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Thursday, December 19, 2013

Join the Coffeebar Kid and the rest of the Kids for a family Christmas special on Christmas Day!

Starting 10.00am NZ time and repeated 12 hours later for our overseas listeners :)

Merry Christmas everyone! Thanks for tuning in over the year.

The CoffeeBar Kid has been reading up a storm over the last year ... Check out his pages for a huge selection of reviews including a list of stocking fillers on offer at your local bookshop: http://adventuresofthecoffeebarkid.blogspot.co.nz/

Friday, December 13, 2013

Planning a Christmas party, Wedding or other event?

Get your Groove on with a Groove FM mobile DJ (or even Karaoke).

The entertainment is one thing that can make or ruin a fantastic party. Garantee a great time with a team with over 700 successful functions under their belt.
  • No, it's not just Groove music. We play it all.
  • Lighting, sound, music and DJ included.
  • 400W Sound system with 2 - 4 speakers depending on venue size and number of guests
  • Has been recommended as "Wellington's top Wedding DJ" by industry professionals
  • Travel, set up and pack up time is free (within greater Wellington)
  • Fog/Bubble effects available
  • Great pricing for combination DJ/Karaoke
Our music covers: 60's Rock & roll, 70's Rock, Disco (you know you like it), 80's, 90's...current Rock, Top 40 and club music as well as all the Groove tunes you know and love.

What about a Crooner Karaoke night? Find the ultimate lounge singer in your team.

Pricing:

Regular system for up to 250 Guests $500 for the first 4 hours then $100 per hour thereafter.
Ask us for a quote for longer periods or larger crowds.
Karaoke: $150 extra.

For more, email mobiledj@groovefm.co.nz

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Thursday Night on the Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid - A tribute to Nelson Mandela. RE-BROADCAST 12 HOURS LATER!

Thursday night's show is a tribute to the 20th century's greatest man. Greatest, most humble and inspirational leader.  We look at the life of the man through a special documentary and also at New Zealand's greatest moment - or worst - the 1980 Springbok tour.  And we play jazz from Soweto and other music from that part of the world in dedication to Nelson.  See you then - from 7.30PM NZDST and now, if you missed it, re-broadcast 10 hours later at 7.30am NZDST on www.groovefm.co.nz

Nelson Mandela
Former President of South Africa

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician, and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.
Born: July 18, 1918, Mvezo, South Africa

Thursday, December 05, 2013

Check out photos from the Pleasure Point album release gig on our facebook page

Pleasure Point CD release - The Realm
Check out a few photos from the release of "Rattledog!" last night at the Realm.


Check the interview with Greg Crayford on Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid tonight from 7.30PM
Groove's Facebook Page

Wednesday, December 04, 2013

a late blast and flurry Big Day Out is excited to announce three new artists to the 2014 lineup.

BIG DAY OUT ADD NEW ARTISTS TO 2014 LINEUP
 
 
Blur has been replaced with three new acts:
 BEADY EYE, who are heading to New Zealand for the first time ever. Founded in 2009 by Oasis members Liam Gallagher, Gem Archer, Andy Bell and Chris Sharrock and Kasabian‘s Jay Mehler, BEADY EYE have picked up where Oasis left off, traversing the globe and bringing their sing-a-long anthems Down Under for Big Day Out 2014.
 
"One thrilled of metal’s most consistently respected and revered bands,” (Metal Hammer) DEFTONES are joining in the festivities this summer. They will be adorning and crushing us with their internationally renowned live show featuring tracks from their latest album Koi No Yokan, all the way to the trailblazers from White Pony.
 
And our favourite Swedes THE HIVES are making their return to New Zealand, bringing with them their well-documented high-energy live performance, which NME says “Somehow it seems completely, theatrically rehearsed and flamboyantly anarchic at the same time.”
 
 

Thursday Night on the Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid

This Thursday's a packed show. We lay tunes from the new Starship Christmas album. We interview River specialist David Young about his new book "Rivers: New Zealand's Shared Legacy"; we talk with Killer Queen - A Queen Tribute band and we review the CD launch from Pleasure Point (Wed 4 December at the Realm)
See you online from 7.30 Thursday!


Rivers: New Zealand's shared legacy by by David YoungBeautiful hardback about New Zealand's major rivers, featuring text from natural historian David Young and stunning photography from Aliscia Young.
David tells the often complex story of each river or river system through the people who interact with that river, both historically and in modern times. This is very timely given the current public, political and cultural interests in our river systems.
This beautiful gift book focusing on the amazing and diverse rivers of New Zealand showcases a great deal of the country, with great regional spread.
Rivers examines the situation for our rivers today; it looks at what has happened to our rivers over recent years and what is happening today; it discusses the positives and the negatives, and it looks at the challenges our waterways face now and in the future.
As well as being a celebration of our beautiful rivers, it also focuses on conservation aspects, with commentary on dairying pollution, ecology, conservation orders and Maori claims.
River is a heavily revised and rewritten version of Faces of the River by David Young and Bruce Foster, published in 1986.


Killer Queen
Internationally acclaimed tribute band Killer Queen touch down in New Zealand next week for live performances in Wellington and New Plymouth.
Endorsed by legendary Queen Guitarist Brian May, this music extravaganza features the energy and iconic performances of the English super group, complete with authentic instruments, stunning costumes and one of the very best Freddie Mercury look-alike and sound-alikes - courtesy of Johnny Blunt!
Killer Queen has head-lined festivals world-wide and performed alongside Journey, Foreigner, Thin Lizzy and Twisted Sister.
Break free and relive a special kind of magic with all the best killer Queen hits in one rocking night -
"We Will Rock You", "I Want To Break Free", "We Are The Champions", "Don’t Stop Me Now", "Radio GaGa", "Somebody To Love", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Another One Bites The Dust", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "A Kind Of Magic", Killer Queen and many more!

