Music Commission News

Nau mai, haere mai. Welcome to the fourth weekly e-newsletter for TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA | NZ Music Month 2023!

This is the final full week of 2023 NZ Music Month with this year’s theme of Community + Collaboration. We are focusing on working together to build a more connected and collaborative musical landscape across Aotearoa, from songwriting experiments, content co-creation, partnerships to engage and grow audiences, right through to community events.

These weekly e-newsletters showcase the great activity planned across Aotearoa throughout May, with a huge number of events taking place right across the country. We’d also love to hear from you with any suggested newsletter inclusions, interview requests or further information – all the contact details are at the bottom of this newsletter.

KEY NEWS:
• Friday, May 26th brings Ōtautahi The Check In 03, The Winter Showcase! Held at 12th Bar, The Check In features MOST of the best local Hip Hop Otautahi has to offer!

• Supported by Recorded Music, Crescendo have launched a 6 part series to support emerging musicians and producers navigating their way through the music industry. Check it out here.

• RNZ’s NZ HIP HOP STAND UP is back with it’s third season exploring the greatest songs released over the 30 year history of hip hop in Aotearoa. Made with the support of NZ On Air, it is available now: https://rnz.co.nz/hiphop

• This Friday is NZ Music T-Shirt Day! This day is about celebrating great New Zealand music and showing your support by sporting your favourite band tee. It’s all about fun, but also has a really important purpose in raising funds for MusicHelps. MusicHelps supports hundreds of projects across Aotearoa, each using the power of music to change the lives of thousands in need. This includes music therapy, music programs in respite and palliative care, music education programs (particularly in low decile environments), music programs in prisons and rehabilitation and music in aged care to name but a few initiatives they support.

• Saturday 27th sees the NZ Music Month Summit return! There are still a handful of tickets available for those who can attend in person, or watch the live-stream on the day (accessible through the MMF and Music Commission YouTube & Facebook pages). Join us for a day of discussions with artists like CHAII, Choice Vaughn, Mazbou Q, Wiri Donna, Half/Time, MISSY, Louisa Nicklin and many more excellent people from across the music sector.

• Flicks.co.nz have released their 23 Music Videos for ‘23 list – tasking 95bFM broadcaster and Flicks contributor Sarah Thomson with picking twenty-three of the finest recent music vids from around Aotearoa. Check out her excellent selections here.

• For New Zealand Music Month, Wellington City Libraries are premiering a 1 hour feature documentary retrospective on local recording studio Sandbox Studio, featuring interviews with the 3 co-founders, along with archival photo & video footage tracing the studio’s inception to its current form. The video will premiere on their YouTube channel, view it here.

• Levin NZ Music Fest is back on the 27th for the first time since 2019! Across six hours and ten venues, over 200 local acts will be out in force celebrating their awesome homegrown music community. Click here for the full list of locations involved.

• The Small Hall Sessions for Hawke’s Bay Music Month head into their final week with performances at Sherenden Hall with Vagus Plum & Arahi; Twyford Hall with Kenya, Scarlett Eden Band & Arahi; Waipukurau War Memorial Hall with Michael Stodart, Kitty Day & The Phil Edwards Band and the final night at on Sunday with an early show at Puketapu Hall with Cashek, Sarah Terry, Arahi, Phil Edwards Band & guests.

• It’s the last week to vote in the AudioCulture Iwi Waiata poll for the best NZ album of all time! Celebrating their 10th birthday, AudioCulture’s poll ends on Sunday May 28th, and all voters go into the draw for a Thorens TC201 turntable and $500 credit from Real Groovy. All you need to do is click here and vote – and if your fav isn’t listed, there’s a handy box to add your pick too.

• Giveaway for Schools & Music Classes: This is also the last week to get your entries in for a chance to win the Harvey Norman pack give away for your school – email your school or class NZ music performance to nzmm@nzmusic.org.nz.

ON AIR NEWS:
• Check out Rei’s genius acoustic corner performance at ZM here! And make sure to tune into their Kiwi Power Hour at midday on Wednesday!

