Member News Sarah Leota Member News Sarah Leota

KENINGTON 'GOING NOWHERE (FASTER THAN YOU)'

UK born, Auckland based singer-songwriter Kenington is pleased to release his second single 'Going Nowhere (Faster Than You)' - the title track of his debut album Going Nowhere (Faster Than You)

UK born, Auckland based singer-songwriter Kenington is pleased to release his second single 'Going Nowhere (Faster Than You)' - the title track of his debut album Going Nowhere (Faster Than You)

Mark Kenington writes honest, reflective songs of a timeless nature wrapped in lush, catchy melodies. Songs that often mix a positive vibe with a darker and deeper lyrical message.

'Going Nowhere (Faster Than You)’ was inspired by Mark’s childhood dreams that faded and were replaced by the relentless and sometimes meaningless pursuits in adult life, with a nod to the self-critic dream-killer inside ourselves.

'Going Nowhere' has an upbeat vibe conjuring the likes of indie rockers Foals mixed with 70's funk band Kool & The Gang.

The forthcoming album was recorded by award winning producer and engineer Andrew Buckton (Midnight Youth,The D4, Sommerest, Ekko Park) and is a collection of highly crafted, insightful catchy songs translated into beautifully sonic guitar pop soundscapes.

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Member News Sarah Leota Member News Sarah Leota

ALDOUS HARDING ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM

On 19th May 2017, Aldous Harding (Liv Young) releases her second album, Party. Following the recent single ‘Horizon’ – a lover’s call to arms which also features on her 4AD/Flying Nun debut – her new track 'Imagine' has been released.

Aldous Harding Announces New Album
4AD/Flying Nun Debut Party Released On May 19, 2017
New Single ‘Imagining My Man’ + video

On 19th May 2017, Aldous Harding (Liv Young) releases her second album, Party. Following the recent single ‘Horizon’ – a lover’s call to arms which also features on her 4AD/Flying Nun debut – her new track 'Imagine' has been released.

Party was produced with the award-winning John Parish (PJ Harvey, Sparklehorse) in Bristol, a world away from Harding’s New Zealand home. As well as contributions from Parish, Perfume Genius’s Mike Hadreas lends vocals to the aforementioned ‘Imagining My Man’ and Party closer ‘Swell Does The Skull’. 

Igniting interest with her eponymous debut album released just two years ago, Aldous Harding quickly became a name murmured on many lips. She’s known for her sinister torch songs, gentle laments and eerie odes delivered with a charismatic combination of hubris, shrewd wit and quiet horror. Party introduces a new talent to the stark and unpopulated dramatic realm where Kate Bush and Scott Walker reside.

‘Imagining My Man’ is an intensely intimate listen as Aldous explores the curiosity of a lover’s idiosyncrasies. The video was created by ‘Horizon’ director and editor Charlotte Evans and once again draws focus on Harding, tracking her movements throughout the city of Auckland.

“It has a fluidity that works nicely. I couldn't think of anything that would work better. I want people to feel calm, I was just trying to look friendly. It was also lovely being driven around Auckland City, I hadn't done that in a while.” says Harding. 

To celebrate the release of Party, Aldous Harding will be performing in Europe. She will play four UK shows in London, Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester during the week of release, before heading to Europe in late May. The New Zealander will also bring her captivating live show to North America in June. 

ALDOUS HARDING TOUR DATES:

May 18-19 - BRIGHTON, UK - The Great Escape

May 20 – PARIS, FR - L’Olympic Café [TICKETS]

May 21 – BRUSSELS, BE - Huis 23 [TICKETS]

May 22 – LONDON, UK - Omeara [TICKETS]

May 23 – BRISTOL, UK - Thekla [TICKETS]

May 24 – MANCHESTER, UK - The Ruby Lounge [TICKETS]

May 25 – GLASGOW, UK - Broadcast [TICKETS]

May 28 – AMSTERDAM, NE - Schellingwouderkerk [TICKETS]

May 29 – HAMBURG, GER - Nochtwache [TICKETS]

May 30 – BERLIN, GER - Auster Club [TICKETS]

June 3 – NELSONVILLE, OH, Nelsonville Music Festival 

June 4 – NELSONVILLE, OH, Nelsonville Music Festival 

June 5 – WASHINGTON, DC, DC9

June 6 – PHILADELPHIA, PA, Johnny Brenda’s

June 7 – ALLSTON, MA, Great Scott

June 11 – MONTREAL, QC, Le Divan Orange

June 12 – TORONTO, ON, Velvet Underground 

June 13 – DETROIT, MI, El Club

June 14 – CHICAGO, IL, Empty Bottle

June 16 – ATLANTA, GA, The Earl

June 17 – NEW ORLEANS, LA, Gasa Gasa

June 19 – AUSTIN, TX, The Mohawk (Inside)