Thursday 5 Dec - Cosmopolitan Club, Upper Hutt, WELLINGTON
Friday 6 Dec - The Mayfair, NEW PLYMOUTH

Tickets available from www.eventfinder.co.nz

The Starship Christmas Album
The Starship Foundation announces the release of the star-studded Starship Christmas Album 2012 with global superstars lending their support and Justin Bieber, one of the world's most influential entertainers, appearing in the TV commercial to promote the release.

Music industry veteran Paul Ellis worked in conjunction with Universal Music and The Starship Foundation to develop The Starship Christmas Album 2012 and says “Justin Bieber is one of the most powerful celebrities in the world. To have him support this album, generously provide one his tracks for it, and lead the television campaign to promote the album is truly incredible. We're very grateful to him, his management and his record label Universal Music for their amazing support of Starship and this project.”

Along with Bieber, the debut album features some of the biggest names in the music industry including Queen, Lady Gaga (featuring Space Cowboy), Elton John, Ronan Keating, Hayley Westenra, Michael Jackson, Maroon 5, Adeaze, The Jackson Five, Tiki Taane, OneRepublic, and Lucy Lawless. All the artists have all generously provided their recordings royalty free to support Starship.

Track Listing:
1:
1. Queen - Thank God It's Christmas
2. Elton John - Step Into Christmas
3. Lady Gaga featuring Space Cowboy - Christmas Tree
4. Justin Bieber – Mistletoe
5. Adeaze - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
6. Michael Jackson - Little Christmas Tree
7. Hayley Westenra - Sleigh Ride
8. Maroon 5 - Happy Christmas (War Is Over)
9. Tiki Taane - Over The Rainbow
10. OneRepublic - Christmas Without You
11. Ronan Keating - Little Drummer Boy
12. Jackson 5 - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
13. Lucy Lawless – Little Child

Tuesday, December 03, 2013

Pleasure point CD release gig broadcast live on Groove tomorrow night (Wednesday 7.00pm NZ time).


Rattledog! The new album from Wellington Jazz band, Pleasurepoint.

Come and celebrate the release of this great new live album, Rattledog!, made by fine musicians and excellent engineers and awesome artists. 

Support kiwi jazz!

Or, if you can't be there in person, listen to Groove to hear Pleasure point play live at the release party around 7pm Wednesday 4th. Alternatively, why not just buy the album?

The first recording session was rudely interrupted by the earthquake earlier this year as described in this extract from liner notes, written by Anand Satyanand (former Governor General of NZ) and former parliamentarian, Graham Kelly:

Since its launch in 1954, Bart Howard’s “Fly Me To The Moon” has been part of the repertoire of many jazz greats, including Sinatra, Mathis, Vaughan and Tormé. For audience members this tune will now be unforgettable for another reason. At precisely 5:09pm on Sunday, 21 July, 2013, while this concert was being recorded, Wellington singer Simon Jones had launched into his stylish rendition when a 6.6 earthquake struck, heaving , shaking and, sadly, bringing proceedings to a complete halt. Is this a world first? A live jazz recording interrupted by an earthquake?

A month later the rerun was held, with music, instruments and equipment recovered, and again the room was packed with fans. This CD is the result – with a title picked to recall the original event, named after the Meehan-penned opening tune.

As wave after wave of this eclectic mix of eighteen talented musicians’ music swept over an enthusiastic audience, it reinforced just how fortunate we are to be part of the best live jazz in New Zealand.

Enjoy Rattledog!

The gig is at The Realm, Hataitai Wednesday 4/12/13 from 7 - 10pm.

Personnel:

Greg Crayford – drums/concert director
with:
Patrick Bleakley – double bass
Bruce Brown – vocals
James Cameron – double bass/vocals
Mike Costeloe – trumpet
Terry Crayford – piano/bass
Mark Donlon – piano
Rafael Ferrer Noel – percussion/vocals
Nick Granville – guitar
Simon Jones – vocals
Andrew London – guitar/vocals
Norman Meehan – piano 
Nils Olsen – saxophones/vocals
Ann Pacey – vocals
Tessa Quayle – vocals
Anita Schwabe – piano
Michelle Scullion – flute
James Tait-Jamieson – saxophones
Nick Tipping – double bass
Album can be purchased at iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon & wherever good records are sold. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/rattledog!/id738721473
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gregcrayfordspleasurepoi


A recording of earthquake can be heard here.
http://www.pleasurepoint.co.nz/

Tonight Andrew London's show, Soundbites, is back on Groove at 5pm NZ time, talking to Del Thomas.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

CoffeeBar Kid takes a break tonight but by magic will still be here!

The Kid takes a break tonight. Instead there will be a CoffeeBar Kid 'classic' episode in it's place. As it's the beginning of the build up to WOMAD 2014 we go back a year and have another listen to the Coffeebar kid's special for WOMAD 2013. Tonight from 7.30 exclusively on Groove.

But don't worry he'll be back live next week with Charles Bradley (performing as part of the NZ International Festival). In the mean time catch up with some book revierws at: The Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid Web Page (this includes reviews on 'Autobiography' by Morrissey, 'Solo - A James Bond Novel' by William Boyd; 'Bridget Jones - Mad About The Boy' - by Helen Fielding; Young and Hungry by Laura Vincent; Homemade by Simon Gault; Dashing Dog - Margaret Mahy and Donnovan Bixley; plus heaps more - plus a variety of interviews in the audio archive section.

Tre Belle Interview
Duncan Sarkies
Mark Derby - Dan Long
Goldbeard Guitars
Ali Harper - Naughty & Nice
Raybon Kan - 2013 Comedy Festival
WOMAD 2013: Lau - Martin Green
Interview with Michael Chugg
Rebecca Priestly
Simon Sweetman : On Song
Eowyn Ivey
Nalini Singh
Chris Cleave
Joanne Drayton discussing Anne Perry (Juliet Hulme)
Suzy's A Coffee Bar History
Veronika Meduna
Nicky Hager
Ray Columbus
Ryan Prebble (The Nudge)
Mike McRoberts

Go to The Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid Web Page

Win A Double Pass To The BIG DAY OUT

Groove will be giving away a Double Pass to the Auckland Festival between now and Christmas - stay tuned and check the website for more details.

