Music Commission News

We are halfway through 2023 NZ Music Month and celebrations of this year’s theme: Community + Collaboration are well underway across the country. This year is about 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.

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

We are halfway through 2023 NZ Music Month and celebrations of this year’s theme: Community + Collaboration are well underway across the country. This year is about 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:
• MusicHelps is proud to announce a very special new initiative – the MusicHelps Master Of Music Therapy Award. In collaboration with Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust and The Kate Edger Educational Charitable Trust, applications will open for a special award to support the growth of Music Therapy practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand. Applications will open on August 1st 2023 via the The Kate Edger Educational Charitable Trust website.

• Auckland Writers Festival is on through 16 – 21 May, with three brilliant events within it that have a focus on NZ Music. ​​Find more information about each event below in the Key Events section.

• NZ Music Commission and APRA AMCOS NZ bring you three Gig Starters events this May in celebration of both NZ Music Month and Youth Week NZ! The Gig Starters programme is all about giving young people the tools to put on their own events. The first is 5pm – 8pm on Wednesday May 17 for Gig Starters with Most FM in New Plymouth. Friday May 19 from 4 – 7pm is Gig Starters at LOOP in Papanui, Ōtautahi. Sunday 21 May from 2pm – 5pm sees Gig Starters at ONE ONE SIX, Whāngarei. Gig Starters events are all in one HUI / WORKSHOP / GIG sessions, with a crew of industry professionals, a local recording artist and a production technician, who discuss the need-to-knows of putting on your own all ages gig. After the hui is a soundcheck / workshop, with the chance to watch and be part of a live production set-up and soundcheck. And then, it’s gig time! To find out more, RSVP or check out the resources and all ages venue guide – click here!

• Spotify has teamed up with NZ On Air to present the Spotify for Artists Masterclass held on the 31st of May. This online Spotify masterclass is an amazing opportunity for artists to meet the Spotify AU/NZ team and be guided through Spotify’s new artist expression tools and features. Not only that, you can learn more about finding your audience on Spotify and learn all the ins and outs of this global digital music streaming service. Register here by 29th May to secure your place in the masterclass.

• Take part in the ‘Can’t Get Enough of You’ Remix Competition! Unleash your creativity, showcase your skills, and compete for prizes including a copy of Ableton Live 11 Standard and more. Whether you’re a seasoned pro seeking a fresh challenge or a rising underground star, this is your chance to make waves in the music world. Dive into this uplifting remix challenge as The Sound Fuse launch Tom Mepham’s new single and connect with a community that shares a passion for pushing sonic boundaries. Sign up, grab the stems, and let the music-making begin!

• Zeal’s Youth Week Programme has exciting events all over Aotearoa, including the Youth Week Empowering Young Leaders Day across high schools today, and intermediates on Thursday, in the New Plymouth District with live music and speakers.

• Hawkes Bay Music Month Small Hall Sessions continue this week, with the continued focus of bringing their local communities together after a devastating start to 2023. This weeks 4 events begin at Meeanee Memorial Hall on Thursday 18 May With Half Power & Project Prima Volta, Haumoana Hall on Friday with Late Bloomers, Canyon Ride & Devils Elbow, Onga Onga Hall on Saturday with Liberty, Ben Throp & Devils Elbow and finally Porongahau Hall with Molly Pawson, Lady Larissa & Project Prima Volta on Sunday.

• LOW TICKET ADVISORY: The NZ Music Month Summit is next weekend – and tickets to be there in person are moving fast! If you’d like to come along to the event at the Tuning Fork, don’t delay to register here. Presented by the MMF Aotearoa and the NZ Music Commission, with support from APRA AMCOS, NZ On Air and Recorded Music NZ, the NZ Music Month Summit provides useful, practical information for emerging artists and music professionals – if you can’t make it in person, a live stream will be available.

• To mark 10 years of celebrating Aotearoa New Zealand music, the AudioCulture Classic NZ Album Readers Poll will give the public the chance to choose which locally recorded and produced album is considered to be the very best of all time. Everyone who casts their vote goes into the draw to win a Thorens TC201 turntable* and $500 credit to spend, thanks to Real Groovy and there will be spot prizes of exclusive AudioCulture merch to be won over the month. Head to the AudioCulture website to select your favourite New Zealand album before Sunday 28 May – the number one voted album will be announced on Wednesday 31 May.

• Parachute Music is giving four Kiwi musicians the chance to book a free day in their main recording studio, Studio A. Winners will get a free day in Studio A to work on their music with one of Parachute’s engineers. They can use this booking for anything from recording a song demo, to tracking instruments for a larger project, getting a song mixed by one of our engineers, or bringing in a videographer to film live content. Applications will stay open until May 22.