• Mai FM have released their Lineup performance with Kiwi artist Jarna, check it out here!

• It’s the most wonderful time of the year – the Student Radio Network 100% NZ Music Week! Tune into your local SRN station for wall-to-wall local sounds over the next seven days.

KEY EVENTS:
• Rei is performing at Koiora Sessions in Rotorua on the 26th, the ​​first music gig of its kind in Te Haumako – Black Box Theatre at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre – get a taste of what’s in store by listening to Rei’s latest single ‘All We Got’ released earlier this month here. This festival of epic beats see Rei joined by dynamic hip-hop artist TY (Smashproof), RnB singer/songwriter Huia (awarded best Maori Wahine artist 2022), local family group Kingzeye, emerging band Tohu and soulful duo 2 Mile Bay.

• The following day, the Sir Howard Morrison Centre hosts an industry panel for NZ Music Month Rotorua, with speakers Teresa Patterson (Head of Music at NZ On Air), Ben Wilcock (Music Lecturer at Toi Ohomai), TY – Tyree Tautogia (Multi award-winning Hip Hop Artist), Norm Rahiri (Content Director at The Heat FM), Hapeta Manley (Director of All Round Entertainment) and Jackson Owens (Artist). Tickets are free, but you need to register here!

• Orchestras Central Trust Presents… FLIGHT | by the Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra! See it this weekend in Hamilton on Sunday 28 May, 2.30pm at St Paul’s Collegiate College Chapel, Kirikiriroa. Purchase your tickets here.

• Celebrate NZ Music Month in Uptown, with a showcase of Uptown’s spectacular local talent. After two successful years of this event, they’ve searched the community for musical talent and are proud to present the third annual ‘Local Voices’; a showcase of some of Uptown’s spectacular local musicians. H eld this year at The Fridge & Flagon, experience one of Uptown’s hidden gems – who house some of the most interesting or hard-to-find beers from around Aotearoa and the world. To take in the sounds of our incredible local talent, you can reserve your free spot & see the full lineup here.

• On the 29th is a special performance from the iconic Annie Crummer with her Papa Will Crummer, live at Auckland Museum at 7pm. With opening sets by MAL and Tree, it is sure to be a beautiful night of Pacific music for Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa.

• Wellington City Libraries are highlighting their Vinyl collection with a series of reviews of the exclusive Wellington & New Zealand releases that they have acquired for the collection. These can be found here and also here along with their regular interviews with local musicians.

• Australia’s Happy Mag has been celebrating NZMM with some great performances filmed in their new studio. The NZ Music Month Live from Happy series so far features Summer Thieves and Marlin’s Dreaming at Noise Machines studio in Sydney.

• The Rock Shop have an awesome series of Gear Talk online for NZ Music Month – as you can guess from the name, it’s all about music gear. Hear Frank Booker, Swap Gomez, Phil Masden and many more discussing their tips of the trade for getting the most from your equipment.

• Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision have released their curated music video list Playback, where they present favourite music videos from the Ngā Taonga collection to help tell the fascinating story of the evolution of the music video in Aotearoa.

• This weekend is your last chance to catch Auckland Live’s special NZ Music Month edition of their Auckland Town Hall Tours! Book your tour for this Saturday 27th May here guided by music historian Gareth Shute.

• The Depot Music Month Songwriting competition has become an invaluable opportunity for young musicians and songwriters in their local Devonport community. Divided into two divisions for intermediate and high-school age participants, the competition offers a chance to win recording time at Depot Sound recording studio. Entries are open until 31 May.

• On Thursday May 25th, to commemorate the forced eviction of protesters at Auckland’s Bastion Point 45 years ago, a concert will be held at Spark Arena’s Tuning Fork featuring amazing artists including Ardijah, Annie Crummer, Herbs, Tigilau Ness, Harry Lyon, Majic and many more. Purchase tickets and view the full lineup here.

