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Our roving photographer Trevor Villers caught Shooglenifty's set at the Tuning Fork in Auckland last night. Shooglenifty are a Scottish, Edinburgh-based six-piece Celtic fusion band, that tours internationally. The band blends Scottish traditional music with influences ranging from electronica to alternative rock. They contributed to Afro Celt Sound System's 1996 album Volume 1: Sound Magic.
Shooglenifty was formed in 1990 by musicians from the Scottish Highlands, Orkney and Edinburgh, its bright spark was the idea of fusing traditional and traditional-sounding melodies with the beats and basslines of a mixed bag of more contemporary influences.
As happy playing a small highland village hall as they are on an outdoor festival stage playing to tens of thousands, the Shoogles (as they’re known to their fans) have promoted Scottish music all over the world for more nearly three decades. Their 2018 album, 'Written in Water', with Dhun Dhora, attracted five-star reviews and a coveted slot in music bible Mojo’s Top Ten Folk Albums of the Year. In 2019 Shooglenifty (with Tanxugueiras) released their timely humanitarian anthem 'East West' and are currently working hard on their ninth studio album slated for release in their 30th anniversary year: 2020.
Trevor told us "The Breakers were playing next door, so it got a bit exciting. They won and so did we. These fellows (the band)were sublime! No better knees up to be had."
Wellyfest, the Wellington Folk Festival, is 55 years old this year, making it the longest running festival of its kind in the country, and it’s still going strong.
Running over this Labour Weekend (Friday October 25 to Monday 28) at the Brookfield Outdoor Education Centre,in Moores Valley, near Wainuiomata.
Wellyfest 2019 will have a jam-packed programme of concerts, workshops and dance events, and has attracted an impressive line-up of performers from here and overseas. Acts include include the Kiwi-Aussie duo Victoria Vigenser and Lindsay Martin, who as “We Mavericks”, play wild, original folk.
Also from over the ditch the festival hosts The Good Girl Song Project and The Bearded Cat.
Award-winning New Zealand song writer, Jenny Mitchell, will be there playing her own blend of alt-country, folk and Americana. Lower Hutt heros and Wellington-based trio, Across the Great Divide, will perform its unique fusion of Celtic, American and Scandinavian music.
The Chaps, from Dunedin, are give us some highly entertaining and energetic stage time. They describe their style of music as “cowboy lounge”. This we gotta see!
The Skiffy Rivets from Auckland deliver harmonies with a swing.
Songwriter Alan Downes will bring his mostly true tales from the back country and the rising young New Zealand poet, Jessie Fenton will also be performing.
But for those who need to rock rock, there’s local band Grumblewood, who combine a unique mix of baroque, jazz and traditional folk elements with vintage rock. In true Jethro Tull style they produce electric folk and progressive early '70s vibes that'll have you spinning all night.
The Wellyfest is big on participation, with blackboard concerts, singarounds,the big Saturday dance with the hot young musicians from Vicfolk, a full youth programme and plenty of opportunity for jamming.
Festival-goers can book for the whole weekend or come for a day, afternoon or evening.
There are plenty of camping spaces and facilities and there are also bunks available.
The full programme and ticketing information is on the website: www.wellingtonfolkfestival.org.nz
We were lucky enough to go to the 2nd Wellington Maker Faire over the weekend. The event was exceptionally well attended. Shed 6 and the foyer of the TSB Stadium were packed to the gunwales with punters keen to soak up knowledge. Exhibitors ranged from LEGO geeks to drone racers to sewers and embroiders, Cosplay costumers and woodworkers. My youngest took a shine to the sewing and enjoyed working on a stitching project. My other daughter also was keen on the hands on activities, making a bee wax sandwich wrap and watched the 'stupid robot fighting'. If there was one tiny niggle, I think it was how the event had seemed to outgrow the venue. All of it should have fitted into the TSB arena and seemed a bit cramped. Perhaps next year this will be addressed.
