Music Commission News

NZ Music Month kicked into action across the country last week with a huge focus on this year’s theme: Community + Collaboration. 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:
• The NZ Music Month Summit is back for 2023 with a packed one-day programme featuring panel discussions and presentations around music industry topics and information on Saturday 27 May. Alongside a live stream, this year’s NZ Music Month Summit will be held for a limited live audience at the Tuning Fork in Auckland – you can 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 to grow and thrive in their careers.

• Wanting to play your way across the Cook Strait? After a few years hiatus, the Interislander has brought back Bands On Board, starting with NZ Music Month! Around 5,000 artists have performed as part of the programme since it launched in 2006 – if you want to be involved, have a look at the details here.

• Harvey Norman are getting in behind Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa with a special weekly prize pack for school music departments. By sending in a link to a video of a NZ music performance school, they’ll go in the random draw to win some excellent music kit from Harvey Norman for their classroom. The performances could be kapa haka, solo, group, a class or even your whole school singing NZ waiata. More info and T&C here.

• Local vinyl record pressing plant Holiday Records have launched their amazing campaign for NZ Music Month 2023 with free upgrades to 180gm heavy-weight vinyl or a free upgrade to coloured silver vinyl for all NZ artists who place orders in May. Just get in touch or simply request a quote to get the ball rolling! If you’d like to find out more about the team, Monster Children had a chat with vinyl pressing plant Holiday Records co-founder Ben Wallace for their ‘Handmade’ video series. ‘Handmade’ is dedicated to those people around the globe who make cool stuff with their hands. Enjoy the full video here.

• The Aotearoa Music Producer Series have announced their AMPS Mix Me’23 workshop for NZMM. Focusing on all aspects in the art of mixing, the session will feature international mix engineer and producer Clint Murphy (Enter Shikari, Busted, Melanie C, Devilskin and many many more) who after training at SAE started his career in Auckland, before heading to the UK. Limited tickets for this free all-day event at Big Fan on 17 May are still available – you can register here.

• Georgia Lines’ online series INTROS is back with four special episodes for Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa – INDUSTRY INTROS. Released weekly, Georgia sits down with four different women in the music industry to help demystify the music sector. First up, Georgia has Poppy Tohill in for a chat about her life in music.

• The second instalment of the Ka Mua, Ka Muri web series premiered on Sunday 7 May. Four exceptionally talented musicians descend through the library basement archive, arriving at one of the most unique and memorable performance spaces in New Zealand. This four-part video series evokes an Alice Wonderland-style adventure, sharing their observations in interview style and performing a short set immersed in history, legacy, dreams and hopes. The artists featured are Lijah Mavaega, Summer Vaha’akolo, Pat Tafa, and Lucky Lance & Christoph el Truento.  This project is a collaboration between Auckland Libraries and our Arts, Culture and Heritage teams at the Central City Library.

• SOUNZ are calling for your #NZMusicMemories! SOUNZ want to hear from composers, musicians, music teachers, music enthusiasts and fans of Aotearoa New Zealand music. Get ready to take a trip down memory lane and share your favourite NZ Music memories with them during NZ Music Month. Whether it’s a cherished moment from a concert, a special performance by a New Zealand artist, group, ensemble, or orchestra, or a composition that holds a special place in your heart, they want to hear it all and will be sharing it online. Participating is easy — simply complete the online form here.

• Hawkes Bay Music Month Small Hall Sessions continue this week, focused on bringing their local communities together after a devastating start to 2023. This weeks events begin at Makaretu Hall on Thursday 11 May with Julian Tabat, Alan Downes & Ebony Lamb, Matapiro Hall on Friday 12 May with Ella Pollet, Teresa Trull & Stretch, King George Hall, Bayview on Saturday 13 May featuring De Lune, Danica Bryant & Ebony Lamb and finally Te Pohue Hall on Sunday 14 May with Nick Castles, Danica Bryant & Stretch. Tickets for all events are $25 and anyone can donate a ticket to locals affected by Cyclone Gabrielle by purchasing a seat at any show here.

• This Friday 12 May is the opening party for Art on Record, Kumeu Arts Centre’s celebration of NZ Music Month. Read more about the event and the art on display here.

• The highly recommended Historical Music Venues Tours of Auckland are back for 2023! Coming up this weekend on both Saturday and Sunday, there are free tours which take a historical journey along iconic K Road area venue sites, past and present with award-winning music historian Gareth Shute. Bookings are a must for these informative and eye-opening walks – book here.

• The line-up has been announced for the Waiata Reo Showcase 2023 with some amazing artists confirmed to perform on Wednesday 17 May. Everyone is welcome to join the Waiata Reo Māori Live Stream from 7:00pm – 8:15pm to watch Jordyn With A Why, Majic, Geneva Alexander Marsters, Alya Jade, and Corrella live from the Tuning Fork. The Waiata Anthems team has new releases throughout Te Puoro Marama o Aotearoa by emerging and established artists, including MOHI, Chad Chambers, Nikau Grace, William Singe and Corrella, alongside dynamic videos funded by Te Māngai Pāho, including five brand new short documentary stories, live performance music videos and lyric explainer clips.