• Auckland Live’s Pick & Battle is on Saturday 27th May! Pick & Battle is an epic show of street dance fun for the whole whānau. Here’s the deal, tell us your family’s favourite New Zealand music anthem when you book your FREE ticket, then Projekt Team a troupe of wicked street dancers will pick the top 20 songs submitted and, on the day, turn these tunes into a live improvised dance battle. FUN! Whether your favourite NZ artist is Dave Dobyn, Six60, Anika Moa or Che Fu, Projekt Team can do it all! Make sure you are there to cheer your fave tune and dancer on, because only one can be named champion! After the show, learn some sweet moves with Projekt Team’s mini crew, Prototype (dancers under 16 years-old) with the support of one of the coolest street dancers, Happy Feet. This will be a poppin’ 45-minute workshop not to miss.

• Coast Arcade’s ‘Next To Me’ EP Release show is this Saturday 27th May at Big Fan, it has successfully sold out!

• Palmerston North City Library continue their Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa celebrations with Synthetic Children performing live at 7pm on Wednesday 24th.

• The Motueka Public Library Te Noninga Kumu – New Zealand Music Month series features students from Motueka High School, with the next performance on Thursday at 1:30pm.

• At Cambridge Library they are hosting an Open Mic session for Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa on Saturday 27th.

• Combining her passion for original music and supporting local musicians, singer songwriter Deborah Wilding presents the second Songwriters’ Collective show for 2023. Hosted by A Rolling Stone, Canterbury’s premier live music venue, it’s shaping up to be a memorable evening. Joined on stage by Darryl Baser and The Wax Birds, there’s no better way to celebrate NZ Music Month and live, local music in Christchurch!

• Silent Studios in Onehunga are bringing two nights of the best local beats to Tāmaki Makaurau this weekend with a bass night on the 25th and house & techno night on the 26th featuring SANOI, Wavrunnr and a whole host more. See the full lineup and get tickets here.

• On Friday 26th Inch Bar are celebrating Otepoti music with live performances from Crime Hospital and Stef Animal! See more event details here.

• Byron Bay Brewery presents Fancy New Band, with thanks to Under The Radar! 95bFM’s annual showcase is back again to continue their tradition of finding the future musical legends of Aotearoa. Can you think of a better way to celebrate the end of New Zealand Music Month? This year 95bFM have selected some of their favourite Fancy New Bands from Friday Morning Glory, and as always, it was incredibly hard to choose! So come on down to Whammy Bar and Backroom on Saturday, 27 May to see: Ballot Box, BLUSH.MP3, CHASE WOODS, Chris RL, Elliot and Vincent, ITSYAHYAH, Sabreen Islam & finish the night with bFM Karaoke!

• Wellington Museum have a brilliant, now SOLD OUT, event for NZ Music Month: Make a Porotiti Musical Instrument!

• Also fully booked is WOVEN at Depot Devonport! Woven is a 45-minute musical journey that blends ancient instruments, voice, and waiata to offer a deeper understanding of Te Ao Māori and its connections to the wider world with Taisha Tari, Anna Dunwoodie, Komako Silver and Corbin Kuhtze.

• This Sunday Pluto Projects Artspace in Blenheim present an afternoon indie pop All Ages NZ Music Month event from 2pm with special guests The Watchamacallits – more info here.

• Christchurch on Sunday afternoon sees Music From Aotearoa at the McCombs Performing Arts Centre. Garden City Orchestra will be joined by Te Whānau Mahitahi from Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto for an exciting afternoon of music and song from New Zealand composers.

• Also in Christchurch on Sunday is Ngā Pou Taonga Puoro o Aotearoa – NZ Music Landmarks for You at the Christchurch Folk Musicians Club in Spreydon.

KEY RELEASES:
Friday 26 May is filled with several new kiwi music releases, so you’ve got plenty to listen to while wearing your band tee, on NZ Music T-Shirt Day! The single’s being released this Friday are:
• YAHYAH releases ‘How I’m Feeling RN’.

• Luke Thompson’s ‘A Light Calling’.

• Fan Club, the Auckland-based high school pop-rock band, release their third single ‘Break’.

• Wellington rock band Underwire releases ‘Gravity’.