Maker Faire Wellington is brought to you by Capital E, New Zealand’s leading centre of creativity for children and young people. For 21 years we have provided creative experiences to the youngest citizens of Wellington that include theatre, digital technology, and immersive, never-seen-before installations and events that spark and encourage creative thinking and expression. To bring these experiences to life, our creative team work with talented Makers from Wellington and beyond, constructing wild creations that invite children to explore their imaginations.
Wellington Maker Faire is a celebration and showcase of the innovative, do-it-yourself work of the Maker community. This fun, family-friendly event is for Makers both young and young at heart, whether you’re a hobbyist, inventor, creator, tech-enthusiast, educator, performer, or crafter, you’ll enjoy experiencing the variety of maker-achievements on display at Wellington Maker Faire.
Who are Makers? A Maker is anyone who creates, invents, tinkers or constructs with anything, code, technology, or traditional craft materials, in labs, garages, or home kitchens. Makers are everywhere!
Maker Faire originated in 2006 in the San Francisco Bay Area as a project of the editors of Make: magazine. It has since grown into a significant worldwide network of both flagship and independently-produced events. Read more on Maker Faire history, the Maker Movement, as well as how to start a Maker Faire or a School Maker Faire where you live.
Grammy Award-winning musician and multimedia artist Laurie Anderson will be the third Guest Curator for the New Zealand Festival of the Arts 2020. She's bringing a selection of works to Wellington including a concert that celebrates the ocean featuring Laurie onstage alongside long-time collaborators and Kiwi musicians; a VR experience that will see audience-goers taken on a virtual trip to the moon; and an installation of Laurie's late husband Lou Reid's guitars put on feedback loop creating a rich aural experience.
Laurie joins contemporary artist and acclaimed theatre-maker Lemi Ponifasio and Academy Award-winning composer, musician, actor, and comedian Bret McKenzie as the three guest curators for the 2020 New Zealand Festival of the Arts which runs 21 February until 15 March.
The CoffeeBar Kid talks to Lala Simpson - a fun, energetic, creative and innovative song leader with a strong passion for music and a great sense of humour.
Lala will be presenting and running workshops at the upcoming Make Faire on Sunday 20 October at the TSB Arena.
Lala hails from the exotic Island of Madagascar and has been making music since the day she was born - according to her parents!
She speaks 3 languages fluently and uses her love of languages and interest in other cultures to teach world music.
She is able to work with groups of various ages and abilities, backgrounds and ethnicities adapting her teaching techniques to suit the groups she teaches.
Lala is involved in many musical happenings in Wellington and is often asked to be one of the tutors for International Dance Day. Lala has acted as a guest conductor to various community choirs in Wellington. She travels around New Zealand teaching songs and dances from her homeland.
Lala has worked as the choreographer for the Wellington Community Choir and has been recently appointed as one of their co-conductors.
Lala organizes inter-generational and cross-cultural interactive singing workshops at rest homes and Wellington City Libraries with the Manawa Ora Children Community Choir which she directs. She is committed to helping people discover their voice and works with individuals that think they can't sing or are afraid of singing.
She runs children's music classes and adult singing workshops in Wellington sharing songs from Madagascar and around the world.
She is also a performer and is the lead singer of a quartet singing the songs of Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel.
Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these "makers" to show hobbies, experiments, projects. They call it the Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth - a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness. Glimpse the future and get inspired!
Euan will presenting at the upcoming Maker Faire brought to you by Capital E.
It will be on at Wellington's TSB Arena Sunday 20 October.
The CoffeeBar Kid will also be there, taking photos and will report back to you about what goes on.
Tonight WOMAD 2020 Artists are announced: A political Jamaican Reggae icon (Ziggy Marley), an ambassador of African music (Salif Keita ), masters of gospel (Blind Boys of Alabama) and a group of seasoned musicians from Aotearoa are just a few of the heavy-hitting performers announced for WOMAD New Zealand 2020.