• 95bFM’s annual Fancy New Band showcase is coming up to mark the end of New Zealand Music Month! Information about the event can be found here. Taking place on Saturday 27 May at Whammy Bar and Backroom, the showcase is the perfect opportunity to soak in some fresh talent from across Tāmaki Makaurau and beyond. This year’s lineup consists of: Ballot Box, blush.mp3, Chase Woods, Chris RL, Elliot and Vincent, YAHYAH and Sabreen Islam.

ON AIR NEWS:
• Tune into ZM from 12pm on Wednesday’s for their NZ Music feature hour! And make sure to catch their ZM Aucoustic Corner performance for this week: Summer Thieves.

• The Edge’s NZ song of the day starts next week! Listen in at 9am to hear the song, and if you catch the same song playing again between 10am & 3pm call in to win!

• George FM have their NZMM feature playing at 2:40pm each day with and old Kiwi banger and a new Kiwi banger back 2 back!

KEY EVENTS:
• APRA AMCOS NZ presents ScreenCraft featuring performer, composer, producer and collaborator, David Long, a free event for APRA members in Tāmaki Makaurau on Wednesday 10 May. David will chat about his experience in composing music for TV and Film. You can read more about David here. Limited seats available – RSVP here.

• Also at the APRA offices, the Access All Areas project is running a series of Professional Leadership Seminars to share and promote accessibility strategies that support disabled music practitioners within Aotearoa’s music industry. You can choose between the 11th, 20th or 25th May for the upcoming two-hour sessions. Tickets are available here.

• The SOLE Speaker Series for NZMM 2023 has one more event next Monday 15 May – Music Industry with producer Greg Haver of NZ Music Producers Guild, Jeff Newton of NZ On Air and Mike Hall of APRA. Together they will share their experience in the industry and discuss the ins and outs of producing, monetising and releasing a song. Click here for more info!

• Thursday 11 May sees Delaney Davidson in the CSO’s Ron Ball Studio at the Christchurch Town Hall for a special intimate performance ‘Delaney Davidson: And The Other’. Get your tickets here to experience this remarkable and unique opportunity to connect with his work both recently written and from his extensive catalogue of collaborations.

• Papaya Stories are running a series of the award-winning Silent DiscoCitywalk® events in partnership with Eke Panuku Development every Saturday from 13 to 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.

• Join broadcaster and Ockham Book Awards short-listed author Nick Bollinger on Sunday 14 May in conversation with the legendary Shayne P. Carter (Straitjacket Fits, Dimmer) and Featherston musician extraordinaire Warren Maxwell (Trinity Roots, Little Bushman) as they discuss their different approaches to their work and the challenges of making a life in music at Notes on the Page – Writing Music as part of Featherston Booktown Karukatea Festival.

• The Great New Zealand Music Challenge is this Thursday 11 May! Taylor MacGregor from Freak the Sheep, 95bFM’s longest running Aotearoa New Zealand Music Show, will be your host for the night in the classy surrounds of the Wintergarden at The Civic. Gather your mates, hone in on your Kiwi music knowledge and be in to win the ultimate New Zealand Music Month Prize Pack! Along with our epic quiz there will be live music featuring performances by emerging New Zealand talent: Katie-Lee Webster, Geoff Ong and Max Earnshaw.

• Terrible Sons are playing a special one-off show at Loons in Lyttleton to celebrate the release of their beautiful new album The Raft Is Not The Shore. Grab your tickets here.

• Re-sounding the Peninsula is at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery this Thursday evening, 11 May. This is the culmination of a project led by Alison Isadora (Caselberg Creative Connections Resident), in which Whaka Oho Rahi/Broad Bay residents collected sounds from their environment, and with the support of local musicians, explored these sonic relationships to translate these connections musically. Audience members will also be encouraged to participate with Audience-scores, illustrated by students from Broad Bay School. Read more about Re-sounding the Peninsula here.

• Tipene is taking his ‘We No Muck Around’ tour to The Butter Factory in Whāngarei this Saturday. One of NZ’s leading hip-hop artists known for his prolific song-writing and sharp delivery in both English and Te Reo Māori, after supporting L.A.B. on their summer tour and signing with LOOP Recordings, Tipene will be joined by long-time counterpart DJ Jayrasik (resident DJ for One Love Festival, L.A.B., Scribe and Sid Diamond) and up-coming talent Te Paea Seasons and C33Y with local support from ECAL, MALISTK and A2STIK.

