2020 CubaDupa to Take the Airwaves with CubaSonic!

The Wellington Festival is Planning a Mass Musical Disruption Across Cuba Street!

For the 2020 CubaDupa, the capital’s free celebration takes things to the next level with its most ambitious project yet —a mass musical performance called CubaSonic.

Imagine almost 500 musicians lined from one end of Cuba Street to the other. Add to them a
dozen conductors and an overhead array of speakers that will direct surround sound across
the site. Throw in a locally-invented Tesla coil that can be played like a keyboard and shoots
lightning into its surrounding. Add major support from Creative New Zealand, Victoria
University of Wellington, and local arts supporters. Finally, add a bespoke score written for
this CubaDupa mass performance zone by leading New Zealand composer John Psathas (whom wrote 'No Man's Land'for WOMAD and the NZ Festival in 2016),
and that begins to describe the CubaSonic experience.

“The inspiration for this mass musical disruption came a few years ago when John Psathas was exploring the festival environments, contemplating the possibility of connecting the neighbourhood celebration with one big beautiful music performance,” says CubaDupa Director Gerry Paul. “He wondered what it would be like to unify the crowd with a creative performance and give the audience an experience that spanned the entire festival—and the
idea for CubaSonic was born.”

The immense scale of this event, and Psathas’s unprecedented vision, will become reality thanks to some of Aotearoa’s leading music institutions, including Orchestra Wellington, New Zealand ymphony Orchestra, Royal New Zealand Air Force Band, The Nudge, Boat, synthesizer genius Leo Coghini, and 250 Batucada drummers from across the country.

In development since 2015, CubaSonic will be performed once each day during the 28
and 29 March 2002 festival.

The project involves the formation of a new kind of mass mass music-making ensemble, over 60 speakers and overhead soundtrack spread across multiple city blocks, and a range of new technical challenges and production costs. The ongoing development has been funded by Creative New Zealand and the festival’s partnership with Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

“CubaDupa is one of Wellington’s primary lightning rods, generating and releasing a massive, positive energy charge into the city every year,” says Psathas. “Festivals offer unique opportunities for ambitious ideas. At their best they give us experiences we never forget, experiences that exceed our expectations both in the witnessing of art and in the moments of massed connection that sneak up and take us by surprise. Cubasonic, played throughout the heart of Cuba Street, will be vast, epic, and monumental.”

The mass sonic spectacle is a unique combination of contemporary music and technology, and part of the festival’s plans to present beautiful disruptions throughout the weekend.

Beyond the mass live ensemble, and the haunting electronic score, a technological centrepiece of CubaSonic is a musical Tesla coil known as Chime Red.

The polyphonic high-energy synthesiser was invented by Josh Bailey in the Hutt Valley, and literally makes music with arcs of lightning. The combined musical sources—live performers, custom composed soundtrack, and Chime Red—will all be amplified in real time through a special audio system that has also been developed locally. The combined ten-minute music work will move sound up and down Cuba Street, immersing 50,000 people in a sonic experience.



“As an engineer, I build Tesla coils, but it is my love of music and artistic collaboration that has taken my work into new places that combine science and art,” says Baily. “The joy for me is when a professional musician takes it to the next level. I am beyond thrilled that John Psathas has incorporated Chime Red into the CubaSonic project, and has composed this work for hundreds of people to perform, and thousands to enjoy.” 

CubaSonic is the centrepiece of a revived CubaDupa, and a bold statement about our return to the streets. It represents yet another Wellington-based collaboration that pushes boundaries, grows the creative community in new ways, and offers festival-goers a new sense of awe and wonder.

In 2019 CubaDupa was moved indoors as a response to the heightened security concerns immediately following the Christchurch terrorism. This year, the festival returns to the outdoor format with twelve stages across its Cuba Street precinct, 30 parade groups, special creative zones, a new circus arts and cabaret venue, and over a hundred food vendors.

