER: '35' written by Rob Ruha, Kaea Hills, Te Amorutu Broughton, Ainsley Tai, Dan Martin, Whenua Patuwai, performed by Ka Hao and Rob Ruha
'Beyond the Stars' written by Tami Neilson and Delaney Davidson performed by Tami Neilson and Willie Nelson (Native Tongue Music Publishing)
'Girl At Night' written by Natalie Hutton, Minnie Robberds, Joel Becker, Angus Murray, performed by There's A Tuesday (Native Tongue Music Publishing)
'He Ōrite' written by Troy Kingi*, Iraia Whakamoe, Ryan Prebble, James Coyle, performed by Troy Kingi and The Nudge (*LOOP Publishing Limited/Kobalt Music Publishing)
'My Boy' written and performed by Marlon Williams (Native Tongue Music Publishing)
APRA Maioha Award finalists, celebrating exceptional waiata featuring te reo Māori
SOUNZ Contemporary Award finalists, celebrating excellence in contemporary compositionWINNER: 'Te Iho' written by Aja Ropata, Byllie-Jean Zeta, Chris Wethey, performed by AJA & Byllie-Jean
'E Hine Ē' written by Em-Haley Walker, performed by TE KAAHU
'Rangatira/Owner' written and performed by Ria Hall translated by Teraania Ormsby (published by LOOP Publishing Limited/Kobalt Music Publishing)
WINNER: 'Catalogue' by Reuben Jelleyman
'more full of flames' and voices by Neville Hall
'Manaaki' by Phil Brownlee, Liane Taikao (Ariana Tikao)
APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award finalists
WINNER: Dana Lund and Horomona Horo for Whina
Karl Steven for The Justice of Bunny King
Conrad Wedde, Samuel Scott, Luke Buda (Moniker) for Night Raiders
APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award finalists
WINNER: Jonathan Crayford, Joel Tashkoff, Troy Kingi, Stephen Atutolu for The Panthers
Conrad Wedde, Samuel Scott, Luke Buda (Moniker) for Wellington Paranormal
Claire Cowan for One Lane Bridge
2022 NZ Music Hall of Fame Inductees: Te Kumeroa "Ngoingoi" Pēwhairangi QSM, Tuini Moetū Haangū Ngāwai
For the full story, go to the APRA Website