• Queen Shirl’e Academy continue to Bring The Noise this week at the Otara Music & Arts Centre. Their Youth Songwriting & Development Series this week features a Music Industry Panel – with Trilby Crowther from APRA, Petrina Togi-Sa’ena from the Pacific Music Awards Trust and our own Rodney Fisher from the Music Commission – all happening from 5pm on Friday 12 May at OMAC.

• The Big Fresh Collective’s finest are taking over Ōtautahi’s hot-spot FLUX on Friday, May 12th for the FOOTMAHI 2023 release party! After claiming The Student Radio Network’s Te Tohu Kohinga Mariu (Favourite Album of the Year) for their FOOTMAHI 2022 compilation last year, BFC are bringing a one-off exclusive night of high-intensity Breakbeats, Footwork, Juke, Jungle & Techno stylings. Featuring DeepState from Tāmaki & Young Gho$t hustling down from Te Whanganui a Tara, alongside local heroes Infordin b2b Barns and Liam K. Swiggs, it might just be the release party of the month. Get your tickets here.

• Saurian the octopedal rock unit (aka four-piece rock band) hailing from Dunedin have their Christchurch show of their Small Scale Tour at Darkroom on Saturday 13 May.

• High Vibrations is a night of local Dunedin and Christchurch artists ranging from Rap, DnB, Techno and Dubstep on Thursday 11 May at The Crown Hotel, Dunedin.

• Head along to Neptune’s Mega Little Return of the Millennium feat. PollyHill, MĀ X WYNONA, Samara Alofa, BBYFACEKILLA & Seren on Friday 12 May at Meow, Wellington.

• Also on Friday in Wellington is the debut album release party with Pōneke based beasts of Balkan music, Bazurka; with special guest Mehana.

• On Saturday 13 May in Masterton is ‘The Gig’, get your tickets here for the midday to midnight event featuring several NZ musicians!

• Auckland Lives Digital Buskers and FromThePit exhibition continue this week from Thursday – Saturday, 12pm – 8pm at the Aotea Digital Stage.

KEY RELEASES:
• Just in time for Mothers Day, Bailey Wiley’s new single ‘Baby Mama’ is out 12 May.

• There’s A Tuesday new single ‘Familiar’ is out this Friday 12th May!

• Also coming out this Friday is Muroki’s new single, ‘Watching Movies’.

• Benjamin Mack’s new single featuring Francesca Parussini ‘Dark In The Day’ is out this Friday!

• Christchurch’s No Broadcast are releasing their new album ‘The Common Thread’ on 12 May.

• A trap track called ‘Click Clack’ fresh from EMWA will be out on the 12th.

• Saharaa, an independent pop artist from Waiheke Island, has released her debut single ‘Never Leave’.

• Sofia Machray has her single ‘Petals In The Rain’ debuting this Friday.

• Lauren Gin, is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of her latest single, ‘Flight’ featuring Reshma, a high energy future bass track out 12 May.

• Pōneke based Sure Boy have their new single ‘What You Do When You’re Alright’ out Friday too!

• Ōtautahi supergroup 1 Drop Nation have just released their feel-good tribute to Aotearoa, ‘I’m Home’.

• The full music videos for Waiata Anthems tracks ‘Ko Au’ by Corella and ‘Kei Pōhēhē’ by Chad Chambers are out this Wednesday 10 May.

• Auckland DJ-Producer duo Borj have their new track ‘Feel So Right’ dropping on the 12th.

• Oslo based Kiwi Adi Dick has released his new single ‘Hi-Tech Wreck’ under the artist name AD, from the album of the same name which came out 5 May.

• The Doublejumps, the three-piece guitar pop band from Taranaki, have just unveiled their new single and music video ‘Lazy’.

• Auckland rockers Ekko Park have released their brand new single ‘Outrun The Rain’.

• Dictaphone Blues new ‘Greetings From Glen Eden’ EP is live now with an accompanying video for the track ‘No Beef’.

KEY TOURS:
There is a huge range of tours taking place around NZ over the next week! Tiny Ruins kick off their eight-date Ceremony tour in Lyttleton, Dunedin and Queenstown. Kerryn Fields & Matt Joe Gow’s Heart of Gold tour heads to Whāngarei, the Bay of Islands Country Rock Restival, Kerikeri, Nelson, Ruby Bay, Christchurch and Dunedin. 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 first show is on Tuesday 9 May in Hamilton. The Jamie Pye Quartet NZ tour begins in Auckland this Wednesday 10 May. Dead Favour’s tour continues this week with their next show in Hamilton on Friday 12 May and Auckland on Saturday 13th – both with special guests Ekko Park. Turkey The Bird are continuing their tour, heading to Palmerston North, Napier & Ohau this weekend. Other tours on the road this week include Kaylee Bell, Devilskin, Bleeders & Midwave Breaks.

That’s only week two of 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 (we held back a day this week in case of possible postponements due to the North Island weather event) . See you next week!