Groove At the Big Day Out

So far Portugal the Man has impressed.  It's a slightly windy 22 degrees at Western Springs.  The stages are both open and intimate depending on the acts, so whether the wind affects is hard to say at this stage.  Opening act Prowler barely had their kit set up when they finished but the played with guston.  Villany added a level of angst required befor the mellower Beastwars took the stage over at the Tui end (mellow - Not) Gwaaaah.

I won't be the first to say that this old event felt brand new.  Compared to the concrete jungle of Mount Smart Western Springs' grassy plains and undulating knolls had a relaxing festive atmosphere about them.  CSS's LoveFoxxx told me several times how "cool" it was to gig down on the "Water-eee Stage" (The Lakeside Stage). This one in particular was cool.  As the temp moved towards the mid 20's it was welcome relief to walk through the "rain forest" (an overhead canopy of ferns with a secret water mist). Those in search of adventure could have a crack at the "Undead Wall", a zombie adventure space, or go down Lipton Tea's blow up helter-skelter tower.  I did miss the paintball, fairground rides, skate show and zip-line of previous years. 

Musically, this one ticked all the boxes for me.  Whilst Blur could not attend, their replacements more than made up for it.  Beady Eye's Chris Sharrock found it ironic that they'd subbed in, recalling the old fake rivalry of the 90's.  Their sludgy rock set was a mostly mix of stuff from the BE album and Oasis' back catalogue.  Old schoolers from the 90's very happy. Swedish garage-men The Hives were the most fun on stage. Pelle Alnquist was an awesome reincarnate-blend of Jerry Lee Lewis showmanship and ringmaster antics.  Towards the end of the set he coiled the whole crowd down, spring like in anticipation of their climactic, crashing finale'. Pure, unadulterated theatre.
Much more and photo's...

The Big Day Out 2014

The CoffeeBar Kid will be on Site - blogging and posing on Facebook - all the action, all the photos of  all the cool stuff.  So make sure you join him and also listen to www.groovefm.co.nz this Thursday for a round up show!

Link to the facebook page is:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/5182849869/

http://www.bigdayout.com/

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/

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

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

Died: December 5, 2013, Houghton Estate, South Africa

Movies: Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Spouse: Graça Machel (m. 1998–2013), Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (m. 1958–1996), Evelyn Mase (m. 1944–1958)

Children: Makaziwe Mandela, Zenani Mandela, Makgatho Mandela, Madiba Thembekile Mandela, Zindziswa Mandela

Awards: 

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

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

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

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.

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.