Thursday, November 21, 2013


MUDHONEY
Auckland BDO Side Show Announced

16TH JANUARY 2013
THE KINGS ARMS, AUCKLAND (R18)

Mystery Girl pre sale from 12pm Tuesday November 26th.
General onsale from 11am from Friday November 29th

BDO Update : Sideshows Announced - Snoop Dog will be sliding in!!!!

SNOOP DOGG aka SNOOP LION announces his Big Day Out 2014 sideshow

As the go-to-man to get your booty movin’, SNOOP DOGG aka SNOOP LION has solidified his position as the leading hip-hop artist across the globe. Recently adopting the moniker Snoop Lion after an inspirational trip to Jamaica, the Powerstation show will be the first time New Zealanders will get to experience his new tracks live on stage. Not to mention all his greatest Dogg hits!

Tickets are on sale at 9am Friday November 29

SNOOP DOGG aka SNOOP LION
POWERSTATION, AUCKLAND
Thursday 17 January , 2014

Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.co.nz
From 9am Friday November 29

go to www.bigdayout.com for more info

Also appearing at Big Day Out 2014
Pearl Jam * Arcade Fire * Blur * Snoop Dogg aka Snoop Lion
* Major Lazer * The Naked And Famous * Steve Angello
* The Lumineers * Tame Impala * Dillon Francis * Mac Miller * Ghost * Grouplove * Flosstradamus *Portugal. The Man
* Toro Y Moi * Mudhoney * The 1975 * Primus * CSS
* The Phoenix Foundation * SJD
* P-Money * Ladi6 * Beastwars * Concord Dawn
* Clap Clap Riot * Kody Nielson * Randa * PleasePlease * Villainy * DPRTRCLB DJs * Prowler


GENERAL RELEASE TICKETS ON SALE NOW
via www.bigdayout.com

Vodaphone NZ Music Awards - Tonite - Good Luck to all the finalists!!!!!

Recorded Music NZ has announced the artists in the running for Tui glory at the 48th annual Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.

Shapeshifter and Aaradhna are this year’s front-runners claiming five finalist spots each, with Unknown Mortal Orchestra following closely on four.

Others with multiple finalist nods include Kiwi music sensation Lorde, newcomer Jamie McDell and evergreen groups Fat Freddy’s Drop and The Phoenix Foundation – each with three spots. Lawrence Arabia and Willy Moon both claim two finals places, as does this year’s newly announced co-host Stan Walker.

The finalists have been announced at a star-studded function this evening (October 22) at The Pullman Auckland hotel.

Recorded Music New Zealand Chief Executive Damian Vaughan says this year’s line-up shows the depth and breadth of musical talent in New Zealand.
Read heaps more...

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

This week on the Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid - Wonderchef: Brett McGregor

This week on the CoffeeBar Kid, my guest is Brett McGregor, whose new book "A Taste of Home" (Random House) is a winner. 

It covers good wholesome, easy to make food that all the family can make, and more importantly - afford. There's not a lot of big, overpriced imgrediant on the menu here, so you can be confident good ideas for cheap satisfying meals.

I have a chat at the Southern Cross over breakfast and even reveal a few culinary secrets of my own.  Join me from 7.30 this Thursday

Below are a few photos of my attempts at a chorizo risotto.  I substitute pearl barley for rice, due to a shopping oversight.  The dish still works pretty well though. 

I think Brett was impressed!


You can read all about his new book at his website: www.brettmcgregor.co.nz

Also, tonight we review two new books - the latest Bridget Jones by Helen Fielding (Yes she's back and more paranoid than ever!) And, speaking of back, so is Bond. Yes a new novel, written in the style of the other great Fleming of the literary world. Check my reviews/transcripts for these books here: www.adventuresofthecoffeebarkid.blogspot.co.nz

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Groove is now a listener funded radio station and currently commercial free!

Dean Conland MC'ing/broadcasting from the
Rugby World Cup screening at Wellington town hall
We know you love Groove because heaps of you tell us but we need your help to:
  • Keep the station going beyond early January
  • Keep it ad free (or very minimal ads)
  • ideally re-establish FM broadcast sites
At the moment we can carry on till early January. If you don't like the idea of a world without Groove after that, it's time to subscribe via Paypal or credit card using the buttons on the right. If you don't like those options, send us an email and we'll send you the autopayment details.

Sunday, November 03, 2013

Let's Get The World's Biggest Party Going!

Last Wednesday was the launch of WOMAD 2014.

Once again the world is coming to Taranaki.  WOMAD 2014 promises yet another explosion of sounds, colour and experiences.  Food, dance, and of course, music.  WOMAD is a festival that covers all the bases.  If you’re into Jazz then check out the amazing Cuban dance and funk of Roberto Fonseco who returns after a 4 year hiatus.  Hip Hop legends Arrested Development will be in the House!  1920’s revivalist Pokey LaFarge will add a touch of Old Town Americana. Blues/Flamenco singer Buika is definitely one to see – with a voice like Nina Simone, layered and imperious.  Worth a look is Japan’s answer to James Brown, Osaka Monaurai.  From Portugal is the raw unbridled passion of Fado is Carminho a future major player on the World Stage.  Kiwi artists include country artist Delaney Davidson, the funky Lantin Aotearoa Project, Moana and the Tribe, Tim Finn, Brett Adams and Diane Swan (The Bads) and 2 time Grammy winner Kimbra.  This is WOMAD’s 10 year, a real cause for celebration.  If you need any excuse to visit the 'Naki, then this family friendly all ages world party is it!