“CubaSonic is a highly ambitious undertaking,” explains Psathas. “It is extremely brave and Visionary of CubaDupa to commit to presenting this complex, immersive, mass musical project. It’s ground-breaking, and I’m super excited to feel it all coming together.”

https://www.cubadupa.co.nz/

Catch all the artists like Troy Kingi and Wax Chattels here: https://www.cubadupa.co.nz/artists/#/artists/alphabetical

CubaDupa Returns to the Streets with a Beautiful Disruption

Wellington’s favourite neighbourhood comes alive with colour, art, music, parades, dance, food, and thousands of creative people the weekend of 

28-29 March 2020 WELLINGTON, NZ

All of New Zealand is invited to celebrate the country’s most vibrant and creative street festival, CubaDupa, disrupting the heart of Wellington on 28 and 29 March 2020. The multi-arts programme returns to the streets in a big and beautiful way—with a dozen stages, over 100 food stalls, special creative zones, 100,000 friends and neighbours, and one beautiful disruption after the other.   

“Our iconoclastic Te Aro neighbourhood will be filled with sights and sounds, parades and drum beats, street installations and public art”, says Festival Director Gerry Paul, who has programmed the most ambitious CubaDupa ever. “And at the heart of it all, ready to transcend the ordinary, are over 1500 artists and performers from the region and around the world”.     

Music is the very core of CubaDupa, and there will be no shortage of aural disruption in 2020. The festival will present a diverse free live music programme showcasing almost every genre. VNZMA winner Troy Kingi brings his irresistible galactic funk, alongside rising Hip Hop star JessB. Contemporary Canadian folk group The East Pointers join the party with their high-energy take on the Celtic tradition.

Making the trip from across the ditch are Bullhorn, an epic 10-piece brass ensemble fronted by the extraordinary rapper Roman MC. Local groove masters Dr Reknaw and emerging New Zealand rockers H4lf Cast add their grooves to the weekend celebration.     Musicians, sound experiences, and immersive electronic wizardry become a cornerstone of the 2020 CubaDupa with the festival’s most ambitious project ever, Cubasonic.

The mass musical interruption—conceived by New Zealand’s leading composer John Psathas—involves nearly 500 musicians lining the street, twelve conductors above the crowd, a custom-made overhead sound system, and a locally-invented Tesla coil synthesiser known as Chime Red.  

Defying words, Cubasonic will be presented once each day—uniting the entire festival site with a ten-minute musical happening unlike anything ever attempted in New Zealand. The project is a true partnership of creative community, generously supported by Creative New Zealand and involving Orchestra Wellington, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Royal New Zealand Air Force Band, The Nudge, Boat and a mass of Batucada drummers.     

“CubaDupa is one of Wellington’s primary lightning rods, generating and releasing a massive, positive energy charge into the city every year,” says Psathas. “Festivals offer unique opportunities for ambitious ideas. At their best they give us experiences we never forget, experiences that exceed our expectations both in the witnessing of art and in the moments of massed connection that sneak up and take us by surprise. Cubasonic, played throughout the heart of Cuba Street, will be vast, epic, and monumental.”   

The 2020 musical acts will be presented across twelve stages, including the brand new Radio Active Upper Cuba SoundSphere, Wellington Airport Swan Lane, the Garage Project Wild Workshop stage, and a Glover Park zone designed in partnership with Massey University’s College of Creative Arts.  

“Festival audiences can experience an abundance of music, dance, street theatre and art activations taking place throughout our Te Aro precinct” says Paul.  “After finding your groove with JessB or Bullhorn, join The Ping Pong Party People in a wildly creative table tennis championship, visit Shabby Salon for a drop-dead gorgeous makeover, then jump into the Weddings-and-Funerals installation.”

Another new element making its debut at the 2020 CubaDupa is the Mammoth Circus Tent in the Wilson Carpark on Ghuznee St. The bold and colourful venue will host energetic performances and workshops for all ages by day, and transform into a saucy cabaret show by night.  