• Te Karanga Trust’s Navigators Showcase is back on May 20th! The line-up is STACKED with incredible artists from NAVIGATORS programmes all over Auckland. Join them for an awesome FREE show at Te Manawa Library in Massey with over 50 performers, free kai, a chance to make your own t-shirt with Never Fold, and more – all celebrating Youth Week.

• And don’t forget the Waiata Reo Māori Live Stream from 7:00pm – 8:15pm tomorrow night on Wednesday 17 May to watch Jordyn With A Why, Majic, Geneva Alexander Marsters, Alya Jade, and Corrella live from the Tuning Fork!

ON AIR NEWS
This week for ON AIR we are shining a spotlight on a selection of the great content from RNZ so far this May.

• To mark New Zealand Music Month Te Marama O Puoro, local music champions Music 101 spoke to musicians from across Aotearoa to pick one New Zealand song they wish they’d written in a two-part special – listen here and here.

• RNZ Concert have compiled a great feature on classic kiwi collaborations, with Benee and the NZSO, Shapeshifter with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Rob Ruha and the Auckland Philharmonia’s Matariki concert, Finn Andrews with the NZ Trio and many more.

• Nine To Noon hosted Dr Ian Chapman talking about the legacy of Space Waltz, as featured in his new book Alastair Riddell’s Space Waltz – part of the global 33 1/3 series on influential records. Catch up on the story here.

• On New Horizons William Dart featured the music of Douglas Lilburn, along with Seth Haapu, Lips, Robbie Ellis and ukulele trio, The Nukes.

• To kick off NZ Music Month, The Detail Long Read podcast took a deep dive on the amazing work of Grant Gillanders who’s ‘working his way through New Zealand’s entire popular music back catalogue — and reissuing rare sounds which would otherwise be forgotten’. Listen to Counting the Beats by Garth Cartwright, (also published in North & South’s May edition) here.

KEY EVENTS:
• Guitarnival is on Friday 19 May! Lewis Eady is honoured to host at Guitarnival ’23 for Tom Lark…Alone. A stripped back solo show where he will breathe new life into his mythical back catalogue and treat us to his new wares. A classic songwriter in the truest sense and a master of gadgetry, guests are sure to see a completely original show – up close and personal. Don’t miss out!

• Creativision is a one-day career fair and creative showcase event designed by Youth Arts New Zealand to inspire and empower young people to pursue their artistic dreams. Held this Saturday 20 May at Shore Junction in Takapuna, there’ll be a collective of the national music organisations on hand to chat about careers in the music sector, with staff from APRA AMCOS, Independent Music NZ, MusicHelps, the Music Producers Guild, Music Managers Forum, NZ Music Commission & NZ Music Month, NZ On Air, OneMusic and Recorded Music NZ all there on the day. Alongside talks, workshops and performances by Paige and Mazbou Q – it is a great opportunity to learn more about jobs in music.

• To The Front are excited to announce a special screen printing workshop outside of their Te Papaioea To The Front programme this year. In this workshop you will have the opportunity to make a band patch with your own design and learn screen-printing techniques. Materials provided, facilitated by a local screen-printer – bring your design ideas & lunch! Who: All youth aged 12-18. When: Saturday 20 May 1-4pm. Where: Youth Space Palmerston North @pnyouthspace. Cost: FREE – free shuttle available from Whanganui!

• There are a handful of tickets left for The Aotearoa Music Producer Series’ AMPS Mix Me’23 workshop focusing on all aspects in the art of mixing with Clint Murphy at Big Fan in Auckland on Thursday 18 May from 10.30am to 4pm. More details here.

• Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga are celebrating NZ Music Month by highlighting some of their favourite historic music venues. First up, the Crystal Palace Ballroom on Mt Eden Road in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland!

• Visa Wellington On A Plate – Lovebite Bar has transformed into a shrine for Aotearoa Music Month in May! Featuring a cocktail list inspired by homegrown artists, weekly music quiz, live music Thursdays and classic gig posters on the wall – they’re also taking requests for any kiwi tune you want to hear when you visit.

• Recorded Music Members Event – postponement date: Due to the extreme weather last Tuesday, this event was rescheduled. The new & confirmed dates are: Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland: Tuesday 23 May, 5.30pm and Online: Thursday 25 May, 5.30pm.

• After 6 years of gigs around the motu, your friendly neighbourhood indie-rock 4-piece Odds & Ends are pulling the plug. The boys in the band have got multiple amazing musical projects on the go and their final show will showcase Max’s solo project Max Earnshaw Music, Jonathan and Josh’s progressive rock 3-piece Underscore, and Koen’s indie folk-rock 5-piece Marmalade. Get your tickets to ‘One Last Show’ on Saturday May 20th here.