Tune this Thursday for a WOMAD Special on The Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid - Thursday from 7.30 PM.


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

PSA - 100 Years Strong


The PSA is 100 years old this year

The PSA launched its centenary celebrations in Auckland on April 17 and the celebrations will continue around the country until 31 October.

To mark the centenary, the Dan Long Memorial Trust commissioned a biography of  Dan long.

Dan Long was general secretary of the PSA from 1960 to 1976, and saw it transform from a gentlemanly professional body into a well resourced and highly effective trade union. He was also directly instrumental in broadening the range of PSA activities beyond immediate issues of pay and working conditions into the fields of human rights, internationalism and the social revolution of the late 60s and 70s.

Listen here as author Mark Derby talks to the CoffeeBar Kid about the project.
http://coffeebarkid1.podomatic.com/entry/2013-10-23T03_31_29-07_00

Click here to read more about the book (from a previous show): http://grooveradio.blogspot.co.nz/2013/06/adventures-of-coffeebar-kid-is-back.html

The PSA grew out of the New Zealand Civil Service Association in 1913 when three young Education Department clerks decided to form an association to provide ordinary public servants with the support they needed.  Their actions followed the passage of the 1912 Public Service Act which created a politically neutral, career public service.

New Zealand Festival of the Arts 2014

The CoffeeBar Kid was off air for two weeks - on vacation but he blogged away with lots of news and book reviews. Check it all at http://adventuresofthecoffeebarkid.blogspot.co.nz/

Starting with...

Notes from the launch of the New Zealand Festival of The Arts

I've just got back from the Launch of the 2014 New Zealand International Festival Of The Arts at the Opera House.  Shelagh Magadza took us through the highlights which for Groove listeners will include Jazz singer Madeline Peyroux, Punk/Electronica artists Yo La Tango, The Tiger Lillies, the "Screamin' Eagle of Soul" Charles Bradley and nu-Amercana/singer song writer Neko Case - We at Groove are very excited!  For Groove Book worms there's Jung Chang (Wild Swans) and Duncan Sarkies (Demolition of the Century, Two Little Boys, Scarfies) and Booker Prize winner Eleanor Catton plus international stars.  And get ready for an invasion, as New Zealand welcomes the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular to Wellington for a musical celebration of the iconic BBC series.  There's Ainadamar - Soloists from the Grammy Award-winning recording star alongside the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in this exceptional contemporary opera by the “saviour of classical music” (The New York Times).  Rhythm and Reels - Join the talented band from Rian - including Hothouse Flowers frontman Liam Ó Maonlaí for a night of lively music and Irish folk sounds.  Also cheep symphonies! Experience the drama and excitement of five of the world’s most impressive symphonies – short enough to fit into a lunch break and priced to match ($20-$25- yes really!).  Plus - Cabaret noir comes to the James Cabaret as Kiwi rock stars Jon Toogood and Julia Deans join singers Jennifer Ward-Lealand and Tama Waipara to interpret Jacques Brel’s infamous Songbook (Brel - The Words and Music of Jaqes Brel).                                                        

Of course there's a  whole range of dance, theatre etc - head to http://festival.co.nz/

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Tonite - Get Happy with Pink Martini - on The Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid

Tonite we feature PM's new album 'Get Happy'.

Pink Martini is probably the finest small orchestra playing today. They play beautiful, lush jazz of the 40’s dance era, international songs, again in the big band style and plenty of enchanting orchestral, cinematic pieces that would sit perfectly on the shelf with the great 40’s movie scores – many from the Disney and RKO production houses. The new release, Get Happy, demonstrates their amazing versatility, beyond simply just playing the standards. Although they've never really just done that. Even a simple and well known tune like 'Perhaps' is subtly reinvented into a Spanish version, adding an additional layer of sexual tension and mystique.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Congratulations to Eleanor Catton – winner of the Booker Prize for The Luminaries

New Zealand author Eleanor Catton's novel The Luminaries has won the Booker prize for English language literature.
Catton, who’s only 28, is only the second Kiwi to do so, and the youngest author ever, to win this, the most presitigious literary award ever.
Mr Pip by Lloyd Jones (which has just been released as a film, starring Hugh Lauriw), was shortlisted in 2007, and The Bone People by Keri Hulme, won the Booker Prize in 1985.

Catton is youngest in the Prize’s 45 year history to be short-listed. The prize, announced at a ceremony in London, is worth $95,000, enogh to keep her in typewriter ribbons for some time! .
RNSZ quotes Catton who said that her book has been a publisher's nightmare from the very beginning, so winning made it all worth while: "The shape and form of the book made certain kinds of editorial suggestions not only mathematically impossible, but even more egregious, astrologically impossible”. The judges said her book, which beat five other contenders, is an exuberant and dazzling homage to Victorian sensation novels.

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

This Thursday the CoffeeBar Kid Gets Hot in the Kitchen


This Thursday the show is all about food.  The Kid is in the kichen and he reviews four books: Jo Seager's new book A Bit of What You Fancy, Laura Vincent's Hungry & Frozen and Simon Gault's homemade and Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall's The River Cottage Cookbook. 