June 20 – EL PASO, TX, The Monarch

June 21 – TUCSON, AZ, Hotel Congress

June 22 – LOS ANGELES, CA, The Echo

June 23 – SAN DIEGO, CA, Soda Bar

June 24 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Swedish American Hall

July 28  - SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Kilby Court

July 29 – BOISE, ID, The Olympic

July 30 – SEATTLE, WA, Tractor Tavern

July 31 – VANCOUVER, BC, The Biltmore

August 2 – CALGARY, AB, The Palomino

August 3 - SPOKANE, WA - The Bartlett

August 13 -PALERMO, IT, Ypsigrock 

August 17-20 – BRECON BEACONS, UK - Green Man Festival

August 25-27 – DEVON, UK - Sea Change Festival

September 1 - WILTSHIRE, UK - End Of The Road Festival

September 1-2 – SCOTLAND, UK - Electric Fields Festival

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Member News Sarah Leota Member News Sarah Leota

ALAE 'THINGS CHANGE'

Following their acclaimed self-titled debut in November last year, New Zealand’s promising duo Alae (Mikee Carpinter and Matiu Sadd) have now returned with what is their boldest release yet.

Following their acclaimed self-titled debut in November last year, New Zealand’s promising duo Alae (Mikee Carpinter and Matiu Sadd) have now returned with what is their boldest release yet.
 
Gaining support and funding from NZ On Air‘Things Change’ shows there is more than meets the ear to this Auckland based two-piece.  Best known for their stripped back and spacious acoustic style, Things Change maintains Alae’s signature emotive content and heartfelt delivery, while showcasing their evolving pop sensibility and full band arrangements.
 
Vocalist Alex Farrell-Davey explains the story behind the track, “Things Change is a song that revolves around the monotonous melancholy that surrounds the buildup to a break up. The crux of the piece being learn, don’t wallow.” 
 
The Commotion directed clip takes the viewer on a desperate chase from underwater to land, and back again. Conceptualized over a few beers and shot at Auckland’s iconic Point Erin Baths, the clip quickly took shape over the course of a week.
 
“Allister and I have been really curious to see what might be involved with shooting a video underwater for some time now, and this track felt like the perfect opportunity to give it a go. It also gave Allister the opportunity to vent any frustration he’s ever felt at me through one or two key scenes. We are really stoked with the way the video has turned out,” Alex explains.

The release of ‘Things Change’ adds to what is already an exciting start to 2017. Breaking new international ground, their track All Gived Up made Spotifys Discover Weekly playlist, and since amassed over 120,000 streams in the last 3 weeks alone.
 
With a raft of successful summer gigs under their belt, including the captivation of the R&V main stage crowd over New Year’s, a slot alongside NZ music legends Don McGlashan and SJD at Auckland’s Silo Park, and support for Lake Street Dive’s sell-out gig at Auckland’s Tuning Fork, Alae continue to take their music through NZ and beyond.

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Member News Sarah Leota Member News Sarah Leota

SOLA ROSA 'BACK TO YOU'

With a synth heavy undercurrent that floats along to a pulsating half-time drum and bass beat, ‘Back To You’ is yet another cracking tune, which is in keeping with Sola Rosa’s (Andrew Spraggon) long-standing reputation of pushing further into new musical territories.

Sola Rosa (Andrew Spraggon) is one of New Zealand’s music’s most evolutionary and enduring acts.
 
With seven full-length albums, four EPs, a handful of hits, countless collaborations and numerous world tours, it’s been a near 20-year labour of love for the man behind the music, Andrew Spraggon.
 
The Auckland-based music-maker is now poised to take the next steps in the Sola Rosajourney with an upcoming EP that sits firmly in the realms of electronic and synth. He has already given fans a taste of what’s to come with the stonking beat-heavy track ‘So Fly’, featuring British singer Kevin Mark Trail (The Streets), released towards the end of 2016.
 
Now, comes the latest Sola Rosa single ‘Back To You’, which features the soulful and haunting vocals of Berlin-based Kiwi singer Noah Slee.
 