At a ceremony held at Parliament tonight and hosted by the MP for New Plymouth, Jonathan Young and Justice Minister Andrew Little the line-up for WOMAD 2020 was announced.
Last year, the Prime Minister was due to open WOMAD. However only an hour before the awful news of the shootings in Christchurch came through, changing our nation forever. That terrible incident affected the mood and vibe of WOMAD 2018.
Taranaki Arts Festival CEO Suzanne Porter (responsible for WOMAD) remembers having to make the tough call to continue. “It was a difficult decision, but it would have been like giving in. We wanted to show the world that we stood for diversity and celebration of all cultures.” Andrew Little, reminiscing on his speech last year, when he had to stand in for the Prime Minister at short notice, summed up the sentiment in his speech tonight, acknowledging that there is a time to grieve, a time to cry, a time to heal and a time to dance. WOMAD is that time, he said.
WOMAD New Zealand is famous for bringing together artists from all over the globe for a
vibrant showcase of the world's many forms of music, arts, and dance.The 2020 festival is no exception and will feature close to 100 hours of music, dance and voices across eight stages. Over three days Ngāmotu's stunning Brooklands Park and the TSB Bowl of Brooklands will once again be transformed into a village of colour, energy and inclusion.
Joining the already announced mesmerising duo of Welsh harpist Catrin Finch & Senegalese kora player Seckou Keita and the living legends of gospel music Blind Boys of Alabama are twenty cutting edge performers and world-class musicians from every corner of the planet.
Delivering fresh new takes on traditional music are multi-award-winning, solo artists, duos, trios and 12-piece brass bands from around the globe. Finnish Beatboxing, Maloyan Dance and Black Samba will join hands with Reggae, Rap, Folk, Funk Jazz, Soul, Classical and Afrobeat to celebrate the world's differences. Pioneering young artists alongside inspirational icons will come together across the weekend to promote acceptance, joy, love, hope and change via the universal language of mankind, music.
WOMAD New Zealand is very proud to present, for the 16th year anniversary of the festival (in alphabetical order)
Albi & The Wolves (Aotearoa/NZ), Blind Boys of Alabama (USA), Catrin Finch & Seckou Keita (Wales/Senegal), Destyn Maloya (Réunion), Ezra Collective (UK), Hiatus Kaiyote (Australia), Hot Potato Band (Australia), Kim So Ra (South Korea), King Ayisoba (Ghana), L.A.B. (Aotearoa/NZ), Liniker e os Caramelows (Brazil), L Subramaniam (India), Ziggy Marley (Jamaica), Minyo Crusaders (Japan), Muthoni Drummer Queen (Kenya/France), Orquesta Akokán (Cuba), Reb Fountain (Aotearoa/NZ), RURA ( Scotland), Salif Keita (Mali), Soaked Oats (Aotearoa/NZ), Trio Da Kali (Mali), Tuuletar (Finland).
Euan Christie has been making banjos and ukuleles with old tins, boxes, wood, metal, cutlery and various other salvaged bits of things at my house in Wellington, New Zealand for the last couple of years.
Each instruments is completely unique with its own distinctive sound and charming character. Every instrument has been imagined and then carefully hand-crafted with the highest attention to detail to create a piece of art that sounds as good as it looks.
Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these "makers" to show hobbies, experiments, projects. They call it the Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth - a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness. Glimpse the future and get inspired!
Euan will presenting at the upcoming Maker Faire brought to you by Capital E.
It will be on at Wellington's TSB Arena Sunday 20 October.
The CoffeeBar Kid will also be there, taking photos and will report back to you about what goes on.
Aldous Harding (Hannah Topp) has taken out this year's APRA Silver Scroll Award for her amazing song The Barrel. This is the second time she's been a finalist and conveyed her delight at winning over a video message played at last night's award Ceremony at park Arena in Auckland.