Click here for more on three of these books - http://adventuresofthecoffeebarkid.blogspot.co.nz/2013/10/getting-hot-in-kitchen.html

Tune in from 7.30PM  on www.groovefm.co.nz




Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Thursday Night on the Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid. Pop-Op goes the Tre-Belle! 7.30 This Thursday Night


 
To celebrate the opening night of the World of Wearable Arts Show the Kid is interviewing one of the feature acts: Tr Belle. These loverly ladies will be performing at the WOW show, through out the season. Three is the magic number! Since 2009, New Zealand's premier Pop-Opera trio TRE-BELLE has wowed audiences with their unique take on operatic classics, musical theatre and the latest chart hits. They have performed to a live audience of 200,000, made numerous appearances on New Zealand TV and radio, released two original singles, a music video, an album, toured throughout the country and performed at numerous corporate events, along with supporting a number of charities. TRE-BELLE‘s wide appeal transcends generations, entertaining with their striking blend of coloratura agility, beautiful lyric and rich mezzo. Link here for their latest video/release 'Set the world on Fire" : http://youtu.be/IvmYPNDJxZw

 
Their website is www.tre-belle.co.nz

Big Day out Line up news and Music



Stay tuned to Groove all through October/November and December to hear more about what's playing at the big Day out. We'll be doing bios, playing some music and getting abit newsy, too. As things roll on we'll have interviews with the artists on our regular show too, - The Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid - Thursday nights from 7.30. Get excited!!!!


Pearl Jam * Arcade Fire * Blur * Snoop Dogg aka Snoop Lion
* Major Lazer * Steve Angello * The Lumineers * Tame Impala Dillon Francis * Mac Miller Ghost * Grouplove * Flosstradamus *Portugal. The Man * Toro Y Moi * DIIV * The Naked And Famous Mudhoney * The 1975 * The Phoenix Foundation * SJD * P-Money * Ladi6 * Beastwars * Concord Dawn * Clap Clap Riot * Kody Nielson *
Randa * PleasePlease

And more to Come!!!!

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Tonight on the Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid: Author Stuart McBride, Canteen, Calexico



Stuart McBride signing my advance copy of Stauart McBride
Tonite we have a 'fireside chat' with Author Stuart McBride - "the Tartan King of Noir".

Stuart is a Scottish writer, most famous for his crime thrillers set in the "Granite City" of Aberdeen and featuring Detective Sergeant Logan McRae. He was in Wellington 2 weeks agon and popped in to talked to the Kid about his latest book "Close to the Bone"

..."The first body is chained to a stake: strangled, stabbed, and a burning tyre around its neck. But is this a gangland execution or something much darker?
Someone's leaving little knots of bones outside Detective Inspector Logan McRae's house, but he's got more pressing things to worry about. Rival drug gangs are fighting over product and territory; two teenage lovers are missing; someone's crippling Asian immigrants; and Logan's been lumbered with an ambitious new Detective Sergeant, a mountain of paperwork, and the unwelcome attention of his superiors and the local crime boss.
When another body turns up, it looks as if the similarities between these murders and the plot of a bestselling novel are more than just a coincidence. And perhaps those little knots of bones are more important than they look..."

http://www.stuartmacbride.com/books/Close-To-The-Bone.php

• Bandanna Challenge 13 – 29 September 2013 is CanTeen’s annual public fundraising appeal.

• The campaign focuses on why CanTeen exists – that no young person living with cancer should go through it alone. Two members from each category feature in the campaign, and they are: Patient Members Annabel Sopoaga-Ariki and Richard Yap (both from Christchurch); Sibling Members Natalie Lagesse (Timaru) and Grant Hawthorne (Wellington); and Bereaved Sibling Members Lucy Coombes (Wellington) and Tony Bayard (Nelson).

• Five bandanna designs feature in this year’s line-up – collaborated designs from CanTeen ambassadors Dan Carter and Patient Member Annabel Sopoaga-Ariki (Christchurch), Maria Tutaia and Sibling Member Azura-Eve Silberschmidt (Rotorua), the NZ Breakers and Patient Member Jessica Hamilton (Auckland), plus individual designs from Clara van Wel, winner of last year’s NZ’s Got Talent, and Patient Member Miro Tidswell-Groot (Nelson).

• People can donate by either calling 0800 22 34 34, visiting neveralone.co.nz or texting CANTEEN to 4325 to make a $3 donation.

• Bandannas are $4 each and are available from PAK’nSAVE, New World, Four Square, BP, Farmers, Burger King, Repco or Warehouse Stationery or online at www.canteen.org.nz or neveralone.co.nz (site will launch 9th Sept)

• Bandanna related Facebook/Twitter Avatars have been created for this year’s campaign and are available for download on CanTeen’s website www.canteen.org.nz for people to show their support online.

www.canteen.org

Calexico return to Wellington on Friday to play at the Opera House.  Groove will play some of their music tonite.  Calexico is a Tucson, Arizona-based Americana / Tex-Mex / indie rock band. The band's two main members, Joey Burns and John Convertino, first played together in Los Angeles as part of the group Giant Sand.

http://www.casadecalexico.com/



Tuesday, September 03, 2013

This week on the Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid - Fly My Pretties (Ria Hall), Michael Van der Elzen (The Food Truck Guy) and A tribute to David Frost

This week we interview Ria Hall, new recruit on the Fly My Pretties Homeland Tour, which is about to kick off around the country. We play a few songs by new Pretties recruits.

We also talk to Michael Van Der Elzen - the Food Truck Guy and master chef of 'Healthy Takeaways'- ahead of the launch of his new book, The Food Truck Cook Book No.2.

For more info and to watch shows on demand check out The Food Truck TVNZ homepage tvnz.co.nz/the-food-truck/
The Food Truck follows Michael Van De Elzen, owner and head chef of Molten Restaurant and Liquid Molten Bar in Mt Eden, Auckland, as he attempts to create healthy, restaurant-quality alternatives to New Zealand fast food favourites from the back of a 1970 Bedford truck.

http://vandeelzen.com/the-food-truck/

And finally we also pay tribute to a great journalist David Frost, who passed away two days ago. British broadcaster David Frost, famed for coaxing an apology for Watergate from Richard Nixon, has died on a luxury cruise liner where he had a speaking engagement.
Frost's, 74, sudden death brought tributes from international celebrities and political leaders, many of whom called him a good friend as well as an acute interrogator.