Also featuring on the track is keyboard player Michal Martyniuk (Nathan Haines) and guitarist Dixon Nacey (Sola Rosa, King Kapisi, Tama Waipara). Final mix duties were done by Andy Morton (Fat Freddy’s Drop, Mark de Clive Lowe, Che Fu) and it was mastered by Kelly Hibbert at Almachrome (J Dilla, Aloe Blacc, Flying Lotus).
 
With a synth heavy undercurrent that floats along to a pulsating half-time drum and bass beat, ‘Back To You’ is yet another cracking tune, which is in keeping with Sola Rosa’s long-standing reputation of pushing further into new musical territories.

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Member News Sarah Leota Member News Sarah Leota

LI'L CHUCK THE ONE MAN SKIFFLE MACHINE 'UTILITY BLUES'

Utility Blues is Li'l Chuck's follow up to the highly acclaimed 2013 release Blues In Full Swing, and are mostly original songs inspired by the sounds of the era - Blues, Early Jazz, Western Swing, Ragtime etc - uniquely presented in the style of street performers from those glory days.

Utility Blues is Li'l Chuck's follow up to the highly acclaimed 2013 release Blues In Full Swing. 

Having spent a lifetime rummaging through the drawers of 1930's - 50's music, Chuck’s mostly original songs are inspired by the sounds of the era - Blues, Early Jazz, Western Swing, Ragtime etc. and are uniquely presented in the style of street performers from those glory days.

Sticking to the traditional one man band format, Chuck plays and records all the instruments simultaneously, no overdubs or edits. Just, Chuck, his skiffle machine and a bunch of mics. 

"I have nothing to hide behind other than my drum and my guitar,” says Chuck. "I recorded all songs live in the studio and aimed to capture the best performance I could.”

Captivating story telling intertwines effortlessly with heart stopping harmonica and multiple guitar styles - all underpinned by his left and right feet frantically pounding the kick and hi hat. The listener is left simply wondering, "How the hell does he do that?”

In addition to writing 11 of the 12 songs, Chuck was also Utility Blues’ chief engineer. 

He handed the raw files over to Lyttelton audio wizard Ben Edwards (The Eastern, Marlon Williams, Delaney Davidson, Tami Neilson). With his rich understanding of musical ambience, Ben artfully mixed the album, creating the perfect vibe for a collection recorded with such a pared back approach. 

In an age where we are rushing around at breakneck speed, where everything is instant, sugar coated, airbrushed and overly polished, Li’l Chuck brings us down to earth with some organic, all natural, whole grain, naked goodness.

Utility Blues is available for purchase digitally from iTunesAmazon, Bandcamp and all good digital providers. CDs are purchasable via Bandcamp and at live shows.

 

Li'l Chuck the One Man Skiffle Machine upcoming shows:
Sat 8th April- Wine Cellar, Auckland  - album release show

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Member News Sarah Leota Member News Sarah Leota

NAKITA 'ADDICTED'

Rising star Nakita (Mark de Jong) is celebrating her fourth single by going back to the little country studio where her journey began.

Rising star Nakita (Mark de Jong) is celebrating her fourth single by going back to the little country studio where her journey began.

Released today, the Addicted video shows the young Christchurch singer travelling with her new band to Te Pahu, a small township just outside of Pirongia, revisiting Bagnall Hill, the boutique studio where she recorded her Foolish Ones EP with producer Leroy Clampitt.

Flanked on either side by flocks of sheep and a ukulele workshop, Nakita and her band play through an in-studio live version of Addicted.

Nakita has just wrapped recording on her sophomore EP, tracked at Bagnall Hill with Clampitt back at the helm as producer – Foolish Ones, the final single from her debut EP drops next month.

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Member News Sarah Leota Member News Sarah Leota

MOANA MANIAPOTO 'MY NAME IS MOANA'

Celebrated singer songwriter Moana Maniapoto (Sol de Sully) is joined by her sister Trina, Pitch Black’s Paddy Free and Karlos Tunks Saunders in a heartfelt tribute to ‘moana’- the ocean - in ‘My Name is Moana’.

Celebrated singer songwriter Moana Maniapoto (Sol de Sully) is joined by her sister Trina, Pitch Black’s Paddy Free and Karlos Tunks Saunders in a heartfelt tribute to ‘moana’- the ocean - in ‘My Name is Moana’.

An Arts Laureate, Moana competed with 11,000 others to win the Grand Jury Prize of the International Songwriting Contest and has performed on stages all over the world including the Sydney Opera House – twice! Last year she was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.  

