Reb Fountain: She’s Made Some Changes
Reb Fountain seems to have an inadvertent knack for messing with her own album releases. The last time she dropped an album was in 2017, but confusingly its release followed a rather more up-to-date (and ...
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Opportunities
Nominations Open For Music Manager of 2020
Nominations for the Recorded Music NZ Manager of The Year Award 2020 are now open. Organised by Music Managers Forum NZ (MMF) the Manager of the Year award recognises those working behind the scenes to develop the success of NZ’s musicians. Last year the Manager of the Year award was integrated into the VNZMA Artisan Awards and was won by Lorraine Barry (for her work with Dave Dobbyn and Tom Scott/Avantdale Bowling Club). Nominations for the award are open May 25 to June 26. The 12-month eligibility ...
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Girls Rock Pōneke 2020 Online
It's been a rollercoaster few months for everyone, including Girls Rock! Pōneke 2020 who decided to break new ground by taking the holiday programme online for the first time this July. Due to the uncertainty around Covid-19 restrictions the organisers were unable to plan for the annual physical programme, but have decided to keep the Girls Rock! spirit alive until 2021 rocks around. The schedule between July 6 and 11 will still involve songwriting, forming bands, learning instruments, workshops ...
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Join The Inaugural Bubble Bop
'Make a bop, in your bubble.' Bubble Bop is a brand new 24-hour music making competition for young NZ creatives, presented by Massey University's student-led creative initiative Something Something. The challenge is to create a unique and outstanding piece of music. Think Tik Tok earworms. But there is a twist. Your track must be 100% composed, recorded and finished inside 24 hours. Submissions will be judged by Benee, Soaked Oats, Sachi plus a panel of industry professionals. Bubble Bop kicks ...
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2020 Jazz Awards Finalists
The 2020 Jazz Awards Finalists have been announced with plenty of interesting additions among the category's 'usual' names. The three finalists for the Best Jazz Artist Tui award this year are Alchemy, Dixon Nacey and Michal Martyniuk. Nacey has worked across a wide range of genres and been the MD for Auckland's Christmas in the Park event since 2016. His album 'The Edge Of Chaos' saw him debut as band leader to a raft of talented musicians including Roger Manins, Kevin Field, Olivier Holland, Andy ...
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Interviews
City Of Souls: All The Colours Of Rock
Establishing a new melodic heavy rock band back in early 2015, In Dread Response bandmates/producers Trajan Schwencke and Steve Boag promptly located an ideal vocalist in Richie Simpson, attracted Marcus Powell as third guitarist, nabbed Daniel Insley for bass and drummer Corey Friedlander – labeling this new ‘super’ ensemble City Of Souls. Blindspott, Cold By Winter, IDR, New Way Home, Solstate, 8 Foot Sativa and Blacklistt are band names any reputable Kiwi musician across the hardcore/prog/metal/rock ...
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NewTracks New Artist: No Comply
Fynn and Ethan Blackwood have had plenty of band experience between them, notably with Lakes & The Magic Band or Molly & The Chromatics. After working with mate Harper Finn on his first solo music forays they were spotted by Warner Music NZ who decided to get behind their latest project No Comply. Late March saw the release of an upbeat debut hip hop single Tic Tac Toe, which garnered some additional support via NZ On Air Music's NewTracks compilation the following month. What are your ...
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Moments Like These: Sam Ford And Trudi Green
Both lifelong musicians, singers and songwriters, Sam Ford and Trudi Green have never wavered from their musical calling. Over the years they’ve formed and performed in bands including the Sam Ford Verandah Band who frequently packed the Gluepot in the late ‘70s with their own brand of English infused soul, ska and outlaw country music. Trudi, originally from Greenwich, London was the singer and Sam, who grew up in Auckland’s Glen Innes suburb was the guitarist/keyboard player. They later ...
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The Best Worship Artist (album) Tui award is one of those categories that television coverage of the NZ Music Awards annually skips in favour of ad breaks. For those paying closer attention Auckland's Equippers Worship church has been a regular finalist in recent years, indeed claiming the Tui in 2018. The members of Coldroom have Equippers to thank not just for their musical friendship but also for the name of their newcomer electronic pop act. Their single We're In A Dream was featured on NZ On ...
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Milly Tabak & The Miltones: Honest Woman
Among the flurry of releases at the advent of NZ Music Month was one charmingly honest song/video from a young Auckland woman called Milly Tabak – and her band The Miltones. While the sound of Honest Woman, her vocals in particular, might be consciously American, the music video incorporates multiple home video snippets of her farm-based early childhood that resonate as quintessentially Kiwi. The NZ On Air-funded video also includes the song’s lyrics plus recent photo shoot footage of Tabak, ...
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NewTracks New Artist: Madeleine Howard
Following up on a stunning acoustic rendition of Ladyhawke's My Delirium, Christchurch-based songwriter Madeleine Howard has arrived with her original debut, a single that balances fierce energy and vulnerability. Remarkably for a first-off release No More earned a place among the great songs featured on NZ On Air Music's NewTracks compilation this May! What's your full name, where are you from and what instruments do you play (if any)? I'm Madeleine Howard, originally from Napier in Hawkes ...
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NewTracks New Artist: Lévyne
Since 2018 Sophie Bialostocki has gone under the stage name Lévyne. The Aucklander describes the piano as her main instrument, and a natural knack for a good pop melody and layering of interesting sounds is very much evident on her latest single Look At Me, which made it on NZ On Air Music's NewTracks compilation this April. What's your name and where are you from ? My name’s Sophie Bialostocki. I’m from Auckland originally and I’m a keyboards/piano player. Was any high school or other ...
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Event Guide
2020 NZ Music Month Summit Guide
In keeping with the theme of this year’s annual Kiwi music celebration, the topic of the 2020 NZ Music Month Summit will be It’s All Local: Support Local, Stream Local, Follow Local, Buy Local. This year’s digital-only event will take place on Saturday 23 May, live-streamed through the Music Managers Forum NZ and NZ Music Commission’s Facebook pages and YouTube channels. Attendees can expect thought provoking discussions and conversation, invaluable ideas and information, and the opportunity ...
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Supporting Spacey Jane in March
Returning to NZ for the second time in four months, Perth's cruisey indie rock four-piece Spacey Jane will be playing three shows next week, giving Kiwi fans in our main cities a chance to party with them before heading off to the northern hemisphere. [NZM has ticket giveaways for the WGT and AKL gigs.] The handpicked local support acts are Rockquest-luminary newcomers Arlo Mac (in Welly) and Park Rd (City of Cranes) – NZM posed each the same questions. To be in to WIN a double pass for one of ...
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Rock Royale, Auckland, March 1, 2020
Rock Royale at Henderson Park was one for the Westies with The Bleeders, The Know Ideas, Nomadic, Cherry Blind, She Loves You, Racing and City of Souls gracing the stage. In spite of the strong line-up, photographer Trevor Villers reports that " there was hardly anyone there", possibly connected to the strict cigarette and alcohol ban at the gig.
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