Read the Stuff article here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv/9114466/David-Frost-killed-by-heart-attack


 
Fly My Pretties : New cast welcomes: Anika Moa, Mel Parsons, Ria Hall, Barnaby Weir, Jarney Murphy, Kara Gordon, Louis McDonald, Mark Vanilau, Mike Fabulous, Nigel Patterson, Ryan Prebble & Shaun Blackwell. Full 2013 cast info HERE.


Wednesday, August 28, 2013

This Thursday on the Adventures of the CoffeeBarKid - Duncan Sarkies demolishes the Century!

Demolition of the Century
Ok, We're Back - This week the Kid has Duncan as his guest.

Also, for father's day we have a special facebook give-away - Precious Metals by Gavin Conroy. Check out the Facebook page for more info.

See you 7.30 PM This Thursday Only on Groove 107.7FM

In the meantime here's a few notes the Kid scambled together:

It was one of the great southern scandals of the 1990s. Dunedin's beloved Century cinema was pulled down in 1993 to make way for a tyre shop that's never been built.
A pocket carpark still taunts film-lovers as they head along Princes or Jetty streets. While this sorry episode from Duncan Sarkies' hometown wasn't the direct inspiration for his new, second novel The Demolitionof the Century, he says the story was very pertinent. "I interviewed quite a lot of people from the demolition industry and it was very interesting chatting to them about it and how it happened." Those discussions helped form the character of Spud, whose wrecking ball is taking down the movie theatre of the book's title. He is also one of the men following Tom Spotswood, an insurance investigator who has lost his socks, suitcase, career, ex-wife and son Frank.

Duncan Sarkies

Despite still featuring a main cast of "loser" characters ("I've always been drawn to characters who are a little bit ugly and aren't necessarily going anywhere"), the detective novel represents a departure for the now over-40 Sarkies. "I bit off several challenges here and also had to research for the first time. While I love that I can read my own books and go 'Oh, that comes from here, that comes from there', I thought I'd mined my own life for all it's worth...

"With this, I had to pull a lot of stuff from outside my own life. I'm not an expert on demolition, and I wasn't an expert on horse insurance, so many aspects of the book involved a massive research job. I thoroughly enjoyed all of it, but it took a long time."

He describes the novel- writing process as similar to marathon-running. "A weird mental marathon - you've got to push yourself through, even though you know the end is a long, long, long way away, and the first draft is not one you are going to enjoy reading for posterity." Having taken a long time to get to the writing phases this time, Sarkies set himself goals via a reward system.

"I'd say, 'in this hour I'm going to write 750 words or a full hour, depending on what comes first', which is a good motivation to get the words done so you can knock off early. Setting time goals isn't a good idea because it encourages you to procrastinate." In Sarkies' case, that involved an addictive online game he refuses to name for fear of encouraging others. "I don't know why my brain needs to organise balls and colours, " he lets slip.

He was pretty fit and his Wellington home spotless during Demolition's construction phase.

"I didn't set out to write a detective novel but suddenly it turned into this major piece of structuring and I've always found that the most challenging part of writing. I tried to turn it into a fun process but spent a long time putting cards on the wall and reorganising them - it just turned into a big mess of cards." Ad Feedback Some things are familiar. As in his first novel, Two Little Boys, Demolition uses multiple narrators. "I haven't explored that style of writing of where you play God and get into the thoughts of everyone. I'm quite curious to try that at some point in the future. I do really love getting locked in someone's head, I guess that's the secret buzz of the whole thing in terms of writing prose - getting lost in someone else's thoughts. I have to engage those thoughts, so I guess it's method writing."

With that in mind, Sarkies admits that at times Demolition was quite stressful to write. "When I was writing well that was very painful. That Spud character is really wound up." Although Sarkies currently has no plans for Demolition to follow Two Little Boys' footsteps to the big screen ("I've written too many film scripts that haven't been made"), he's working on projects for both TV and radio. "I've written two episodes for a kung fu comedy for the ABC (currently titled Maximum Choppage) - one features an aphrodisiac duck recipe that causes all sorts of chaos and the other has a fighting fish. It's set in Cabramatta, which is a Vietnamese, Chinese and Cambodian district of Sydney . . . All the whiteys used to be too scared to go there. "When I went there years ago I went to a video game parlour and within two minutes someone was offering to sell me drugs. I think it has changed vastly."

Meanwhile, The Mysterious Secrets of Uncle Bertie's Botanarium is an audio collaboration with artist Stephen Templer and musician Lawrence Arabia. Jemaine Clement plays a fictional Joseph Banks who is on a voyage to look for his long-lost Uncle Bertie who believed he had discovered a plant known to be the source of all pleasure. Having made one episode so far, Sarkies says they're trying to work out what to do with it. "We might pitch it to the BBC or go the podcast route and sell it for $1.99 online."

The Demolition Of The Century by Duncan Sarkies, Penguin, $30.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

This week on the advetures of the CoffeeBar Kid - we get dogmatic!

This week our guest is the venerable Max Cryer - author, broadcaster and dog-bert.  Indeed, he's with us to talk about his new book: Every Dog Has Its Day - A thousand things you didn’t know about man’s best friend

For more go here:
  http://adventuresofthecoffeebarkid.blogspot.co.nz/
   

Plus new (err old) episodes of the great super hero drama - Planetman! 

See you at 7.30 only on Groove!
   


Monday, August 12, 2013

Get Excited Peeps .... BIG DAY OUT 2014 NZ is on it's way

BIG DAY OUT 2014 NZ LINEUP

Pearl Jam * Arcade Fire * Blur * Snoop Dogg aka Snoop Lion
* Major Lazer * Steve Angello * The Lumineers * Tame Impala Dillon Francis * Mac Miller Ghost * Grouplove * Flosstradamus *Portugal. The Man * Toro Y Moi * DIIV * The Naked And Famous Mudhoney * The 1975 * The Phoenix Foundation * SJD * P-Money * Ladi6 * Beastwars * Concord Dawn * Clap Clap Riot * Kody Nielson * Randa * PleasePlease

There are NO added booking fees and no sneaky surcharges. $165 flat at www.bigdayout..com and $165 plus only credit card charges at Ticketmaster. But only 10,000. After that, you’re set to pay $185 – but again, no added booking fees or sneaky surcharges.