Where once upon a time her main inspiration came from fusing Pakeha western music with traditional Maori music, she now finds synergies between music from a range of cultures. Over the decades, ‘Moana and Tribe’ have performed and learned from First Nation people in the Arctic circle (Sami) and the Borneo rainforest, as well as performing in Taiwan, Korea, Russia, Hungary and the US. In this AOTNZ tour, her activism, which she refers to as ‘artivism’, focuses on the fundamental relationship that we have with ‘moana’ - the ocean.

“Reaching back to her musical and cultural roots, Moana crafts songs destined to get feet moving, hearts feeling and minds thinking.”

 

Itinerary

Wednesday 12 April 8pm Onekaka
The Mussel Inn
$25 presales/$30 at door if available
Book: Eventfinda

Thursday 13 April 8pm (dinner from 6) Mapua
The Playhouse Theatre
$25 Book: The Playhouse Theatre

Friday 14 April 7.30pm Hokitika
Old Lodge Theatre, 11 Revell St
$20 Book: Hokitika Regent Theatre

Sunday 16 April 7.30pm Geraldine
Town and Country Club
$25 Book: Louk Clothing (no eftpos)

Tuesday 18 April 7.30pm Alexandra
The Cellar Door
Adult $20, Supergold $15, Child $10
Book: Alexandra i-Site

Thursday 20 April 8pm Stewart Island
Community Centre
$25, $20 (Toi Rakiura members) Door sales
A Southland Arts Festival event

Friday 21 April 8pm Invercargill
SIT Centrestage Theatre
$25 , $15 (Student rush)
Book: Ticketdirect (Booking fees apply)
A Southland Arts Festival event

Saturday 22 April 7.30pm Karitane
Puketeraki Marae Apes Rd $20
Book: Kati Huirapa Runaka Office,121 Grimness St Karitane
admin@puketeraki.nz

Sunday 23 April 4pm Ashburton
Ashburton Trust Event Centre
$23 (fees apply)
Book: Box office or Ticket Direct

Monday 24 April 7pm Lincoln
The Laboratory
$20 Book: Eventfinda or at the Laboratory

Wednesday 26 April 8pm Upper Hutt
Expressions Arts Centre
$20 Book: www.expressions.org.nz

Thursday 27 April 8pm New Plymouth
Theatre Royal TSB Showplace
Table seat $35; Theatre seat $25, Student $20,
Table of 8 $200
Book: TSB Showplace box office, 0800 TICKETEK www.ticketek.co.nz

Friday 28 April 8pm Taupo
The Playhouse 2 Matai St
$30 (includes dessert)
Book: Cosmic Ticketing

Sunday 30 April 8pm Onewhero
OSPA Theatre Hall Rd
$25 Book: River Traders Tuakau

Tuesday 2 May 7.30pm Kaitaia
Te Ahu Little Theatre
$20 Book: i-Site Kaitaia

Thursday 4 May 7.30pm, Coromandel Town
Coromandel Area School
$25 Book: Coromandel Information Centre

Friday 5 May 8pm Hamilton
Meteor Theatre

Saturday 6 May 7pm Opotiki
De Luxe Theatre
$20 Book: De Luxe Theatre, Travel Shop or door sales
http://deluxetheatre.co.nz

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CIARAN MCMEEKEN 'WHICH WAY SHALL WE GO?'

Ciaran McMeeken (Tony Cowper and Greg Haver) is proud to release Which Way Shall We Go? - the first single from his forthcoming full length album.

Ciaran McMeeken (Tony Cowper and Greg Haver) is proud to release Which Way Shall We Go? - the first single from his forthcoming full length album.

Infusing the sounds of a quintessential kiwi summer, the track is grounded by a nostalgic, iconic guitar riff that features throughout.

Written by Ciaran McMeeken and Sam Craven (Rough Trade - London), Which Way Shall We Go? has lyrical content to match the riff - encapsulating what it is to be a young, wild and free. 

With it's clear context, the song explores the emotions that come with discovering what the gorgeous backyard of Aotearoa has to offer while falling heart first into a new relationship. 

Recorded at Roundhead Studios, acclaimed producer Greg Haver once again worked his magic to produce a track that allows Ciaran’s warm clean vocals to shine through.

Resoundingly positive, the track is a sign of things to come from the Dunedin-born singer-songwriter. 

Watch Which Way Shall We Go? on YouTube

Buy Which Way Shall We Go? on iTunes
Stream Which Way Shall We Go? on Spotify and Apple Music

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