• Get to know some of the secrets of the Auckland Town Hall with Auckland Live’s very special edition of their beloved Auckland Town Hall Tours for NZ Music Month, curated by local historian, musician and award-winning author Gareth Shute. There are four sessions to choose from, starting at 10:00am on Sunday 21 May. Tickets and info here.

• Auckland Live’s Digital Buskers and FromThePit exhibition also continues this week from Thursday – Saturday, 12pm – 8pm at the Aotea Digital Stage.

• Another great opportunity to see music photography large-scale is three installations as part of the Auckland Festival of Photography. From 15 – 29 May, Image Auckland presents a special outdoor display celebrating Music, Concerts and Performances in New Zealand. The exhibition is a selection of entries from the first two Aotearoa Music Photography Award (2021/22) in a boutique walk-by street exhibition staged in Takapuna, on the Queens Wharf Fence and Devonport.

• You can dance your way through the solar system and beyond under the Planetarium dome at Carter Observatory’s Space Places’ upcoming event, Celestial Mechanics in Wellington! Featuring local EDM maestros Lotu, Noyer and cbk, accompanied by visuals that highlight the beautiful Venus and the ferocious Mars, get ready to experience an interplanetary combination of live music and visuals for Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa this Thursday 18 May. Tickets here.

• To celebrate the launch of 33 1/3 Alastair Riddell’s Space Waltz book, Real Groovy have Space Waltz playing LIVE in-store on the 20th May! The event is free and for all ages.

• There’s a host of exciting music related events at the Auckland Writers Festival this year – three in particular are: When I Put the Guitar Down – with Matthew Bannister (Sneaky Feelings), Kath Webster (Look Blue Go Purple), Justin Harwood (The Chills) and Jay Clarkson (They Were Expendables, The Expendables, solo albums) – is on Saturday 20 May, 5:30 – 6:30 pm Hunua Room, Aotea Centre. Needles and Plastic details one of Flying Nun’s most successful eras – 1981-1988, when an extraordinary wave of local music was unleashed on the world. To celebrate this era of creativity and chaos, four musicians who were active during that time come together to talk about their music careers, the effect being in a Flying Nun band had on their lives and what they are doing now.

• Turning Katherine’s Poetry into Song – Saturday 20 May, 7:30pm – 8:30 pm Hunua Room, Aotea Centre. Charlotte Yates turns the poetry of Katherine Mansfield into contemporary song with music luminaries Julia Deans, Anna Coddington and Lawrence Arabia. With an entertaining backstory into the production of the album, Mansfield – In Her Own Words, this show will feature intimate, live versions of songs that have been wrought from Katherine Mansfield’s lesser known but no less inspiring poetic legacy.

• A Waiata in an Hour: Kings, Rory Nobel – Saturday 20 May 4:00 – 5:00 pm, Limelight Room, Aotea Centre. Come and witness (and maybe even participate) as brilliant songwriter Kings and producer Rory Noble create, craft and perform an original song, sharing their process with the audience. Blind-drawing a musical genre and phrase, as suggested by audience members, over the next 60 minutes they write the melody, lyrics and structure of the new song – who knows, volunteers might be dragged onstage to form a doo-wop chorus, or to handclap the beats. A unique opportunity for performing taonga to generously open the curtains to a writing process that few audience members will ever have the privilege to see.

• At Motueka Public Library they are showcasing some of the local musical talent featuring students from Motueka High School. Come and listen to these young performers and enjoy the homegrown talent on the 18th.

• Head to Moon Jam Nite on Tuesday 16th to get your 15 minutes of fame. At Moon Wellington find a full stage with (electric) guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, mics, lights and top mixer supplied, just bring your own gear, cymbals, songs, poems, muso mates and audience.

• Papaya Stories are running a series of the award-winning Silent DiscoCitywalk® events in partnership with Eke Panuku Development every Saturday until 27 May in Wynyard Quarter, Auckland as part of NZ Music Month. Book your tickets to experience the first Silent Disco Citywalk here with their curated music playlists featuring NZ’s greatest hits and fresh beats.

• Hip hop superstar Savage has a one off show this week in Nelson – Elsewhere NZ & Industry Bar & Nightclub are proud to present the NZ Hip Hop icon for a Monster Show on Friday the 19th of May with support from local Hip Hop & EDM connoisseurs NFX & SBT! Tickets & info here.

• You can also catch Savage in Auckland for a massive night of local beats with DJ Sir-vere, Sid Diamond, Vayne, Jordan Lee and Neeks at Sweatshop on 20 May.