For the full skinny go to https://www.facebook.com/bigdayout or http://www.bigdayout.com/

Friday, August 09, 2013

PIXIE WILLIAMS, the singer who gave voice to the Kiwi classic Blue Smoke, has ‘‘drifted by into the deep blue sky’’.

PIXIE WILLIAMS, the singer who gave voice to the Kiwi classic Blue Smoke, has ‘‘drifted by into the deep blue sky’’.

She died aged 85 last Friday at Fergusson Rest Home and Hospital in Upper Hutt, after suffering from dementia, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.

Pikiteora Maude Emily Gertrude Edith Williams was born on July 12, 1928, in Mohaka, northern Hawke’s Bay. Her parents died young and, in 1945, she shifted to Wellington and into the YWCA Hostel in Oriental Parade.

There, her beautiful voice came to the attention of 28th Maori Battalion veteran Ruru Karaitiana, who was looking for a singer to bring his song Blue Smoke to life.

Karaitiana composed the song while on a troop ship in 1940. It was popular at troop concerts long before it was recorded by Pixie Williams and the Ruru Karaitiana Quintette at the Radio Corporation’s Columbus Recording Studio in 262 Wakefield St in 1949.

Blue Smoke, sung by Williams, was the first record wholly processed and recorded in New Zealand. It was a huge hit, topping the charts for six weeks and selling 50,000 copies. Dean Martin was one of several international artists who covered it.

Williams’ love of hockey almost scotched the recording programme, as one weekend she preferred her weekly hockey game to a recording ses-
Blue Smoke, the first record wholly made in New Zealand. sion. Teenage crew member John Shears was sent to find her, and recalled yesterday how delighted he was to cajole her back to the studio.

In the summer of 1951, Williams headed south to Dunedin, where she met Irishman Paddy Costello. It was love at first sight. Her promising singing career soon took second fiddle to raising their four children.

Daughter Amelia and friend Julie Powell recently put out a Pixie Williams CD collection comprising 13 songs. Powell runs the Big Bad Wolf Charcuterie in 262 Wakefield St, the same building in which Blue Smoke was recorded. In pride of place on the wall is the original imprint of the 78rpm vinyl Blue Smoke record.

A funeral service for Williams will be held at St Joseph’s Church Upper Hutt at 1pm today. She will be buried beside her husband in Dunedin.

Wednesday, August 07, 2013

No Adventures this Thursday Night / Duncan Sarkies/Demolition of the Century (Penguin $30)

Demolition of the Century
Sorry Folks, the Kid is otherwise detained this Thursday and there will be no adventures this week. But we thoroughly recommend you get along to the Book Launch of Duncan Sarkies' new Mystery Novel: The Demolition of the Century at Mighty Mighty.

http://mightymighty.co.nz/

The Kid will have Duncan as his guest next week. In the meantime here's a few notes the Kid scrambled together:

It was one of the great southern scandals of the 1990s. Dunedin's beloved Century cinema was pulled down in 1993 to make way for a tyre shop that's never been built.
A pocket carpark still taunts film-lovers as they head along Princes or Jetty streets. While this sorry episode from Duncan Sarkies' hometown wasn't the direct inspiration for his new, second novel The Demolitionof the Century, he says the story was very pertinent. "I interviewed quite a lot of people from the demolition industry and it was very interesting chatting to them about it and how it happened." Those discussions helped form the character of Spud, whose wrecking ball is taking down the movie theatre of the book's title. He is also one of the men following Tom Spotswood, an insurance investigator who has lost his socks, suitcase, career, ex-wife and son Frank.

Duncan Sarkies
Despite still featuring a main cast of "loser" characters ("I've always been drawn to characters who are a little bit ugly and aren't necessarily going anywhere"), the detective novel represents a departure for the now over-40 Sarkies. "I bit off several challenges here and also had to research for the first time. While I love that I can read my own books and go 'Oh, that comes from here, that comes from there', I thought I'd mined my own life for all it's worth...

"With this, I had to pull a lot of stuff from outside my own life. I'm not an expert on demolition, and I wasn't an expert on horse insurance, so many aspects of the book involved a massive research job. I thoroughly enjoyed all of it, but it took a long time."

He describes the novel- writing process as similar to marathon-running. "A weird mental marathon - you've got to push yourself through, even though you know the end is a long, long, long way away, and the first draft is not one you are going to enjoy reading for posterity." Having taken a long time to get to the writing phases this time, Sarkies set himself goals via a reward system.

"I'd say, 'in this hour I'm going to write 750 words or a full hour, depending on what comes first', which is a good motivation to get the words done so you can knock off early. Setting time goals isn't a good idea because it encourages you to procrastinate." In Sarkies' case, that involved an addictive online game he refuses to name for fear of encouraging others. "I don't know why my brain needs to organise balls and colours, " he lets slip.

He was pretty fit and his Wellington home spotless during Demolition's construction phase.

"I didn't set out to write a detective novel but suddenly it turned into this major piece of structuring and I've always found that the most challenging part of writing. I tried to turn it into a fun process but spent a long time putting cards on the wall and reorganising them - it just turned into a big mess of cards." Ad Feedback Some things are familiar. As in his first novel, Two Little Boys, Demolition uses multiple narrators. "I haven't explored that style of writing of where you play God and get into the thoughts of everyone. I'm quite curious to try that at some point in the future. I do really love getting locked in someone's head, I guess that's the secret buzz of the whole thing in terms of writing prose - getting lost in someone else's thoughts. I have to engage those thoughts, so I guess it's method writing."