The Award was presented to her father by the Prime Minister Rt. Hon Jancida Adern.
“Thanks everybody. I think it’s wonderful you believe in us so much," she said "and congratulations to the other nominees…I’ll put the money towards making the same happy mistake again.”
The last three years have been huge for Topp, having signed to 4AD in 2017, moved to Wales, releasing her second album Party (it won the Taite Music Prize in 2018). Now she's dropped her third album, called Designer to great acclaim. Both albums were made in collaboration with producer John Parish (PJ Harvey and Sparklehorse).
Last night's event was hosted by a fast and loose Madeleine Sami, whose jokes sometimes went a little bit haywire. Sadly no TV station wanted to broadcast and we had to resort to watching it on RNZ. Thank goodness for them!
Groove listeners would have caught her stunning permormance at WOMAD 2 years ago. But you may have seen her more recently as she tours relentlessly, with hundreds of show dates across Europe, USA, Aussie and over here in Aotearoa.
For Musicians and music industry people the Silver Scroll Award is special because it's voted for by APRA members, and is the best peer approval you can get, a stunning acknowledgment from fellow songwriters. For Topp, it recognises her memorable and daring work (on The Barrel). Her name will be long rembered next to Marlon Williams, Bic Runga, Ruban and Kody Nielson, Scribe and P Money, Chris Knox, Dave Dobbyn, and Shona Laing.
We at Groove were also delighted to see the return of one of our most admired jazz musicians Nathan Haines, back after his battle with throat cancer. He was music director of tonight’s show - the 54th APRA Silver Scrolls ceremony.
Tyna Keelan, Angelique Te Rauna and Matauranga Te Rauna recieved the APRA Maioha Award (which recognises exceptional waiata in te reo Māori), celebrated for their rich and heartfelt ballad Ka Ao.
Capital composer Michael Norris took out the SOUNZ Contemporary Award for the 3rd time! (2014 - for Inner Phases; 2018 for Sygyt). This time it was for his work Sama Violin Concerto, written for violinist Amalia Hall.
Ex-Supergoove(er) Karl Steven won his second APRA Best Original Music in a Series Award for his dark and bold score for the TV series The Bad Seed (a twisted drama of politics and power based on the stories by author Charlotte Grimshaw).
Mike Newport snapped up the APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film Award for his music in the 80's inspired time-travelling heist film Mega Time Squad.
Writer Chris Bourke was the perfect choice to introduce us to the induction of Ruru Karaitiana, Pixie Williams, and Jim Carter into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame. They really need know introduction.
The trio created Aotearoa’s first ever true pop song Blue Smoke in 1949 - written, performed, recorded and made (in shellac) in aotearoa! There was a beautiful tribute performance inte Reo and English by Lisa Tomlins and Kirsten Te Rito backed by Riki Gooch, Jacqui Nyman, Mark Sommerville, James Illingworth, Nick Atkinson, Matthew Verrill, Luca Manghi and Paul McLaney's Black Quartet.
The winner of all awards were:
APRA Silver Scroll: Hannah Topp aka Aldous Harding – The Barrel
APRA Maioha Award: Tyna Keelan, Angelique Te Rauna and Matauranga Te Rauna – Ka Ao
SOUNZ Contemporary Award: Michael Norris – Sama Violin Concerto
APRA Best Original Music in a Series: Karl Steven – The Bad Seed
APRA Best Original Music in a Feature Film: Mike Newport – Mega Time Squad
Hall of Fame: Ruru Karaitiana, Pixie Williams, and Jim Carter
Introduced by writer Chris Burke, Ruru Karaitiana, Pixie Williams and Jim Carter have been inducted into the NZ Music Hall of Fame for 'Blue Smoke' at the APRA Silver Scrolls awards held at the Spark Arena in Auckland. What a fantastic honour. The first record to be written, sung, recorded and made (in Shellac by TANZA) in Aorearoa. A true taonga.
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