• 10 year old Aanvi is releasing her debut music album titled ‘Emotions’ on 26th May. This album is a collaboration between so many music industry experts in Aotearoa. Listen to her music here.

• Toi’s new single ‘ESSENCE’.

• Lost Tribe Aotearoa release their new EP ‘Lost and Found’.

• Park RD’s ‘Ride’.

• Psycho Gab, an upcoming five-piece neo-soul band from Tāmaki Makaurau, are releasing their debut single ‘Messy’.

• Tom Knowles’ third single ‘Breath of Life’ – followed by the album ‘Atarangi: Morning Sky’ out on Sunday 28th.

• Li’l Chuck The One Man Skiffle Machine has released a new single for New Zealand Music Month: “You need a good kick up the arse”, something he frequently tells himself. See the video and listen to the track here.

• Sam Cullen releases catchy pop tune ‘Forever’.

• Christchurch’s Model Home release new song ‘Leaky Home Simulator 2031’.

• New artist Groove Incorporated blend a mix of roots, R&B, hip hop and electronica on their debut single Emma.

• Dunedin’s IVY have released new track ‘Heartless’.

• 15-year old Nikau Grace (Chater) is proud to deliver her latest offering, ‘Tōku Tuakiri’, a powerful waiata that is released as a part of Waiata Anthems – you can watch her mini doco here.

• Mountain Boy has released his new track ‘Lucky’.

• Waikato rockers Medusa Glare have officially released their new song ‘Blackened Blues’.

• QueenB releases her new blues/rock single ‘You Are Not Alone’, written to support a friend during their battle with cancer.

• Moses Mackay releases a stunning music video to accompany his new track ‘Made My Bed (For You Ma)’.

• The Feelers release an epic reimagining of ‘Larger Than Life’, the first track from a forthcoming album of re-interpreted tracks out in July.

• Zoé Mugasa releases debut Single ‘One More Time’ from the upcoming EP ‘Healing’.

• FINDMYKEYS have a new rock song ‘Time’.

We also have new tunes coming from The Mitchell Twins, Sly Chaos, Fin Rah Zel, Yon Loader, Jessica Leigh, Emily Rice and JEREMIAH THE NINE.

KEY TOURS:
Plenty of excellent Kiwi musicians are continuing to tour around NZ this week. Turkey The Bird are bringing their tour to Auckland and Hamilton this Saturday and Sunday. Get your tickets here. The final show of Mel Parsons ‘Tiny Days Tour’ is in Wellington this Sunday. Tiny Ruins final two stops of their ‘Ceremony Album Release Tour’ are Nelson & Auckland on the 25th and 27th. Tickets are available here. Bryony Matthews last few performances within her ‘We’re All The Same’ album tour are this week! She’s heading to Auckland, Wellington & Picton over the 25th, 27th and 28th. Tickets are here. Midwave Breaks have shows in Dunedin and Christchurch this weekend, get tickets here. LA Women’s ‘Hell Of A Night’ tour is in Auckland, Raglan and Wellington. Calla’s ‘Patterns of Remedy’ tour kicks off at the Grainstore Gallery in Ōamaru with Keira Wallace. The Coridian ‘Hava’ tour wraps up at Valhalla in Wellington. The Kaylee Bell ‘Boots ‘n All tour heads to Whāngarei and Leigh – tickets here. Hamilton’s Brawler N.Z.H.C ‘Hard Truths’ EP release tour is at Last Place in Hamilton. Bravo Uniform Mikes and Cherry Punch start their five date tour with shows in Napier and Gisborne. Kerry Fields & Matt Joe Gow are in Ōamaru and Invercargill for their ‘Your Heart of Gold’ tour. The Saurian ‘Small Scale’ tour wraps at Yonder in Queenstown.

There’s still a week to come this TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA | NZ Music Month, and we’re excited to keep sharing news, releases and events with you across the month. If you’d like to make an inclusion to the newsletter, please contact us. To be included in the next wrap-up newsletter, submissions must be made by the end of Thursday prior. See you next week!