“It's part of our desire to grow the festival in new ways, add interesting platforms, and showcase even more artistry and performers from all around the world” says Paul. “Families will experience circus shows by fabulous acts like COLOSSAL Productions, 3 Speed Crunch Box or Seven Deadly Stunts during the day, and then the older crowd can enjoy comedy and more provocative cabaret after dark”.

A theme running through much of the 2020 CubaDupa programme is Intergalactic Madness—alien visitors, strange messages, and wondrous disruptions from other worlds. Big Nazo will invade from Rhode Island, with generous support from the Embassy of the United States of America, for their debut visit to New Zealand.

The outlandish collective of visual artists, puppet performers and costumed musicians will bring their alien creatures to the streets and stages of CubaDupa. Closer to home, Alien Junk Monsters add their psychedelic recycled trash costumes—and a few new otherworldly offspring. And for the first time ever CubaDupa will play host to BodyPalooza, a new national body paint competition featuring over 30 artists and models painted as alien visitors.  

“There’s an eclectic and eye-opening experience for everyone at CubaDupa, because it’s a fearless celebration of who we are as a diverse and creative city, and what we have in this iconic neighbourhood”, says Eric Holowacz, CEO of Creative Capital Arts Trust. “Whether you are into new bands, raucous parades, or the search for extraterrestrial life, CubaDupa has it. I love it, because the weekend is always a highlight of the summertime, and an immersion in culture, creativity, and community.”

For culinary disruptions that satisfy any appetite, the Moore Wilson’s Street Feast returns to CubaDupa, with over 100 food stalls and a diverse range of local vendors and culinary experiences.  

“CubaDupa is going to be the highlight of our upcoming tour in New Zealand”, says Koady Chaisson, of Canadian contemporary indie folk music trio The East Pointers.

“We love playing in New Zealand, as there are a lot of similarities to our home in Prince Edward Island, but we don’t have anything like CubaDupa. We’ve heard such amazing things about this festival – this is going to take things in NZ to the next level. We can’t wait to get to Wellington and help light it up”

The 2020 festival will take place on 28 and 29 March throughout the Cuba Street Precinct in the Te Aro neighbourhood of Wellington. To learn more about artists, programming, and opportunities at the 2020 CubaDupa, visit www.cubadupa.co.nz.   

CubaDupa is presented by the non-profit Creative Capital Arts Trust, and receives essential support from WellingtonNZ, Wellington Regional Amenities Fund, Wellington City Council, Wellington Airport, Cato Brand Partners, and generous sponsors such as ANZ, Kāpura/Wellington Hospitality Group, Creative New Zealand, ZM, The Wellington Company, Massey University College of Creative Arts, LightHouse Cinemas, Wellington Community Trust, Havana Coffee Works, Rogue & Vagabond, Fortune Favours, Garage Project, Orchestra Wellington, NZSO, Royal New Zealand Air Force Band, Victoria University, Embassy of the United States of America, Australian High Commission, Embassy of Ireland | New Zealand, Wellington Night Market, Wilson Parking and KPMG.

It's Festival Time. The Kid interviews Composer John Psathas

New Zealand has never witnessed a multi-layered world music collaboration like this before. John Psathas is no stranger to large-scale works but this is his most ambitious project yet.
Featuring 150 musicians from more than 20 countries, including Serj Tankian (Lebanon/Armenia/USA), Meeta Pandit (India) and Márta Sebestyén (Hungary), No Man’s Land brings together the descendants of opposing forces in World War I and reunites them in friendship and musical solidarity on the sites where their grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought a century ago.

Director Jasmine Millet and cinematographer Mathew Knight’s film of this epic global orchestra – playing a Psathas composition that leaps musical genres as it does borders, from folk to jazz to rock to classical – will be seen and heard in tandem with a select group of musicians performing live on stage.

The CoffeeBar Kid had a chat to John about the project

Check out the link here:

https://youtu.be/tSBM9laJxUM