With that in mind, Sarkies admits that at times Demolition was quite stressful to write. "When I was writing well that was very painful. That Spud character is really wound up." Although Sarkies currently has no plans for Demolition to follow Two Little Boys' footsteps to the big screen ("I've written too many film scripts that haven't been made"), he's working on projects for both TV and radio. "I've written two episodes for a kung fu comedy for the ABC (currently titled Maximum Choppage) - one features an aphrodisiac duck recipe that causes all sorts of chaos and the other has a fighting fish. It's set in Cabramatta, which is a Vietnamese, Chinese and Cambodian district of Sydney . . . All the whiteys used to be too scared to go there. "When I went there years ago I went to a video game parlour and within two minutes someone was offering to sell me drugs. I think it has changed vastly."

Meanwhile, The Mysterious Secrets of Uncle Bertie's Botanarium is an audio collaboration with artist Stephen Templer and musician Lawrence Arabia. Jemaine Clement plays a fictional Joseph Banks who is on a voyage to look for his long-lost Uncle Bertie who believed he had discovered a plant known to be the source of all pleasure. Having made one episode so far, Sarkies says they're trying to work out what to do with it. "We might pitch it to the BBC or go the podcast route and sell it for $1.99 online."

The Demolition Of The Century by Duncan Sarkies, Penguin, $30.

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Idealog's "An open letter to Judith Collins about government website ‘hacks’"
By Ben Gracewood, July 31, 2013 @ 12:44 pm

Some here at Groove are not happy about the path this is taking.
I for one agree with Ben's comments. I condone hacking any website, but i do note that the protest action, in this case was a situation of ends justifying the means. This Government's disregard for citizen rights and it's aproach seems very 1991. Why, when America is challenging the whole homeland security approach are we now starting to go on the same journey overy 12 years later? Havs we learn't nothing about diplomacy and tact. And really what is the point of the GCSB anyway. Why not strengthwen the SIS, given them the right powers and be open and transparent about their activities, whether that affects internal or extenal players. I wonder still if Kim Dotcom has something to hide. But, at the same time what is it? And why can't the exrrdition court make this transparent, too. If he is a threat, if the new laws to the GCSB are a threat, why all the misguided secrecy. All this proves what a bungling mess. I would have to agree with the hackers on this point. Freeze all new legistlation until a proper Select Committee Hearing can be conducted.

To see the full open letter click here: http://www.idealog.co.nz/blog/2013/07/open-letter-judith-collins


Coffeebar Kid

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

It's all Rock'n'Roll in Wellington

Well, by the grace of Groove, we are still on air.  The Groove towers may have been under threat from the great elements but we are still online - TG for that!

Keep tuning @ www.groovefm.co.nz

Wellington was hit by a 6.5 rs earthquake and many aftershocks from Sunday night and they are still occuring.  The epicentre is 30KM out in Cook Strait, near Seddon.  Seddon was hit realitively har.  Yealands Vinyards, a local business lost a reported $100K worth of wine. Wellington's Featherston St was the hardest hit, with broken windows and falling masonry.  No loss of life, four minor injuries.  As a precaution everyone was discouraged to remain away from the CBD yesterday whilst the engineers checked for structural damage. Wellington faired well with very little in the end.  Thank the Creator for that!

Groove's programming may be upset this week wilst the shaking settles down.  We'll still be on air ( www.groovefm.co.nz) Stay tuned Groovers!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

On the Adventures of the Coffee Bar Kid this week - Christine Hunt Daniell - "Just an Orange for Christmas" Harper Collins $34.95

This week we explore the territory and history of one of Dean's Favourite tramping grounds - the Wairarapa.  We talk to Author/Historian Christine Hunt Daniell.

When Christine Hunt Daniell sat down with pen and paper and talked with the ‘old- timers’ for this book, her motivation was to preserve more than the bland surface details of regional history. The stories are from the Wairarapa, but their core is essential New Zealand experience, exposing something universally human. They describe how it felt to live over the last century, how it feels to be near the end of life, how today’s world measures up. Each character is a survivor, recalling often raw or touching personal details. To Stan’s insistence , “I’m amazed you keep wanting to come back and get information from an ordinary old fellow like me,” this book is an extraordinary testament. These stories reflect our spirit. Our heritage. A carefully unravelled web of facts and feelings, earthy yarns, shrewd perceptions, tomfoolery, fantasy and faith. Our folk history. Who we are. Our backbone.

After graduating, Christine Hunt Daniell spent three years in Europe, working in isolated rural communities. While absorbing the distinct flavour and spirit of each culture, she became determined to capture New Zealand’s equivalent - a heritage or folk history we still tend to deny we have. She produced three books: Something In The Hills, Speaking A Silence and I’m Ninety Five - Any Objection? Christine and her husband farm in the hills north of Masterton and on the White Rock coast.

See you at 7.30PM This Thursday only on www.groovefm.co.nz

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Thursday night on the Adventures of the CoffeeBar Kid

We interview English Author, Kat Mosse - writer of the Labyrinth series. 

The complex history of the Languedoc has proved fertile territory for Kate Mosse in her recent trilogy of adventure novels, beginning with the phenomenally successful Labyrinth in 2005, shortly to be a mini-series, and now reaching its conclusion in Citadel.
  1. Labyrinth was concerned with the Albigensian crusade and the destruction of the Cathar heresy in the 13th century, weaving historical truth with the legends of the holy grail that flourished after the final massacre of the Cathars at their fortress of Montségur.

Citadel is a deeply satisfying literary adventure, brimming with all the romance, treachery and cliffhangers you would expect from the genre. It is also steeped in a passion for the region, its history and legends, and that magical shadow world where the two meet.

For the full review - click here .....

All this and another episode of The Men From the Ministry. See You at 7.30.Thursday night only on www.Groovefm.co.nz