• Switch It Up this Saturday 20 May features Smashproof, Kennyon Brown, Bina Butta, Donell Lewis and more at the Dew Drop Events Centre in Manukau. Whānau are welcome at this community fun day and concert with activities starting from 1pm and the concert at 4pm for this all-ages, no alcohol, family event.

• Check out the future northern stars of tomorrow at the SmokefreeRockquest & Tangata Beats Northland Regional Final at Whāngarei Boy’s High School this Saturday 20th.

• If you’re a jazz enthusiast or a hip hop fan, you don’t want to miss an evening of live music featuring the talented Cypher and Soul at Level 13 Theme Rooms and Bar in Rotorua. Tickets here.

• Georgia Lines is playing a special all ages event at Big Fan to celebrate the release of ‘Monopoly’ this Friday 19 May. Tickets here.

• On Saturday 20th, Tahu FM are presenting the return of 1 Drop Nation live in Christchurch, performing at A Rolling Stone with special guests The Hootz and Tay Renee. Early bird, first AND second release tickets are sold out – so get in quick for final tickets here.

KEY RELEASES:
Mark your calendars for this Friday 19th May because a plethora of fresh new Kiwi music is being released. Below are the Kiwi artists with singles dropping on the 19th!

• Tāmaki Makauraru based Samoan rapper and artist Freddy Reynold is amped to announce his electric new single ‘Silver, Green and Gold,’ out 19 May, 2023. Info here.

• Sam Cullen’s ‘Forever’.

• Georgia Lines’ new single ‘Monopoly’.

• Mountain Boy’s single ‘Lucky’.

• Animalhead’s single ‘YAAAAA’.

• Alayna’s new single ‘Arrived’ – presave here!

• Foley’s single ‘Tongue’.

• Hera has a new single ‘Radio Silence’.

• Chores & Jupiter Project’s single ‘How Does It Feel?’ is out Friday May 19th.

• MOHI has a new track as part of the Waiata Anthems releases. ‘Me Pēhea Ra’ will be up on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook at 9:00am.

• Coast Arcade unveil ‘Next To Me’, which they’ll celebrate at their sold out release show next Friday!

• Seth Haapu has a new song ‘Tropical’ from the forthcoming album WHAI ORA.

• Luke Whaanga releases the sunshine giving song ‘Miracles’.

• Barry Saunders & Adam Hattaway and the Haunters are releasing a new version of The Warratahs’ song ‘Keep On’ also on 19 May, with a single release show at the Vogelmorn in Wellington the following night.

Also expect more new music from JINZ, The Mitchell Twins, Aro, and Violet Hirst!

KEY TOURS:
The variety of tours taking place around NZ continues over the next week! Mel Parson’s begins her ‘Tiny Day Tour’ this Friday in Auckland, find tickets here. PULL DOWN THE SUN / CLAEMUS / PIECES OF MOLLY begin ‘THE TITANS TOUR’ this Thursday in Christchurch! Get your tickets here.
Jamie Pye Quartet perform with the Dunedin Youth Jazz Orchestra in Dunedin on Saturday 20 May. Join NZTrio as they celebrate their 21st birthday in a concert that bursts with colour and emotion, featuring the music of past and present masters – their next show is in New Plymouth on the 16th of May. Devilskin are continuing their tour in Hamilton and Auckland this week. Midwave Breaks tour is heading to Mt Maunganui & Auckland this week!

Viices finish up their ‘Sandcastle’ tour this Thursday in Wellington with emo legends Burnt Out Graduate and Crying Club. This week on the ‘Ceremony’ tour Tiny Ruins are at Meow, Wellington with Vera Ellen; Paisley Stage, Napier with Stretch; and St. Peter’s Hall, Paekākāriki, also with Vera Ellen. The most streamed NZ rapper around, lil bubblegum is kicking off his debut NZ tour at Dive in Dunedin and Meow in Wellington. The O And The Mo – ‘Unreleased And Dangerous’ tour heads home for one last show at the Vogelmorn Bowling Club this Friday. Bryony Matthew’s ‘We’re All The Same’ tour visits Barrytown and Mapua.

Kaylee Bell’s Boot ‘N All National Tour is in Hamilton and Auckland. Neive Strang’s ‘Living In Two’ tour wraps up with shows in Lyttelton and a homecoming performance at Maggies in Dunedin. Matt Joe Gow & Kerryn Fields head to Nelson, Mapua, Christchurch, Dunedin & Ophir in Central Otago. Finally, West-Auckland frothy surf rockers Double Parked’s ‘Lost In The Groove’ EP release tour kicks off in Christchurch and Dunedin.

There’s so much more 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 Tuesday newsletter, submissions must be made the Thursday prior. See you next week!