Thanks again to Altmusic for another great round of shows, this time from Germany’s Peter Brötzmann. These photos are from the Wellington show at Old St Pauls church on 7th May, with support from Simon O’Rourke.
Simon O’Rourke w/ visuals by Erica Sklenars
Old St Pauls roof
“Altmusic is proud to announce Peter Brötzmann (DE) touring New Zealand throughout May in 2014!
German saxophonist Peter Brötzmann is known worldwide for his pioneering, unprecedented and ear eviscerating technique – exemplified by his classic 1968 album Machine Gun which threw down the gauntlet for a high decibel, politically charged approach to free jazz & improvised music.”
“Mr. Brötzmann is famous for a hardheaded, fulminating style devoid of any bathos. Trying to describe it sends you grasping for overheated metaphors: blowtorches, hellfires, certain Congressional libidos… he recently turned 70, and he sounds almost invincible.” – New York Times
AUCKLAND, WELLINGTON, DUNEDIN, CHRISTCHURCH > MAY 3RD til MAY 10TH
Here are the photos from the last two shows I saw in Auckland after Easter.
This wild-eyed woman from Lyttelton going by the name Aldous Harding wields a powerful and impressively chameleonic voice with beautiful folk songs and an endearing persona that will no doubt carry her into a promising musical future.
Hear her story in brief with some musical clips here:
Balamohan Shingade is a vocalist in the practise of Hindustani classical music, and a designer, based in Auckland who had a recent design exhibition and musical performance at the Audio Foundation.
“A raga is a tonal framework for composition and improvisation in Hindustani classical music. Each raga is associated with a particular time of day, and with an atmosphere to which that time corresponds. They form a continuous cycle, reflecting the course of the sun from dawn to dusk; dusk to dawn.” (see diagram above)
I cringe every time I hear John Key refer to the ‘Mum & Dad investors’ who will supposedly benefit from the privatisation of New Zealand’s national assets and I am borderline disgusted at the volume of media coverage given to these overrated royal appendages on their recent ‘tour’ of the country, so it’s nice to see art like this around the streets making light of the situation!
The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge and their son George, with NZ Prime Minister John Key. Artist unknown.It’s true ‘Her Majesty the Queen’ owns alot of land in NZ because her ancestors employees colonised the country over 174 years ago, but I struggle to understand why her grandson and his family coming to visit should be the leading story for almost every news outlet for six days running! Anyway…
These photos are from another show at FTP gallery on New North Road, Auckland, Sunday 19th April. Huge thanks to FTP for having me play & stay!
Kraus & Liam > kraus.co.nz
Huf > Listen
Diana Tribute (continuing with the royal theme)
After a mad long weekend it was definitely time for some loungey cat times in front of the fire, with soup! (Thanks dudes!)
More photos from Easter weekend in Auckland, these from Borderline Fest, FTP Gallery & Union St on Friday & Saturday, 18th/19th April:
Jonathan King & Alex Brown @ FTP Gallery
Emily Edrosa @ FTP Gallery > Listen
Neo Waco @ FTP Gallery > Listen
Drummy & Bonehead @ Whammy > Listen to Bonehead
Team Catfood @ Union St > Listen
After an excessively eventful Easter weekend in Auckland I have pics aplenty. These are from Thursday 17th April, more to come:
Sister power! This is Valentine and Clementine Nixon, aka Purple Pilgrims, aka purveyors of beautiful, blissed out, ethereal, oceanic vibes. Check out their interview on UTR & learn about their gypsy genes, the Hong Kong music scene and recording ‘cosmic collaborations’ in the Coromandel (yay for alliteration!)
& here’s some live footage from London, November 2013:
APOLLO KIDS:
Thanks to Nick and Shannon Walsh for organising this rad event (the finale of four) – local experimental electronic goods galore!
Park Tapes
Deerpark > deerparkband.net
NZ IDLE: Here’s a comedic little web-series made in Wellington about life on the unemployment benefit. Genius! Only three episodes are out thus far, more coming soon…
Episode 2 | Time Management Skills
Episode 3 | ‘Compelled to Work!’ Scheme
FLAT WHITE GUY: A pretty great 48 Hour Film out of Auckland from 2011 that didn’t quite make it in on time. (Thanks Eliot!)
“WHATEVEREST is a documentary about the unlikely inspiration behind a dance tune produced by Todd Terje called “Inspector Norse”. “Inspector Norse” is the internet alias of Marius Solem Johansen, a failed musician living in a small town, producing dance videos and drug recipes for YouTube.”
Huge congratulations to Loomio who have well-surpassed their crowd-funding goal of $100,000, and a huge thankyou to anyone who donated! If you’re not sure what this is all about, go explore! You can start a group to make decisions in your own community or organisation, or just check out existing groups on Loomio to see what they’re doing and join them at will. Here’s to more effective decision making for the masses!
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